May 2022

Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) Region 17 provides a single point-of-contact for Montgomery County families, early learning service providers and community members looking to gain information and access services that support high-quality child care and early learning programs. ELRC Region 17 can help families find the best child care for their children by offering links to many services, including Child Care Works, Pennsylvania’s child care subsidy program.

Through ELRC Region 17, child care professionals can obtain support in building quality outcomes for children by working with quality coaches to achieve Keystone STAR 3 and 4 status, building connections with community partners and supporting children and families in accessing additional services, such as PA Pre-K Counts, Head Start, home-visiting and Early Intervention. Please review our monthly newsletter and email us at elrcregion17@pa.gov with questions!

Upcoming ELRC Region 17 Events

Local Leadership Council

Wednesday, May 18^th, from 1:00pm-2:30pm

Register at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAuduGtqT8uGNITRAB6El8SIr3Yec0CxZyS

Health & Safety Regional Task Force

Wednesday, June 29^th, from 1:00pm-2:30pm

Conscious Discipline®

Conscious Discipline® is a comprehensive classroom management program and a social-emotional curriculum. It identifies the seven powers needed for conscious adults to regulate their own emotions enough to see conflict differently and the seven basic skills of discipline that will empower adults to respond to conflict and upset in a way that instills life skills. Participants will receive Conscious Discipline® materials including Conscious Discipline: Building Resilient Classrooms book, Easy to Love, Difficult to Discipline book, Safe Place poster set, and Safe Space bags for children in their programs.

The next Conscious Discipline® session will be held on Tuesday, June 14^th and Wednesday, June 15^th from 8:00am-4:00pm at the Montgomery County Public Safety Training Center. Registration information can be found at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/328107196457. This training is for early learning programs located in Montgomery County only. Attendance for both training days is required. Please email Maggie Johnson, mjohoson2@montcopa.org, for more information.

Appendix B Provider Closed Days for 2022-23 due Friday, May 6^th

Providers using PSS must update closed days online. The ELRC will not enter the closed days for you. After accessing your PSS account:

• Click Provider Profile, then Manage Closed Days. On the Location Closed Days Summary page, select 2023.
• The main commonwealth observed holidays from July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023, are prepopulated. Please indicate whether private-pay parents pay you for these closed days. If you are open on that day, delete it.
• Proceed to enter the remainder of your closed days by clicking the Add Closed Day button and indicate whether private-pay parents pay you for these closed days.
• Closed days must be entered into PSS by 5/6/2022.

Providers not using PSS must complete the Provider Agreement Appendix B in accordance with the following:

• Please complete the Provider Agreement Appendix B and return it to ELRC Region 17 by 5/6/2022.
• Please note the following policy that applies to non-PSS providers:
• If you do not return the Appendix B by the deadline above, all the commonwealth holidays will be entered as paid closures and will not be changed if you are open for business.
• Once you identify your closed days you may not change them. Since you cannot change your closed days once submitted, you may want to limit the number of closed days you declare at the beginning of the year to allow days that could be added in case you need to add closures later in the year.
• If you initially choose fewer than 15 closed days and need to increase closed days at a future date, you may only do so as follows:
• Notify the ELRC at least two weeks prior to adding closed days.
• Notify the ELRC within 3 days of reopening your facility following an emergency closure, such as a snow day.

Announcement ELRC 22-02 Child Care Technology Access Award

On April 20, 2022, the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning, Bureau of Early Learning Policy and Professional Development released the Announcement ELRC 22-02 Child Care Technology Access Award. This Announcement shares info about the Child Care Technology Access Award for the purchase of certain identified tools aimed at increasing technology access and supporting business practices and enhance classroom activities. The Child Care Technology Access Award will allow eligible DHS certified child care providers to choose technology tools from the pre-determined list.

DHS certified child care programs who feel they are eligible but have not received an email from info@kaplanco.com, should first check their spam/junk email inboxes to make sure the email did not get sent there. If upon checking those inboxes, the email from Kaplan has not been received, programs should contact Kaplan at (800) 334-2014. To inquire about eligibility status, email OCDEL at RAocdelsubchildcare@pa.gov.

