Letter from the President
Jessica Castleberry, SDAEYC President
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It has been an extremely busy year for SDAEYC!
With many movements forward in our presence for public policy regarding early childhood education at the state and national level, a successful SDECE conference in April (despite the weather!), and excellent chapter representatives leading exciting new activities locally, we have a lot to be proud of!
One of our biggest goals at SDAEYC for the past couple of years has been securing more funds so that we can reach several goals. We want to create more connectivity for early childhood educators in our state for communication, gather strong data that reflects our workforce and the children we serve, find ways to continue to support quality programs and advancement of our educators, and to raise awareness among South Dakota’s general population of the importance of those quality programs and our people working in this field. In November of this year I applied for a NAEYC grant, “A Multi-Pronged Approach to Increasing Equitable Access to High-Quality Childcare.” 25 affiliates applied, and South Dakota was one of the 14 selected! This $25,000 will provide us with a great opportunity to accomplish many of our goals, and I’m looking forward to providing you with updates as we begin implementation!
Looking toward the new year SDAEYC will provide many exciting opportunities for members to get involved. We will again be cohosting SD Head Start the Early Childhood Education Day at the Capitol in Pierre on February 25. We invite all members to join us and show their support of the importance of early childhood education. We are also gearing up for NAEYC’s Public Policy Forum in Washington DC, a superb conference April 4-6 in Pierre, more ways to get involved with your local chapters, and many other exceptional experiences on the horizon!
Our organization is continuing to evolve and we want you to be a part of it. We have several state level board positions opening up next year and encourage you to run.
We appreciate your choice to be a member of SDAEYC. You are the key to its success and creating future possibilities for our educators and the youngest members of our communities!
Jessica Castleberry
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A Message from the Vice President
Fran Apland, SDAEYC Vice President
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What’s Play Got To Do With It?
by Fran Apland
Visiting the idea of play for young children is, I think, a great way to begin the New Year. Play is not something that children do just to have fun or pass the time but it is a foundation for future learning. During play children develop
executive function
skills
; “When children have opportunities to develop executive function, individuals and society experience lifelong benefits. These skills are crucial for learning and development. They also enable positive behavior and allow us to make healthy choices for ourselves and our families.”
Executive function relies on three types of brain function skills: working memory, mental flexibility, and self-control. Children learn these skills from opportunities to practice these skills through repeated play and meaningful interactions. Pretend play directly relates to beneficial outcomes such as increased communication, language, problem solving, creativity, critical thinking, making connections, and self-directed learning.
As parents and teachers we can help children to acquire pretend play skills and sustaining pretend play for upwards of 45 minutes. This can be achieved by adding developmentally appropriate provocations to the play environment and reduced distractions for your child. Here are some examples of what children enjoy and will provide the desired outcome of pretend play:
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Construction play with blocks and practicing skill of building
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Creative play through painting with various colors of paint and shapes and sizes of
paper with varied texture
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Manipulative play with beans, beads, and loose parts (junk)
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Sand and water play with provocations from your kitchen; measuring cups, funnels,
cups, and scoops
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Exploratory play through writing symbols on paper
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Gross motor and active play by moving their body by rolling over, crawling, running,
climbing, throwing…
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Language play with rhyming words
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Music play by beating a rhythm on instruments or the back of a plastic container
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Dramatic play through acting out a story to recall events, sequence a story, and learn
vocabulary
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Socio-dramatic play when children act out a situation or event developing skills of
self-control, flexibility, perspective, and rules.
Knowing how to play helps children learn yet each child plays at their own pace on the path of development. Children need pretend play to develop their complete capability as learners and members of society. So consider setting aside specific times throughout the New Year to encourage children’s growth through play experiences.
*Source material: “Important New Findings, Self-Regulation and Pretend Play Link to Learning in Young Children” by NAEYC
Fran Apland,
sfapland@yahoo.com
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SDAEYC Board Openings and Job Opportunities
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Board Position
SDAEYC is still looking for someone interested in being part of the organization as our Treasurer. Please contact for more information Mary Bowne at
https://www.sdstate.edu/directory/mary-bowne
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10th Annual Sioux Falls WOW Event
Saturday, January 19th, 2019
This years speaker is Lisa Murphey... Ooey Gooey Lady! She was our very first speaker, and has come back for more!
There is something New this year: ONLINE REGISTRATION and ONLINE PAYMENTS.
1.Just follow the link to the registration page.
