September 2020 Bits & Bytes
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DCAEYC Celebrates
National Hispanic Heritage Month
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National Hispanic Heritage Month, which takes place from September 15th to October 15th, celebrates the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. Originating as a week-long celebration in 1968 under President Lyndon Johnson, it was later expanded to a month in 1988 by President Ronald Reagan.
Books Suggestions to Help You Celebrate:
Looking for Bongo by Eric Velasquez
I love Saturdays y domingos by Alma Flor Ada and Elivia Savadier
Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family's Fight for Desegregation by Duncan Tonatiuh
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WTU and DCAEYC ECE Task Force Meeting
Thursday, September 17th
6:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Please join us on Thursday, September 17, 2020, for our first ECE Task Force Meeting of the 2020-21 school year. Our discussion topic will be Virtual Teaching and Learning: What's Working Well, and How Can We Improve? We will begin with a few self-care exercises. Our special guest, JoAnn Cornish, a retired DCPS teacher and professional development instructor for the Washington Teacher's Union, will join us and share a few best practices. We invite you to listen, learn, and share!
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
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Voter Registration Drive-Thru/Walk-up
Saturday, September 19th and 26th
11:00 am to 2:00 pm
DCAEYC is registering DC residents to vote. Join us at Sunshine Early Learning Center on Saturday, September 19th or Safeway East River Park on Saturday, September 26th between 11 am and 2 pm to make sure you're ready to vote in this fall's election. Unable to make it to this event but still need to register? Register online at America for Early Ed from NAEYC. Please encourage your colleagues, families, and friends to register to vote too!
Dates and Locations:
Saturday, September 19th - 11:00 am to 2:00 pm
Sunshine Early Learning Center
4224 6th St SE, Washington, DC 20032
Saturday, September 26th - 11:00 am to 2:00 pm
Safeway East River Park
322 40th St NE, Washington, DC 20019
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DCAEYC Board Elections:
Deadline to Submit Nominations is September 30th
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This fall, DCAEYC will be hosting elections to fill out open positions on the DCAEYC Board. The DCAEYC Board sets the priorities and direction of our organization’s strategic plan, oversees and manages fiscal resources, and supports the affiliate in carrying out the work of NAEYC, our parent organization.
If you or someone you know possesses strong leadership potential, including skills and knowledge of fiscal and governance oversight and a willingness to serve as an advocate of the DC early learning community, please consider submitting a Letter of Interest and Resume for the desired position to Jackie Hines, Chair of the Nominating Committee at dcaeycmail@gmail.com by September 30, 2020. Want to learn more about open positions? Check out our Leadership Opportunities page for position descriptions and other information.
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Member
Spotlight On...
Sally D'Italia
Director, Arnold & Porter Children's Center
President, SarEmi Education Consultants
Co-Chair, DC Directors Exchange
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"My wish for all children is that they have access to high-quality early learning programs regardless of where they live and their socio-economic status. And as an advocate, I will continue to work towards this with all of my energy, vision and drive."
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*If you or someone you know would like to be featured in a future member spotlight, please let us know by emailing dcaeycmail@gmail.com.
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Principle of Practice:
Supporting Children in Superdiverse Settings
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Utilize concrete strategies designed to support children’s language development
in both English and their home languages.
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As centers and schools serve more and more children who speak languages other than English at home—and as we recognize the many benefits of children retaining their home languages and cultures—teachers often ask us, “What are the specific strategies I should use to support my dual language learners?” Personalized Oral Language Learning (POLL) answers this question with three types of assistance: (1) family engagement, (2) environmental supports, and (3) conversation and interaction.
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Voting is Essential: Our Children's Future Depends on It
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Elections are at the core of our democracy. Local and national elections ensure a political system for choosing and replacing government through free and fair elections. This means "we the people" get to vote for laws, ordinances, and people that best represent our ideals and align with our values.
It is a civic right and responsibility to be an active registered voter. As parents and educators of young children, we must research where political candidates stand on family and early learning issues. We must vote on behalf of our children’s best interest until they can vote for themselves.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 helped ensure equal and unfettered access to the polls by outlawing poll taxes, literacy tests, etc. The only thing that stands between you and political change is registering to vote and voting by mail-in ballot or at a designated polling place on election day.
All eligible DC residents are encouraged to register to vote before October 13, 2020. The District offers several ways to register - including by mail, email, and in-person. For more information, visit the DC Board of Elections. If you are already registered, check your DC registration status today. Don't forget to encourage your family members, friends, neighbors, colleagues, and parents in your early learning programs to register to vote as well. Every vote counts!
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Complete the 2020 Census:
Time is Running Out to Count All DC Kids
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Due to a lag in census reporting in DC, young children in the District are in danger of being undercounted. This could lead to programs that support young children and families being underfunded. You can help reverse this trend by completing the census online, by phone or by mail. Make sure to encourage your colleagues and families to do so as well! All counting efforts by the U.S. Census Bureau will end on Wednesday, September 30th.
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A Message from One of Our Partners:
Calling All Child Care Center Owners and Directors
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This has been a year like few others, especially when it comes to early childhood education. COVID-19 has hit our industry hard, but no one knows exactly how much. We need more data to ramp up and start rebuilding our field.
The Council and HiMama have partnered to conduct the 5th Annual Child Care Benchmark Survey. It asks in-depth questions about operations and financials to paint a detailed picture of our industry’s current state. A future report on our findings will help you see what is “normal” during the “new normal” and how you measure up with your peers.
Please take a few minutes to fill out the survey by September 18, 2020. Your responses will remain anonymous, but they will make an impact. Getting timely data is a first crucial step in advancing and advocating for our field.
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We encourage you to share the survey with your peers and colleagues!
DISCLAIMER: Please note that by clicking this link, you consent to the Council utilizing your information to inform training practices. Any personal identifiable information shared with the Council will be kept safe and confidential.
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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
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Not yet a member of DCAEYC? Join the movement supporting early childhood education in D.C. by becoming a member today.
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