Announcement ELRC 22-03 Streamlined Keystone STARS Designation System

The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning, Bureau of Early Learning Policy and Professional Development, has released the Announcement ELRC 22-03 Streamlined Keystone STARS Designation System within the Pennsylvania Professional Development Registry. This Announcement provides information on the launch of the streamlined Keystone STARS Designation sub-system within the Pennsylvania (PA) Professional Development (PD) Registry on July 1, 2022. Beginning July 1, 2022, the Keystone STARS designation system will be live in the PA PD Registry.

Programs, working to complete a full renewal designation or a move-up designation by July 1, 2022, and using the Document Uploader must ensure that all evidence is uploaded by May 31, 2022. Programs who are not currently working on a designation will use the new Designation System in the PD Registry beginning July 1, 2022. Please contact your Keystone STARS Quality Coach for more information

Provider Spotlight

Congratulations Terri Lynne Lokoff Teacher Award Winners!

ELR Region 17 would like to congratulate two winners from Montgomery County of the 2022 Terri Lynne Lokoff Teacher Award! “In 1994, Kay and Fred Lokoff launched the Terri Lynne Lokoff Child Care Teacher Awards to honor their daughter Terri who was a devoted childcare teacher. The Awards are designed to recognize and celebrate the achievements of outstanding early care and education teachers and bring attention to the critical role these teachers play in the lives of young children.” Congratulations to Melissa Bussell from The Malvern School in Montgomeryville, PA and Christina Holland from Wonderspring in Wynnewood, PA! Thank you for the work you do to support our young children!

Montgomery County Court Care Child Care

The Keystone State Reading Council (KSRC) adopted the Montgomery County Court Care child care program as their teacher educator project. Members of KSRC visited and toured the Court Care center and donated 110 new board books for infants, toddlers and preschoolers. A small collection of the books will remain in the center and every child who attends the Court Care child care center will receive a new board book to take home. They hope to do this 4 times a year and the Court Care staff will be asked to speak about Court Care programs at the KSRC conferences.

Linda Awarski, Director of the Court Care child care program, was an active Board Member of the Tri-County Reading Council for ten years. Keystone State Literacy Association (KSLA) is a blended council consisting of representatives from the Brandywine and Valley Forge areas and it represents the merger of the Chester County Reading Council and Tri-County Reading Council. The Court Care staff worked as volunteers at the Annual Literacy Festival, book fundraisers and the Laundromat Project for Literacy. The Laundromat Project for Literacy is a gathering of children’s books and adult books. The books were raised through book drives and then placed in local laundromats from Norristown to Quakertown. The books were multilingual and placed for individuals to take when doing laundry. The goal is to provide books to individuals who may not spend money at a local bookstore to purchase books for their children or themselves.

KSLA services teachers and other literacy leaders and they advocate for Chester, Bucks and Montgomery Counties of Southeastern Pennsylvania. KSLA will be donating new books to Court Care over the next year. The Books will be for children 6 weeks of age through 12 years of age in a variety of genres. The goal and mission of KSLA is to support teachers through literacy projects in our local region.

Department of Human Services Announces Early Childhood Education Equity Champions

The Department of Human Services Acting Secretary Meg Snead announced the Equity in Early Childhood Education (ECE) Champion Award recipients to programs across the commonwealth. More than 50 ECE providers were awarded based on their ability to enhance equitable practices within their program as part of providing quality services for children and families.

“Early Childhood Education professionals, providers and programs have been such an inspiration during the pandemic, and it should come as no surprise they are also leading equity and inclusion efforts as well,” said Acting Secretary Snead. “Month of the Young Child is focused on bringing attention to the needs of young children and their families and to recognize ECE programs and services that meet those needs – including equity and inclusion.”

Equity is part of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) larger framework and is a priority of Pennsylvania’s early educational continuum. The combination of all four concepts allows for an innovative and new approach of previously established diversity initiatives.

The intention of Pennsylvania’s Equity in ECE Champion Award is to bring awareness to and highlight the equity work being done within Pennsylvania’s early childhood education and afterschool settings, and by child care, evidence-based home visiting and early intervention professionals, as it aligns with the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Equity and Inclusion Toolkit, and with the position statement of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Advancing Equity in Early Childhood Education Position Statement.