2. Complete Registration information. Click Submit.
3. This will take you to the payment page. Complete form and checkout.
4. You will be linked to payment through pay pal.
5. Complete your transaction. You will be given a confirmation email. Please keep for your records.
There is also opportunity to become a sponsor. Sponsorship allows for you to get the discounted price for your employees. These are based on the size of your center. Here is one way to become a sponsor.
1.Just follow the link to the sponsorship page.
2. Complete Sponsorship information. Choose your category. Add your Business name. Click Add To Cart.
3. This will take you to the payment page. Complete form. and checkout.
4. You will be linked to payment through pay pal.
5. Complete your transaction. You will be given a confirmation email. Please keep for your records.
****You can also then return to registration page to register each individual employee. All items will be added to your cart, to allow for 1 payment. ****
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2019 SDECE Annual Conference
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SD Early Childhood Education Conference
"Supporting Early Educators, Families & Children"
April 4-6, 2019
Ramkota Hotel and Convention Center
Pierre, SD
We are happy to announce that Paul McGhee, PhD, Humor is FUNdemental, and Jeff Johnson, Explorations Early Learning ,will be two of our keynotes! I hope you will consider sharing your time and talents to help make this another successful conference by submitting a workshop proposal. Information will be emailed out in the next few months.
Last Call for Presenters
Share your knowledge and expertise by presenting a breakout session at our conference. All topics concerning Early Childhood are needed. Breakout session are 1 hour and 15 minutes in length.
Now Accepting Exhibitors
Bring your information and share your wares with 300-400 Early Childhood Education Professionals and Parents at South Dakota's only conference dedicated to Preschool, Daycare, Head Start, Parents, Teachers, Administrators, and Early Childhood issues.
Single and Double booths available. 8' x 8' Booth includes electricity and WiFi
Conference Registration
Registration will open soon (mid-January). Watch the conference
website for information and registration links.
We have some great keynote speakers lined up!
with questions or for more information.
If you know of anyone who would be a great presenter for us, please email me at
sdaeycconferencecoordinator
@
gmail
.com
See you in April!
Patricia Buechler, SDAEYC conference coordinator
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SDAEYC Service Awards
Marcy Drew, SDAEYC Secretary
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2019 Excellence in Early Childhood Awards
Do you know of someone deserving recognition for his or her service to children or the field of Early Childhood Education? Consider nominating him or her for a 2019 SDAEYC Award!
Award categories include:
Professional Service Award
(SDAEYC membership required to receive this award)
The individuals who have provided outstanding service in the following types of professional roles are eligible for these awards:
Early Educators & Caregivers, Early Childhood Leaders, Higher Education Instructors and Early Childhood Trainers,
Program Administrators.
Citizen’s Award
(SDAEYC membership not required)
a. Members of the South Dakota news media for increasing public awareness of children’s rights and needs during the past year.
b. Public Officials on the local, state or national levels representing South Dakota who have been sensitive to children’s issues during the past year.
c. Community leaders who consistently act as child advocates.
d. Authors from South Dakota who have excited the minds of young children or early childhood professionals.
e. Artists (dancers, actor, etc.) who have creatively expressed issues of children or who have helped children discover a fresh way to learn.
f. Inventors who have created toys or equipment from exceptionally safe, creative learning opportunities.
1
st
Year Early Education Teacher Award
(SDAEYC membership not required)
a.
Individuals who are in their first year of teaching children birth through age 8 (2
nd
grade.)
b.
Has shown exceptional skills in teaching developmentally appropriate lessons, being an advocate for young children and/or a thoughtful and caring relationship with children, families, and other professionals in the field.
Early Education Student Award
(SDAEYC membership not required)
a.
A student studying early childhood education in a South Dakota university, CDA or continuing education program.
b.
Individuals who show exceptional skills in planning and teaching developmentally appropriate lessons and/or are a strong advocate for young children and family issues.
Nominations are due by March 1
st
, 2019
For an application go to
www.sdaeyc.org; click on MORE, Membership.
If you have any questions, please contact:
Marcy Drew at
https://www.usd.edu/faculty-and-staff/Marcy-Drew or
Ellen Schlosser at sdaeyc@gmail.com
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SDAEYC Operations Manager
Ellen Schlosser, OM
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Hello Everyone, I just want to introduce my self, especially, to those of you that do not know me. My name is Ellen Schlosser. I live in rural Frederick, SD on my husband's family farm. We have been married for 30 years and have 3 children, a son-in-law and a grandchild. For the past 7 years, I have been running my own preschool (Buzy Beez).
