June 17, 2020
For information to keep you safe and up-to-date with COVID-19 Updates !
Please report any closures, reopenings, or program changes due to COVID-19 to the Redline .
VPK 2020-21
If you want to participate in the 2020-2021 VPK Program Year, please note the submission deadlines below:

  • If you would like Advance Payment, please submit the VPK Application NO LATER THAN Friday, June 19, 2020. VPK Applications will need to be finalized by June 26th, 2020 so that you can enter the COE’s prior to July 1,2020.

  • If you are not participating in Advance Payment, the VPK Application is due NO LATER THAN Friday, July 3, 2020. ALL VPK Applications will need to be completed by July 31, 2020 so that the COE’s can be entered prior to the first day of school.
Child Assessment Update
Beginning contract year 2020-21 , if a School Readiness provider would like to receive the child assessment differential for completed child assessments, they, as individual providers, will need to purchase child assessment slots/seats from one of the three, listed below, OEL approved child assessment vendors.

Providers must have a subscription in effect before July 1, 2020. Please see contact information listed below for the OEL approved Child Assessment Vendors. ​
​
  • TS Gold: Technical Support: Help Desk 1-866-736-5913; Technical Support Email ​
  • ATI-Galileo: Technical and Service Support: 1-866-457-8776​
  • COR Advantage: Help Desk 1-857-600-1540; Help Desk Email
2020-2021 Curriculum Survey
The Coalition is gathering information to prepare for the new curriculum requirement for the upcoming 2020-2021 contract year. Please complete the curriculum survey below by June 18, 2020.
Temporary Bay and Gulf County Rilya Wilson Contact

Carleigh Helms is no longer the Rilya Wilson point of contact for Bay and Gulf Counties
To report any and all absences of at-risk children please call the Big Bend Community Based Care front desk cell phone at (850) 596-3135.
Specialist Caseload Assignments Update
The specialist caseload model has been updated due to changes in personnel.​ If a provider has a question about a parent/guardian's SR or VPK eligibility or enrollment, they can contact their Coalition Family Support Specialist by calling (850) 747-5400 and their extension or email them at firstname.lastname@elcnwf.org .​
Have Your Voice Heard
Your thoughts matter. Your experience is impactful. Your story needs to be heard.

We, at the Coalition, want to hear about the unique challenges you, your staff, and the families you serve have faced in the wake of this pandemic; it is time for us all to be heard!

Please, take a moment to print and publish the flier linked below with information on how families can complete the survey via their phone. To share your personal story, please click and complete the survey linked below. To discuss your thoughts and challenges further please register the June 18, 2020 Town Hall Meeting at 12:00PM !
We know this year has been one for the books, and when you find the teacher that is the right fit for your center you want to recognize them as much as possible. While we pickup the pieces from this pandemic & prepare for the upcoming hurricane season, we know that you and your teachers still have a job to do.
 
We would like to help you recognize teachers in your centers who continue to go above and beyond the call of duty. During the last week of every month, one teacher will be chosen for a prize in recognition of their hard work and dedication to the children they teach every day. You can nominate teachers from your centers by the 30th of every month by sending the following information through the  Redline :  
 
·     A photograph of the teacher (can be a head-shot or photo of them in action) 
·     A 1-paragraph biography 
·     One thing (or more) this teacher has done to go above any beyond the call of duty 
 
If your nominee wins, he or she must like the Coalition Facebook page and/or Twitter to be able to claim their prize. They can find us by searching @ELCNWF on both social media platforms.
 
Take this opportunity to acknowledge your spectacular teachers! All nominations must be submitted by Tuesday, June 30!
Coalition Mental Health Program
Offered to ELC Children, Families and Child Care Staff
In light of recent events, the Coalition will be offering support services including the opportunity to talk with  mental health specialists  who can help provide information, support, and even counseling.

These services are  free  to the children and families in your care as well as child care center staff. Sessions can be conducted via phone or video until it is safe to meet in person.  These services are confidential and are designed to help in this time of increased stress and uncertainty.

There are many ways that we can help. We can explain the current health crisis to young children, develop plans to deal with the isolation associated with social distancing, provide advice on handling increased fears/anxieties, or address other needs in the family.  Sessions typically meet once a week for 50 minutes at a time that is convenient for all.

If you are interested, please submit a request to the   Learning Line !

When submitting requests please include the following:
  • Your name
  • The name of the person/child you are requesting theses service for
  • Place of employment
  • Email address
  • Phone number
FLAEYC invites you to complete their strategic planning survey . Information gathered from this survey will be used by FLAEYC to create a three-year road map that clearly articulates their association's priorities, strategies, and completion timeline. Along with creating a road map, this plan will focuses on the following areas of concern:

1.    Improving Equitable Access to High-Quality Early Childhood Education for ALL FL Children
2.    Providing High-Quality Professional Development for Early Childhood Educators
3.    Advocating for Policy Changes to Increase Wages for Early Childhood Educators  

We ask that you take a few moments to contribute your unique perspective by completing the survey linked below. All responses are welcomed, so feel free to share this link with your colleagues and friends.
We are so excited to share the Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida has been selected to be a part of the Community Bag Program, which is designed to make it easy for customers to contribute to their local community while supporting the environment. For the month of  JUNE, each time a $2.50 reusable Community Bag is purchased at the local Winn-Dixie store located in Jackson County, $1 will be donated to the Coalition, unless otherwise directed by the customer through the Giving Tag. Also, if you live outside of Jackson County and would like to participate, don't worry! The Giving Tag Program runs all year long. All you have to do is purchase the Community Bag at any Winn-Dixie store and follow the instructions on the attached Giving Tag to direct the $1 donation to our organization. This is a great way to raise awareness, support the environment and fundraise for our cause. To learn more about this program and locate your nearest Winn-Dixie, please click the blue buttons below.
Florida KidCare
In a time when the health and safety of our community are most important, help keep the children in you center insured.

Encourage families in your centers to contact ELCNWF for information and assistance applying for Florida KidCare.

Call 850-747-5400 X 108 or request CCR&R via the link below!
We exist to grow healthy children, parents, and the relationship between them.
Sponsored by the Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida and the State of Florida, Office of Early Learning