Provider Network Newsletter January 5, 2022

January 5, 2022

Child Care & Early Learning Instructor Disaster Relief Payment (Round 2)

Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature authorized two qualified disaster relief payments to child care and early learning instructors affected by COVID in Specific Appropriation #80B of the 2021-22 General Appropriations Act (GAA) (Chapter 2021-036, Laws of Florida).

The second application window for Child Care and Early Learning Instructor Disaster Relief Payments is now open. Child care and early learning provider directors will receive an email notification to begin verifying qualified teachers to receive a $1,000 disaster relief payment in appreciation for their continued service to Florida’s children and families.

The Division of Early Learning will host technical assistance (TA) hours for directors on Wednesdays and Fridays throughout January from 2 to 3 p.m. EST. The TA sessions can be joined by using this link: https://www.gotomeet.me/officeofearlylearning/disaster-relief-payment-ta-hours-with-del.

Click here for more information on eligibility requirements.

These payments will be provided directly to qualified individuals through the U.S. mail, and instructors who receive a check have 180 days to cash the checks.

Important Information:

Only directors may have accounts to apply on the portal. Existing directors (i.e. those that have accounts from the first application) will use their existing credentials to sign in; new directors or those that did not complete the first application must use an invitation code to set up their account first. The email notifications are tailored to the director providing their existing username or an invitation code.
Application portal URL = https://reliefpayments.floridaearlylearning.com
The application portal is updated and contains over 30 frequently asked questions for directors on the Get Help page, including recordings of an information session Full Webinar (approx. 34 mins) and Application Process Demo (approx. 15 mins).
Any questions to be answered by DEL should be forwarded to DisasterRelief@oel.myflorida.com

IMPORTANT: Increased Emergent Literacy Training Requirements for VPK Instructors

Florida law now requires every prekindergarten classroom to have at least one prekindergarten instructor who has completed three five-hour emergent literacy training courses. Prior to the passage of House Bill (HB) 419 and HB 7011 in 2021, only one emergent literacy training course was required. Thus, continuing prekindergarten instructors, who have already completed one five-hour emergent literacy training course, must complete two additional courses. Any new prekindergarten instructors must take all three classes.

This legislative change became effective on July 1, 2021. Through this memorandum, the Department of Education, Division of Early Learning (DEL), is giving notice of this new requirement, and is identifying ten emergent literacy training courses that meet this requirement. Given the importance of this training, DEL is setting a deadline of July 1, 2022, for all prekindergarten providers to meet this requirement.

After completing the first three emergent literacy courses, Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) instructors must complete one emergent literacy course every five years.

Instructors will receive Continuing Education Units (CEUs) upon completion of each course, and the completed courses will be added on the instructor’s training transcript.

VPK instructors are encouraged to begin taking the emergent literacy courses in order to complete the three five-hour emergent literacy course requirement by July 1, 2022.

Emergent Literacy Training Requirements FAQs

Activity Plans based on the Florida Early Learning and Developmental Standards

4-Years-Old to Kindergarten

The Florida Early Learning and Developmental Standards 4-Years-Old to Kindergarten is a comprehensive document containing age-appropriate information and reflections about how young children explore, create and think. Lesson plans are available to help develop the skills that 4-year-old children should know and be able to do by the end of their prekindergarten year. There are targeted standards for 4-year-old children included in each lesson plan.

To find these lesson plans, click the button below:

Activity Plans

Spring 2022 Registration

Flamingo Early Learning Courses

Spring A course dates: 2/7/22 to 4/12/22

Spring B course dates: 3/28/22 to 5/31/22

Please click the button below for an overview of Flamingo Early Learning and available courses.

As a Reminder: Upon completion of the course and receiving mastery, students will be eligible to receive a stipend and CEUs.

Course Overview

Flamingo Early Learning VPK Emergent Literacy Training Courses

We have been talking about this for a while, and the wait is over. Join other directors and Suzan this Thursday for an in-person child care chat. We have so much to talk about, including:

New teacher recruitment and support activities
The increase in the minimum wage and how that impacts your business
VPK changes for fall 2022
Coalition changes
Anticipated additional funding to support child care recovery
Coalition business supports for your business

Please join us on Thursday, January 6, 2022, at 9:00 am at Northwest Florida Health Network (formally Big Bend Community Based Care) in the Community Room located at 910 Harrison Avenue, Panama City, Florida 32401. The entrance to the Community Room is at the back of the building off of Magnolia Avenue. You don't want to miss this meeting! If you have any questions, please call Suzan directly at 850-693-0808 or email at suzan.gage@elcnwf.org.

Trauma-Informed Care for Child Care Program Directors

The Coalition, in partnership with DCF, will be hosting the 40-hour virtual Trauma-Informed Care for Directors.

The Coalition has 8 more seats left for Directors to attend this multi-session course, which requires the completion of outside assignments and readings.

January 10^th will be the orientation of how the course will be conducted
January 18^th will be the start date for the course

Stipends for Directors will also be available for Directors completing the course successfully.

Please email the redline@elcnwf.org if you would like to participate.

Quality Performance System

We would like to remind you to log into the Quality Performance system (QPS) by the 10^th of each month to update your staff roster. Once you update your staff roster you must hit "submit the roster" so that the QPS system stays current and up to date.

The Department of Early Learning (DEL) requires all providers receiving composite scores to update their rosters at least once a month in the Quality Performance System.

ELCNWF World Tour with Kate and Tami

We have seen about half of our providers! We will be finishing Bay, Gulf, and Franklin Counties very soon and are looking forward to meeting the rest of our ELCNWF Provider Family. We’ve had the best time getting to see everyone face to face, and we hope that directors and teachers are looking into the materials that we left for them - Including taking the brief survey to be entered into drawings for great prizes!! If we haven’t seen you yet, hold tight, our World Tour will be coming to your Child Care Center or Family Child Care Home SOON!!

LAST CALL!

If you would prefer to drop off your hand artwork directly to us, we can mail it for you. Please drop off at our below office locations by January 7th.

ELC Panama City

3009 Hwy. 77, Suite F

Panama City, FL 32405

ELC Marianna

4636 HWY 90 East, Suite P

Marianna, FL 32446

Quarterly Frog Street Training is available now

These recurring trainings will be for new staff coming on board or current staff needing a refresher.

Frog Street roll-out training is available for providers needing beginners training for their current staff.
This can be completed virtually or on-site at your center.
80% of providers, currently using Frog Street Curriculum, has received this roll-out training for staff, but if you feel you need additional training, please email the redline.

HiMama Helps – Childcare Webinar Series

Now, more than ever, the early childhood community has to come together to figure out life during a global pandemic. The HiMama Helps Webinar series was created as a platform for ECEs and child care experts to share stories and practical tips with each other.

Join your hosts, Ria Simon and Kiah Price every Thursday at 2 PM, to explore different topics, offer practical strategies, and have your questions answered. Click below for the library of past webinar recordings.

Webinar Series

Conference-Quality Professional Development by Early Childhood Experts

Early Childhood Investigations offers free webinars to early childhood educators. The series is produced by Engagement Strategies, LLC., and presented by leading authors, experts, and leaders. Now, you can participate in conference-quality training without leaving your home, classroom, or office.

Upcoming Webinars

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

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

Teach your way during the 2021-22 school year with this timely new collection from PBS Kids, of flexible resources aligned to monthly themes and skills for PreK-2 students. Use the monthly Teach Your Way calendar and teacher planner to integrate media in creative and developmentally appropriate ways, all year long!

Teach Your Way

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 "Share A Smile", 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.