I started out with the SDAEYC as Member-at-Large.
It is a great position to start in, to help someone get a better feel for our organization.
I have been the treasurer and continue with these duties until we can find another to take over. I would encourage anyone who has a passion for working with young children, to consider joining SDAEYC, as either a member or board member.
Ellen Schlosser,
SDAEYC Operations Manager
sdaeyc@gmail.com
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A Message from the Membership Chair
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Update on membership! As of December 2018 we have 183 members in SDAEYC. We have a goal of doubling our membership by October 2019! How can you help us reach our goals? Talk to anyone about why you joined and invite them to join you. Starting in January there will be membership posts on Facebook. Share posts from the SDAEYC Facebook page, on your personal page, to show your passion for supporting young children and to share why being a member of this organization is great!
Jodi Butzer
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Accreditation Updates
Susan Ratkovsky, Accreditation Chair
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NAEYC Accreditation went digital in November, 2018! I encourage you to conduct a self study if you are considering accreditation. You can use the same tools the accessors use for classrooms and the entire program. Those tools are available by clicking on this link
https://www.naeyc.org/accreditation/early-learning/tools#Conduct
SDAEYC has funds for accreditation scholarships. You can find the application by clicking on this link
https://www.sdaeyc.org/accreditation
The scholarships are available for programs who are seeking accreditation, renewing accreditation or filing the annual report. Programs can earn one scholarship, per year, up to $500.
Please submit scholarship applications to
susan.ratkovsky@us.af.mil
or mail the application to SDAYEC PO Box 3681 Rapid City, SD 57709
Currently there are 6 centers in South Dakota that are NAEYC accredited.
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NAEYC 2019 Public Policy Forum
From experienced advocates to brand-new educators, all are welcome!
Sunday, February 24 - Tuesday, February 26, 2019
Crystal Gateway Marriott Arlington, Virginia
With your $100 registration fee, you'll have access to three days of:
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Being part of a powerful team working to advance federal and state early childhood
policy
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Hearing from and networking with national and state policy leaders and fellow advocates
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Getting the resources and experiences you need to sharpen your advocacy skills
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Learning about new tools, strategies, and tactics to try in your own state and community
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Building critical relationships on Capitol Hill with members of Congress and their staff
How to Register
The Public Policy Forum is about many things—and one of those things is building community. That’s why the forum is organized by state teams.
In order to register, you must take the following steps:
STEP 1:
Based on where you live, look up your State Team Lead.
STEP 2:
Email your State Team Lead to express your interest in participating in the 2019 Public Policy Forum. Include your name, job title, contact information, and level of advocacy experience.
STEP 3:
Your State Team Lead will reply by sending you the event registration link.
STEP 4:
Register using the link & your NAEYC member number.
Details & Deadlines
The registration and housing deadline is Friday, January 25.
However, we encourage you to register and then reserve your accommodations
as soon as possible.
Remember, having the opportunity to participate in the Public Policy Forum is an NAEYC Member-Only benefit. If you’re not a member,
join now
, and encourage your colleagues, family, and friends to become members as well so they can join you in our nation’s capital!
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SDAEYC Chapter Events & Happenings
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Dakota Midland:
Dakota Midland hosted a Early Childhood Back to School Workshop in September,2018. The attendees came a way with great ideas, early childhood activities & door prizes. In January there will be planning time for a Make It Take It in February. In March we will partake in the annual Read Across America at the Aberdeen Mall for children birth - 8 years old.
East Central:
The East Central Chapter is planning a Relaunch Meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2018 at 6:00 pm at the Community Life Center, 625 5
th
Street, Brookings, SD. Please RSVP to Mary Bowne by Jan. 21, 2019 at
https://www.sdstate.edu/directory/mary-bowne
We will have pizza and cupcakes, hear about the East Central Chapter of SDAEYC, and network with each other.
On Feb. 12
th
, the East Central Chapter is planning a joint meeting with the Student National Education Association (SNEA) group. We will be viewing the film,
Paper Tigers,
which is about trauma sensitivity. Afterwards, there will be a panel discussion. This will be held in the Rotunda on the SDSU campus. For more information, please contact Kay Cutler at
kay.cutler@sdstate.edu
or look on our website,
https://ecsdaecy.wixsite.com/eastcentral
.