“It has been a rough two years for ECE programs, and I am so proud to highlight programs that are going above and beyond during this time,” said Deputy Secretary of the Office of Child Development and Early Learning, Tracey Campanini. “The work around equity and inclusion is so important and we really wanted to make sure that work was recognized and celebrated.”

Underserved communities have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic on multiple fronts, including the ability to find and afford child care. The Wolf Administration has taken significant steps to support the child care industry including $352 million in Child Care Development Fund funding from the American Rescue Plan Act being invested in Pennsylvania’s Child Care Works (CCW) subsidized child care program, targeting decreased costs to families, greater support for child care providers participating in the program, and setting incentives for providers who expand care availability beyond traditional hours.

The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) is honored to recognize the work of the early childhood education programs and professionals on behalf of Pennsylvania children and their families through embracing diversity and full inclusion as strengths, upholding fundamental principles of fairness and justice, and working to eliminate structural inequities that limit equitable learning opportunities. For more information about the Equity in ECE Champion Award visit the Pennsylvania Key website here.

Congratulations to the following ELRC Region 17 provider who received a GOLD level award for the 2022 Pennsylvania’s Equity in Early Childhood Education Champion Awards:

   YWCA Tri-County Area Pottstown, PA

Congratulations to the following ELRC Region 17 provider who received an HONORABLE MENTION level award for the 2022 Pennsylvania’s Equity in Early Childhood Education Champion Awards:

   Kiddie Academy of Royersford, PA

OCDEL Offers Access to Healthy Minds App for Pennsylvania Early Childhood Educators

The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) recognizes that after two-years of coping with the pandemic, life in the early childhood education (ECE) profession is nowhere near back to a normal state of operation. OCDEL sees and hears the ECE professionals who are learning to cope with their personal trauma from this global event while also supporting the children and families in the commonwealth. We know children are coming into the early childhood settings with unique challenges and needs. As OCDEL works to develop and implement strategies to support the children, we also recognize the caring, committed adults deserve support. It is with this in mind OCDEL has invested in a tool to support Pennsylvania’s ECE professionals. Continue reading.

2022 Subsidy Income Guidelines

ELRC Region 17 will implement the 2022 Subsidy Income Guidelines for families applying and already enrolled in the subsidized child care program effective May 2, 2022. At application, gross annual household income must be below 200% of the Federal Poverty Income Guideline (FPIG) and 85% of the State Median Income (SMI) for the family size. Please contact our office with questions.

Keeping Pennsylvania's Children Safe from Abuse and Neglect

Protecting children from abuse and neglect unites lawmakers, community partners, the child protective services system, citizens, and families to provide a safe environment for children throughout the commonwealth. In partnership with counties, schools, and community organizations, DHS is promoting evidence-based programs that give parents the skills and supports, both formal and informal, that they need to ensure that their children grow up in safe and loving homes. By working together and relying on existing supports like family members and neighbors, we can improve outcomes for families and protect our children.

• KeepKidsSafe.pa.gov: Learn more about DHS' Office of Children, Youth, and Families' (OCYF) vision for all children and youth to grow up in a safe, nurturing, and permanent family and community.
• Do you have a question about child protection? Email OCYF at RA-PWCPSLQuestions@pa.gov.
• PLEASE NOTE: The above email is for inquiries only. It is NOT for child abuse reporting.
• Please call ChildLine at (800) 932-0313 if you suspect mistreatment has occurred. Reports can also be made online through the Child Welfare Portal. Please note: Mandated reporters should report online.
• Click here for more information and additional resources.

CDA Scholarship Opportunity for Family Child Care Home and Group Child Care Home Providers

Deadline May 15, 2022: Family Child Care Home and Group Child Care Home providers are invited to apply for a scholarship to complete a Child Development Associate (CDA) through Better Kid Care. Better Kid Care’s CDA coursework is independent, self-paced and exclusively online. This scholarship opportunity cannot be used for CDA renewals. Once awarded, recipients will receive a payment code to access the online coursework through Better Kid Care. This program also requires the purchase of a CDA textbook package and this cost can be reimbursed through the Rising STARS Tuition Assistance program. The Pennsylvania Key will provide instructions for all of this and offer ongoing logistical support. All coursework must be completed on or before Nov. 30, 2022.

