Provider Network Newsletter July 14th, 2021

July 14, 2021

School Readiness Providers

The temporary waiver of parent copayments by the Office of Early Learning (OEL) ends on June 30, 2021. Effective July 1, 2021, Providers shall resume collecting the assessed parent co-payment from the parent.

Remember for School-Aged children the SUMMER Copayment is the FT Copayment amount. Parents will resume paying the PT Copayment amount once school is back in session.

VPK Providers

Bright Beginnings Wizard Information

The Bright Beginnings Online Reporting System is now open for the 2021-22 VPK program year. In order to access Bright Beginnings, all existing VPK providers must reset their password to access the Online Reporting System. The center/school will not be able to access the VPK Assessment Online Reporting System until the VPK Administrator completes the Initial Registration Wizard.
You will need your OEL Provider ID and zip code for the physical location of the center/school.
The initial registration wizard is available here: https://brightbeginningsfl.org/Register.aspx

Order VPK Assessment Materials –IF NEEDED

After completing the initial registration wizard and setting up the “center staff” and “classrooms” tabs, you may order any needed materials for the VPK Assessment in a timely fashion. DO NOT order materials if your school/center will be closed for the summer and no one is there to receive the materials. Materials will begin shipping within a few days of the coalition’s approval of centers’ orders.
Materials have not changed from last year, and providers who do not need additional materials are not required to order.

Please note the submission deadlines below for participation in the 2021-2022 VPK Program Year:

VPK Applications are due NO LATER THAN THURSDAY, JULY 1,2021. All VPK Applications will need to be completed by July 31, 2021, so that the COE’s can be entered prior to the first day of school.

2021-2022 VPK Rates

Upcoming Childcare Business Training: Child Care Success Formula

Presented by

This training will be offered in separate sessions to target the business needs for Family Child Care Homes and Child Care Centers. You will receive a free PDF copy of the book Childcare Success Formula when you register.

You will have a choice of 2 different dates:

Childcare Centers: August 20th or September 24th

Family Childcare Homes: August 21st or September 25th

Pre-Survey and Early Registration

As our economy recovers, we know that our child care infrastructure remains in crisis. We must invest in our care system with our children’s futures at stake. Accessible, affordable, high-quality child care allows families to work and offers babies the nurturing learning environment they need for healthy development. It helps build a future for our families, our economy and our nation.

The PBS NewsHour, one of the nation’s most trusted nightly news sources, has produced an upcoming week-long series on child care in the United States entitled Raising Our Future: America’s Child Care Dilemma. The series is scheduled to run in five segments over the course of this week.

Each segment will have a specific focus that will be covered in a 7-10 minute package and we anticipate that the particular needs of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers will be woven throughout the series.

You can stream it on the PBS NewsHour YouTube channel to see all the episodes.

Calling ALL Bay County Providers!

If you are interested in having a Rotarian volunteer to read in your VPK classroom each month, please let the Coalition know by emailing the redline. The deadline to "apply" is close of business Friday, July 23, 2021.

MMCI Training

The Coalition will be offering MMCI training to all interested providers. During this course, your instructor will be providing in-person training to teachers/directors which will prepare them to identify, understand, and apply stronger CLASS® interactions to their classrooms.

MMCI trainings will be offered once a week, in 2-hour sessions, for 12 weeks. Use the buttons below to register for your desired training and location.

Infant & Toddler

Panama City

July 22 - October 7

Thursdays 6-8pm

Preschool

Panama City

July 27 - October 12

Tuesdays 6-8pm

Inquiries regarding Operation Kaleidoscope Reimbursement including status and payment amounts should contact:

Chelsea Ranew

Chelsea.ranew@elcnwf.org

850-704-0941

Telehealth for Mental Health Services

The Coalition is excited to announce that each School Readiness child care program will be receiving a tablet for secure, confidential, and convenient telehealth mental health services. Connect with a consultant on the go with virtual therapy appointments for children, families, and staff.

