January Bits and Bytes:
News and Announcements from DCAEYC
Upcoming Events
WTU and DCAEYC Task Force Meeting
Thursday, January 16, 2020 5-6:30pm

Savoy Elementary School
2400 Shannon Place SE 
Washington, DC 20020

The ECE Task Force is made up of members working in all early childhood settings that collaborate to advance the profession by improving policy and practice in DC. 
February 23-25, 2020

Crystal Gateway Marriott
1700 Richmond Hwy,
Arlington, VA 22202
 
Whether you have tons of advocacy experience, or none at all, NAEYC's Public Policy Forum is THE place for you to sharpen your advocacy skills and help us move a nonpartisan agenda in support of young children and the early childhood education profession!
 
In order to register for the Washington, DC Team, please contact , Kathy Hollowell-Makle , to receive registration information and secure your spot on the team. While the registration deadline is January 24, 2020 , we encourage you to reach out and reserve your spot early!
Center Spotlight
Sunshine Early Learning Center Celebrates 51 Years of Service to the Community

When Ms. Frances J. Rollins began operating Sunshine Early Learning Center in 1968 with her mother Mrs. Helen Smith, there were six children enrolled in the program. They were the only staff members, so both ladies took turns teaching, cooking, and cleaning. From that humble beginning, Sunshine Early Learning Center in Southeast, DC has grown to include 200 enrolled children and 35 full time staff members.

One of those staff members, Ms. Cynthia Thomas (pictured above on the left), has been an infant/toddler teacher at Sunshine Early Learning Center for 18 years. She always wanted to be a teacher and began her career as a babysitter on a military base in the 1990s. Want to learn more about Ms. Cynthia and Sunshine Early Learning Center? Click here to read more:  https://bit.ly/2N35AB9
DC Policy Beat
DCAEYC advocates to Fully Fund
the Birth-to-Three for All DC Act

In 2018, the DC City Council passed a bill to give every child a strong start, beginning at birth. The Birth-to-Three for All DC Act of 2018 advances policies to promote early childhood health and education in the District. This legislation will:
  • Improve school readiness
  • Strengthen the quality of early education
  • Raise compensation to support a skilled early education workforce
  • Make child care more affordable through increases in subsidies
  • Expand home visiting and community resource coordination
  • Provide social-emotional health and coordinated medical services for young children and families

If you or someone you know are interested in sharing your story on how the Birth-to-Three for All DC Act will impact you and your family, please email Kathy Hollowell-Makle .
January's Principal of Practice Highlight:
Ensure equity in your practice and policies.
All children have the right to equitable learning opportunities that help them achieve their full potential as engaged learners and valued members of society. Thus, all early childhood educators have a professional obligation to advance equity. They can do this best when they:

  • Are effectively supported by the early learning settings in which they work and when they and their wider communities embrace diversity and full inclusion as strengths
  • Uphold fundamental principles of fairness and justice
  • Work to eliminate structural inequities that limit equitable learning opportunities.
To learn more about NAEYC's stance on equity, download their entire Advancing Equity in Early Childhood Education Position Statement

Other Bits and Bytes
Rock the New Year with DCAEYC:
Help us Raise $2020 to Kick-Off 2020!
2020 is here! DCAEYC is looking forward to making this our best year yet, and we need your help to make that happen. How can you help? By supporting us with our goal to raise $2,020 by the end of January!

If each DCAEYC member donates $7 and/or asks ONE friend to do the same, we will start off the year on a solid foundation to promote  early childhood education in DC. Ready to contribute? Click the button below to donate today.
Don't Miss This! CDA® Renewal Amnesty Program
Offered Until March 31, 2020
Beginning January 1, 2020, the Council for Professional Recognition will be celebrating 45 years of the CDA®! To celebrate, the Council will offer a limited-time CDA® Renewal Amnesty Program. This program will allow anyone with a CDA® credential expiration date as far back as January 1, 2010, an opportunity to complete the renewal process and make their credential active again.

ELIGIBILITY:

  • Expiration date as far back as January 1, 2010
  • Must meet all current renewal requirements
  • Apply online using YourCouncil (click here to learn how to access your account)

The program will run from January 1, 2020 to March 31, 2020. All applications and payments ($125) must be submitted online by March 31, 2020. No exceptions or extensions will be granted.

Start preparing today by downloading the free  CDA® Renewal Procedures Guide  available on the Council's website. The CDA® Renewal Procedures Guide provides detailed information about the renewal requirements. Be sure to allow yourself enough time to obtain the requirements needed to take advantage of this limited-time opportunity. When selecting your ECE professional membership organization, make sure to select NAEYC /DCAEYC!
We want to hear from you!

Why are you a DCAEYC member?
What inspired you to get involved in early childhood education?

Share your DCAEYC story with us by clicking the button below

Stay Connected
DC AEYC | dcaeyc.org
DCAEYC serves as the D.C. Affiliate Chapter of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Our mission is to strengthen the early care and education system in D.C. so that every young child has the foundation they need to succeed in school and in life. We do this by:

  • Advocating for young children and their families
  • Collaborating with partner organizations in the city
  • Offering resources and services to members
  • Striving to be a high performing, culturally sensitive, inclusive organization