If you are a Family Child Care Home or Group Child Care Home provider interested in this opportunity, submit your completed application via Microsoft Forms for consideration by May 15, 2022. Questions? Contact Amy Barrett at amybar@pakeys.org.

PQA Presents: Let’s Talk Quality Series

May Focus: Inspiring Spaces for Infants and Toddlers. We will talk about creating warm and stimulating spaces for infants and toddlers that are safe and inspire them to explore without too many restrictions.

Let’s Talk Quality Blog

A blog article that connects to the monthly webinar topic will be posted the day before the live webinars take place. Please visit letstalkqualitypa.com to check it out.

Let’s Talk Quality Webinar

Join us for one of these interactive & informative sessions to learn about program quality. Two times to choose from:

• Thursday May 12^th, 1:00pm - 2:00pm Zoom session - Click Here
• Thursday May 12^th, 6:00pm - 7:00pm Zoom session - Click Here

*Registration closes one week in advance. If the session has low registration, it will be canceled

May Mental Health Awareness Series

Celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month with Montgomery County. Series events will be hosted by Access Services and Prevention Education Solutions on Tuesdays throughout the month of May.

QPR ~ May 3^rd from 7-8:30pm

QPR stands for Question, Persuade, Refer: teaches three (3) simple steps that anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. This Gatekeeper training prepares attendees to recognize the warning signs of suicide, ask someone about suicidal thoughts, and offer and connect to help. Presented virtually by Ty Williams, Access Services. Offered in partnership with the MontCo Suicide Prevention Taskforce. Target age range: Ages 19 and over. Register here.

The Impact of the Pandemic on Mental Health ~ May 10^th from 7-8:30pm

Preliminary data suggest that the condition of the pandemic has had a significant impact on mental health and wellness of young adults. This presentation will take a look at the current statistics, mental health landscape and substance use behaviors facing young adults and college students. Presented virtually by Katie Greeley, Prevention Education Solutions. Target age range: 24-65 (including any professional who supports young adults). Register here.

For Youth: Hope 4 Tomorrow ~ May 17^th from 7-8:30pm

Program designed to educate youth about mental health and suicide. Participants will have the opportunity to learn skills that bolster their wellness and be empowered to ask for help for themselves or someone else. $5 gift card for those who complete the session; registration limited to 50 participants. Presented virtually by Ty Williams, Access Services. Target age range: 14-18. Register here.

Cannabis and Mental Health ~ May 24^th from 7-8:30pm

A review of the current wellness culture surrounding cannabis, its impact on mental health and alternative coping skills for individuals seeking support. Presented virtually by Katie Greeley, Prevention Education Solutions. Target Age Range: 18-65 (young adults and parents of young adults). Register here.

Recent Announcements

Announcement C-21-11 Addition of COVID-19 to List of Reportable Communicable Diseases

Announcement C-22-01 Pediatric First Aid and Pediatric CPR Training Requirements and Access to Free Training through ECE PDOs

Announcement C-22-02 Health and Safety Training and Professional Development Requirements

Announcement C-22-03 Prevention of Shaken Baby Syndrome, Abusive Head Trauma, and Child Maltreatment

CDC Releases Updated COVID-19 Guidance for Operating ECE Programs

Important Information from the Bureau of Certification Services Regarding the Effect of Act 12 of 2022 on Provisional Hiring Practices

Office of Child Care (OCC) Compliance Announcements Health and Safety FAQs

Updated March 31, 2022: Announcement C-21-09 Reinstating and Extensions of Child Care Certification Regulation Suspensions Due to Act 73 and Act 14

Announcement C-22-04 Updated Emergency Preparedness and Response Planning Regulations and Requirements for Child Care Facilities

Announcement ELRC 22-02 Child Care Technology Access Award

Announcement ELRC 22-03 Streamlined Keystone STARS Designation System within the Pennsylvania Professional Development Registry

View past editions, or sign up to receive, emails from the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) at https://www.pakeys.org/getting-started/about-us/newsletter-signup/.