The March meeting will be on March 12
th
at 7 pm. The topic is yet to be determined.
The April meeting will be on April 9
th
at 6 pm, the East Central Chapter will be celebrating the Week of the Young Child. The details of this meeting will be planned in January.
The East Central Chapter will be holding a membership drive this January. If you would like to know more about its activities or about SDAEYC and NAEYC, please come to the Jan. 22
nd
meeting!!
Siouxland:
The Siouxland Chapter is busy planning for the 10
th
Annual Sioux Falls WOW event on January 19
th
, 2019. Lisa Murphy, the Ooey Gooey Lady, was our very first speaker for the event and is coming back to do the 10
th
annual! Each year we do a community outreach event for SFWOW participants to join in on. This year we are collecting beef sticks, cheese sticks, crackers, bags of nuts, water/juice, pop tarts, chicken/tuna salad with cracker kits, and quart size baggies. We will be donating these to the Canteen Project for homeless children in Sioux Falls.
The Siouxland Chapter is also busy planning a Book Club on The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace. We are planning a night in February, March and April for Siouxland members to come and participate in! We will be giving each participant a copy of the book along with in-service hours and networking.
All registration is online this year and it is easy to sign up! Hope to see you there!
Co- Chairs: Robin Sjogren & Karen Rieck
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Early Learning Matters (ELM) Curriculum
Virtual Lab School has released the ELM curriculum for 3-5 year old's. The information can be found at
https://www.virtuallabschool.org/elm-curriculum/preschool
and there is no cost to use!
The Early Learning Matters (ELM) curriculum, developed by Purdue University, promotes positive outcomes in all areas of development from birth to age 5 years. It is based on the latest research on child development and best practices in early education and care. ELM offers a comprehensive, developmentally appropriate approach to meaningful learning for all children.
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Whole child focus on skills that bolster school readiness and life success
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Developmentally sequenced activities that embed strategies for individualizing
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Evidence-informed, friendly-to-use resources for classroom staff and families
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Training tools to support direct care staff with different professional backgrounds
At the heart of the ELM curriculum are activity plans that build on children’s pathways of development in five infant/toddler areas and eight preschool areas. The plans support growth and development with a range of active learning opportunities that include careful attention to differences in children’s abilities and interests.
Comprehensive Activity Plans
Fully-developed, flexible plans support children’s engagement in learning across the entire year. Each activity plan includes: a model of high-quality use of the plan; scaffolding tips for providing extra support or enrichment to children; a related center (interest area) activity; and ways to use the plan in family child care. Plans for infants and toddlers also include “What to Look For” guidance in responding to children’s experiences.
Classroom and Family Resources
In addition to comprehensive activity plans, ELM’s classroom resources include: Child Observation Guides that help direct care staff observe children’s progress in each of the foundation skills promoted in the curriculum; a Snapshot of Child Progress for summarizing observations and results of progress assessments for a child’s portfolio and communications with families; and planning forms for adapting activity plans and supporting individual children. Information for families includes: What Children Will Learn This Week, a list of skills and classroom activities emphasized in a given week; and Readiness Starts Early, a weekly set of parenting tips that families can use to reinforce and extend their child’s classroom learning.
Training Resources
User Guides for infant/toddler and preschool versions of the curriculum describe each of the developmental areas promoted by the curriculum; summarize research evidence on best practices used in the curriculum; include a chart of the sequence of foundation skills throughout the year; offer guidance on planning the daily schedule and using activity plans, including transition activities; and provide suggestions for promoting a developmental area beyond the activity plans. The two online trainings consist of three lessons each, focused on specific aspects of the curriculum such as how to individualize children’s experiences. The trainings span birth to age 5 years. Classroom Observation Checklists help trainers and center leaders identify strengths and needed directions in a classroom’s use of ELM. There are separate checklists for infant/toddler and preschool classrooms.
How ELM Was Developed
Purdue University Distinguished Professor Douglas R. Powell led the development of ELM at Purdue based on an exhaustive review of research and in collaboration with curriculum specialists and prominent experts in child development, early learning, developmentally appropriate practices, and military families. The testing of activity plans included extensive piloting in military and civilian child development classrooms plus expert reviews.
Fran Apland
Training and Curriculum Specialist
28 FSS/FSYY
Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota
COMM (605) 385-2477/2277 DSN 675-2477/2277
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South Dakota Association for the Education of Young Children
sdaeyc@gmail.com
sdaeyc.org
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