T.E.A.C.H. Talk: January 2022

You are receiving this email because you are a T.E.A.C.H. scholarship recipient or sponsor.

January 2022

In this Issue

Take Note From Your Counselors
T.E.A.C.H. Handbook – Online!
Scheduling Spring Release Time
On the Books: Your Textbook Reimbursement Claims
Kick Off the T.E.A.C.H. Training Series
You Did It!
Save Time, Save Money, Get Resources: Join WEESSN Today!
Your Voice Matters: Share Your Story
Find Health Insurance Today – Enroll by January 15th for February 1st, 2022 Coverage

Take Note from Your Counselors:

Please note: All Fall 2021 reimbursement requests must be submitted no later than February 1, 2022. Reimbursement requests received after February 1 will not be processed.
March 1, 2022, is the last day for reporting your current semester coursework in order to get a DBA. Please remember that even though some technical colleges are running 8-week courses, we still need to know about all of the courses you are taking each semester so that the DBA’s can all be done by March 1.
Please note: To ensure we are accurately billed by your college, you MUST let your counselor know if your class schedule changes (drop or add a class, etc.). The last name you use with T.E.A.C.H. should also be the last name you use at your college. If we have a different name on file than what you use with the school, your DBA may be discarded by the school, as they will have no student to whom to match it.

T.E.A.C.H. Handbook-Online!

Questions about your T.E.A.C.H. scholarship? Keep this link handy to view the T.E.A.C.H. Handbook online! The handbook is a resource throughout your educational experience with T.E.A.C.H. In it, you will find:

A welcome letter
A checklist to keep you organized
Tips for success
Information you need to know about the scholarship program
Important forms and other resources

You will receive (or have already received) a hard copy of this handbook in the mail within one month of your scholarship award.

Scheduling Spring Release Time

Spring semester courses will start soon. As you put together your schedule, take time to meet with your director to discuss scheduling your spring release time. You are eligible for 15 hours each semester you are enrolled in courses, and it is important to work with your director to determine how and when you take those hours.

Need resources on how to schedule it? Pages 18-19 of the T.E.A.C.H. Handbook have the information you need. While you are looking at your schedule, make sure to note important dates and deadlines in your calendar – class start and end dates, spring break, assignment due dates, test dates, study time, direct billing authorization and reimbursement deadlines and more! Don’t forget to schedule time for yourself so you are able to successfully balance the demands of work, school and home.

On the Books: Details on Your Textbook Reimbursement Claims

Do you need to purchase books for your courses? As part of your scholarship, T.E.A.C.H. will reimburse 75% of the purchase cost, less tax and shipping fees), for textbooks that are required for your courses.

You are welcome to submit your reimbursement claims as soon as you buy your textbooks – you do not need to wait until the end of the semester. You will need to send a completed Form B with the book title and price filled in, as well as the class for which the book is required. You also will need to submit a receipt showing the price of the books and payment made. T.E.A.C.H. cannot process reimbursements with receipts or a completed Form B. Contact your counselor if you need additional reimbursement forms.

Kicking Off the T.E.A.C.H. Training Series

Our 2022 Virtual T.E.A.C.H. Training Series will kick off with “12 Ways to Tell a Story” on January 20, 2022, at 6:30 p.m. Join presenter Jeanne Labana of the Wisconsin Early Education Shared Services Network (WEESSN) via Zoom to learn how intrinsic motivation is the greatest ingredient to raising strong readers.

Hearing, telling and creating stories is basic to nurturing the love of reading and books – the workshop will explore the importance of child-loved stories and books and how to incorporate that love in at least 12 different ways with children. Plus, laughter will be guaranteed!

You Did it!

Congratulations to all our T.E.A.C.H. recipients who recently completed a credential or degree! Your hard work and dedication will pay off.

Save Time, Save Money, Get Resources:

Join WEESSN Today!

Group Center Directors and Family Child Care Providers: Do you wish you had more time? More resources? A dedicated team gathering the latest updates to help your ECE business thrive? The Wisconsin Early Education Shared Services Network (WEESSN) brings together family and center-based early care and education programs to pool resources and a network of supports.

Child care programs can save time and money by sharing resources, knowledge, and expertise. Being a part of a network allows you to be BIG where big is important (purchasing and sharing resources), while still staying small, where small is everything – providing care and education in your community, the way you know best. Read about our tiered level of services and how to join!

Your Voice Matters: Share Your Story

Please share your T.E.A.C.H. success stories with us. How did the education you received on a T.E.A.C.H. Scholarship impact you, your family, and the children you teach? By giving us your story, we, in turn, share your story and its impact with potential T.E.A.C.H. recipients and funders.

There’s only one person who can tell your story, and that’s you! Please email your story to Cassie at cperenchio@wisconsinearlychildhood.org.

Find Health Insurance Today – Enroll by January 15th for February 1st, 2022 Coverage

It’s important to be healthy so you can take good care of yourself, your family, and the children who are counting on you. Thanks to COVID-19 relief, health insurance prices are lower than ever before.

You may now qualify for financial help, even if you did not qualify in the past. This means that four out of five people can find a plan for $10 or less. It’s time to take care of you. Enroll by January 15, 2022 for coverage to start February 1, 2022. If you have questions, Covering Wisconsin is here to help. Covering Wisconsin is a nonprofit that helps people in Wisconsin find and use health insurance for FREE.

There are two ways to make an appointment: