Raising Quality!  IMPACT Newsletter
April 2019
VERY IMPORTANT PEOPLE--YOU!
More than 100 child care providers were honored at the Raising Quality! IMPACT Provider Appreciation Event, which was held March 30, 2019 at the beautiful University Plaza Waterfront Hotel in Stockton.

Center- and home-based providers alike were treated to lunch and a rousing speech by keynote speaker, Camille Maben, Executive Director of First 5 California.   Ms. Maben told how California is putting a priority on our youngest learners, and appreciated providers for their vital role in giving children the best start possible in education. 

Providers received $50 Barnes & Noble gift cards to reinvest in their programs with educational materials. Pictured above: Margarita Sese, Lani Tivao and Cynthia Graham with their Barnes & Noble haul.

Check out additional pictures on the First 5 San Joaquin Facebook page!
NEWS & EVENTS
For events and the latest news on  Raising Quality!, and other important efforts in San Joaquin County, stay informed by visiting our updated News & Events   page for a complete listing of events. Here are just a few: 

Upcoming Trainings and Opportunities
Please check out  trainings and more on the Countywide Training System Calendar   and on our website.

April 20, 2019| Family Child Care at its Best (Spanish)
April 27, 2019 | Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP) - Meaningful Observation
May 4, 2019 | Early Language Development : Listening and Speaking
May 9, 2019 | Preschool Program Guidelines: Overview
May 13, 2019 | The 3 R's for Child Caregivers: Respect, Respond, Relationship
May 14, 2019 | Promoting Father and Male Involvement
May 18, 2019 | Ages & Stages Questionnaires, Social Emotional
May 21, 2019 | Embracing Cultural Diversity: Engaging All Families

Children & Youth Day - May 18, 2019 at Pixie Woods in Stockton
It’s FREE! It’s FUN! A wonderful day you won’t want to miss--come dressed as your favorite super hero! The event will feature craft activities, entertainment, and information and resources. Presented by Family Resource & Referral Center - Children and Youth Day -- check it out! 

Raising Quality! Consortium Meeting - April 5, 2019
Michele Smith, Director at Wee Care Day Care & Preschool in Tracy, hosted the Raising Quality! Consortium meeting that was held on April 5, 2019. Attendees received updates on trainings, legislation and local issues, and weighed in on how we can improve Raising Quality! in our county. Discussions focused on increasing access to preschool and related workforce issues. Stay tuned for information about the next meeting--we'd love for you to join us!

You're Appreciated!
Free coffee and tote bags? Barnes & Noble loves educators! There are special events coming up in April, and you can sign up for additional discounts. View more information:  Storytime and Activities Schedule .  

Peer Mentor Program
Our new Peer Mentor Program is underway! Three IMPACT providers applied to serve and will mentor fellow providers to put developmental screening systems into place to connect families to intervention services. Stay tuned for more information as the program will be in full swing this fall!

Do you have other training topics in which you're interested? Let us know!

PROVIDER STORIES & HIGHLIGHTS

Mary Ocegueda, Director at Hawkins-Thompson Child Development Center in Tracy, is excited at the strides they're making in engaging their families. Staff at Hawkins-Thompson have been participating in coaching, as well as trainings targeted to strengthening family engagement, e.g., Teaching Pyramid for Families , and Activities to Promote Family Engagement.

Mary sees her teachers becoming more confident in their practice as a result. And, she's not the only one seeing changes--“Parents have noticed. They respond positively in parent surveys and they feel their children are safe.” Mary shares that most students are represented at the school’s regular parent meetings. “We have huge attendance, which means parents feel like they’re part of the program.” And we all know, when parents are part of the program, children are more successful! Congratulations to Mary and the teachers at Hawkins-Thompson!

Have a success story you want to share? If so, contact Dorene at (209) 468-8141 or at dojow@sjgov.org .
PARTNER PROGRAMS
Tell a Friend!
There are slots available for Family Child Care Providers through our expansion fund for IMPACT 2.0. If you refer a provider, you could be eligible for a $100 bonus!    Click here for more information on our Referral Program .
Pictured at left: future Dancing with the Stars contestants at Miss Margie's House, a family child care home in Tracy.

RESOURCES TO HELP RAISE QUALITY

As they say, “It takes a village.” There are many resources throughout San Joaquin County to help support, collaborate and encourage the work done by Raising Quality! Partners. In this edition, we highlight these resources:
Bilingual Story times!: Fridays at the Central Library, 10:30AM. Check out what else the San Joaquin Public Library has to offer! From drawing and woodcarving classes to bingo, yoga and genealogy workshops, look for upcoming events at Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library! All events are free and open to the public. 

 Free Webinars :   Professional learning that works with your schedule--explore the world of free webinars - live or on-demand. Earn a CE certificate for attending or viewing the recordings. Upcoming webinars include The Power of Language: Nourishing Development; Overcoming Obstacles to Enrollment; and, Lessening Challenging Behaviors. More info : Early Childhood Webinars .

News in Health Newsletter:   Sign up to receive the National Institutes of Health's newsletter and get email updates twice a month about healthy living and wellness. Check out  March's newsletter: News in Health.  

About the Raising Quality!
Program
Raising Quality! is a quality rating and improvement system for early care and education programs in San Joaquin County. Funded by First 5 California and organized by First 5 San Joaquin, Raising Quality! improves the quality of early learning programs and helps to close the achievement gap for our youngest learners. Read more about Raising Quality !
Raising Quality! | First 5 San Joaquin | (209) 953-5437 |  sjckids@sjgov.org | RaisingQualitySJC.org

Mission Statement: Raising Quality! helps the early childhood community support success for all children by working together to improve the quality of services and provide opportunities for growth.
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