Provider Network Newsletter December 15, 2021

December 15, 2021

VPK Providers:

As the Christmas Break approaches, please consider the following regarding the December 2021 VPK Attendance submission deadlines:

December 2021 VPK Attendance will be due on January 5, 2022.

If your program will be closing next week for the Christmas break, we are requesting that you go ahead and submit attendance early. You can upload any sign-in/sign-out sheets which document attendance for the VPK program, and we can process the attendance if your program is not serving children for the remainder of December 2021.

We would appreciate your cooperation in this matter, as this will allow us to complete the processing for VPK prior to the end of the year, and then turn the focus to School Readiness Providers in January 2022. You will be instrumental in allowing us to meet the tight deadlines around the multiple holidays and bank closures for January 2022 and prevent a late payment.

Happy Holidays from the Contracts and Reimbursement Team!

Rules Workshop

A Rule Workshop for Rule 6M-10.001 Gold Seal Quality Care Program and Rule 6M-10.002 Gold Seal Quality Care Accrediting Associations will be held via webinar on the following dates and times:

Thursday, December 16, 2021

3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. EST

or until business is concluded, whichever is earlier.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Written comments on the proposed rule may be submitted to oel.rules@oel.myflorida.com. All emails should have “6M-10.001 and 6M-10.002 Comment” in the subject line.

Health Insurance Market Place

The Administration for Children and Families is partnering with The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services to help the early childhood workforce access health coverage and connect with navigators and assisters during the Open Enrollment period for Marketplace coverage, which started on November 1.

It is important to ensure that every early childhood educator has access to affordable health care coverage, particularly those who are on the front lines serving children, families, and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, we know that the early childhood workforce is two times less likely to have health care coverage or to receive employer-sponsored health care coverage than the general population. Benefits are a critical piece of compensation, and as we continue to work to improve compensation for the workforce, it is essential to include health care coverage.

Educator Fact Sheet

Get Covered

Kelly, a teacher in a mixed-age classroom of 2 to 4-year olds at Small World, turned her classroom into a winter wonderland.

Kelly was so excited to share her winter wonderland holiday project which focused on inclusion, and how children with different religious backgrounds may celebrate the holidays. The snowman art activity taught children about textures, shapes, and colors. She also taught them about sequencing (first, middle and last ) when they were creating the snowman in the middle. The project provided sensory skills like movement and 3-dimensional mix-media art. Great job Kelly!

Download Flyer

Spring Schedule

Be on the Lookout!

Kate and Tami from our Provider Development Team will be visiting Providers in our region to distribute useful information and resources for your teachers and program.

Be sure to say "Hi" when you see them!

PRINT the Relaxation Thermometer

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 5th.

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 "Up, Up, Up", 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.