A Coalition Mental Health Specialist (MHS) will be delivering a tablet with a protective case and telehealth guiding documents to each center within the next few weeks. The MHS will provide technical assistance on how to use Simple Practice for the Telehealth system.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Emily Luna at emily.luna@elcnwf.org.

Acknowledgment of Received Goods

For items (Goods) purchased by the Coalition and delivered on-site at your program, you will need to complete the "Acknowledgment and Attestation of Received Goods" form and checklist.

Forms will need to be submitted within three business days of receiving the package.
Forms will need to be uploaded to the Quality Folder in the Coalition Document Exchange and labeled "Received Goods.”

Acknowledgment of Received Goods Form

REQUIRED Banking Information for Teacher/Director Stipends

July 1, 2021 teachers/directors will need to complete the required paperwork prior to receiving any stipends. Handwritten banking information will not be accepted and incomplete paperwork will not be processed. Click below for the required W9 and Banking information.

W9 Banking Packet

Building Better Beginnings Quality Initiative (BBB)

Fostering Quality Infant & Toddler Care; One Teacher at a Time!

The Coalition is sponsoring an Infant and Toddler Quality Initiative with an emphasis on the teacher, Director, and continuity of care within the classroom. The framework for this initiative is the implementation of the FSU 10 Components Quality Care for Infant and Toddlers. Commitment levels for selected teachers and Directors are high, but so are the benefits. Programs will be selected to participate, based on eligibility criteria.

BBB Guidance

BBB Application

Community Beach Cleanup and Fundraiser

Please join us on Saturday, August 7th as we head to the beach to help clean up our community!

Remember that the Coalition earns $10 per person on clean up day, and Pineapple Willy's will automatically enter all attendees into a raffle for prizes. This year a kayak and paddleboard are up for grabs!

Be sure to join us and share this event date with your families too!

Extended Professional Development to Support High-Quality Language and Vocabulary Instruction in Prekindergarten Classrooms Project 2021-2022

The Florida Center for Reading Research in collaboration with the Florida Division of Early Learning would like your support in this professional learning opportunity for prekindergarten coaches and teachers.

There are limited enrollment slots for this project, and we want to give the teachers in our region the first opportunity to participate starting in late August 2021. To receive one of these slots, teachers and coaches must sign on by August 1,2021.

Pre-K Language Project Information

PAEC Pre-K Behavior Summer Conference (Virtual)

July 20-21, 2021

Conference Highlights Include:

Autism Presentation by FSU CARD: How to just get through the day!
Setting Boundaries at Home
Importance of Routines & How to Set Up at Home
Tips for Non-compliant Behavior

Conference Information

Registration Information

We are looking for parents to join the Parent Advisory Committee (PAC)

Download a copy of the flyer by clicking the button below. Please make sure all parents in your center receive a copy of this flyer. You can print to send home with each of your children, or you can simply post the flyer on your social media page.

PAC Flyer

Our partner, Florida Prepaid College Savings Plans, wants to help families prepare for future college costs by encouraging them to set up a Florida 529 Savings Plan.

If they set up a new Savings Plan account by August 15, they will receive a $50 account contribution from Florida Prepaid to get them started!

Click below for a flyer you can print for your families or add into your parent newsletters.

Florida Prepaid Savings Plan

Florida KidCare

In a time when the health and safety of our community are most important, help keep the children in your 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!

CCR&R Request

Big Heart World is an initiative produced by Sparkler in collaboration with Noggin that enables parents and educators to help children explore what it means to have a “big heart” and how to grow one. This means:

Learning About Me — Awareness of self: identity & belonging, feelings and self-regulation
Learning About You — Awareness of others: empathy, appreciation of diversity
Learning About Us — Relationships with others: interpersonal strategies

Have your kids listen, sing, and dance along to "A Friend Like You", the next song from Noggin’s Big Heart Beats album. And be sure to follow their site as they will release a new video every month.