Nest and Training Calendar for Classes
Registration is now open!
SEPTEMBER


Thurs., Sept. 9 / 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM / $30
K. Reel / 3 CD
This workshop has a prerequisite course for participants, Resiliency and Adverse Childhood Experiences.


Wed., Sept. 15 / 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM / $30
R. Schaefer / 3 CD
This training will outline the importance and identify social emotional skills in the context of positive relationships. Participants will learn concrete strategies to build positive relationships with children and families. Participants will learn how to communicate effectively with small children in a positive and developmentally appropriate manner about challenging behaviors and the importance of staying safe with practices to prevent germs from spreading.


Mon., Sept. 20 / 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM / $30
J. Johnson / 1.5 CD 1.5 CUR
Caregivers intentionally teaching social emotional skills throughout the daily routines, produces many positive outcomes for children. This workshop will present a definition of social emotional skills and presents benefits of promoting social emotional skills. Participants will be introduced to teaching strategies and engage in a “teaching laboratory” to develop tools to use and an action plan for how they will use their tools and strategies.  


Tues., Sept. 21 / 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM / $30
C. Bethke / 3 CD
Teachers lose valuable instruction time to time spent mediating conflicts between students. In this training participants will learn how to teach their young students to manage their emotions and resolve conflicts collaboratively with their peers. Participants will also practice appropriate responses to resolving conflict.


Tues., Sept. 21 / 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM / $30
R. Gordon / 3 HSN
The child care environment can be stressful at times. Without good self-care, there may be a point when you have nothing left to give due to stress. Through hands-on activities and experiences, as well as self-reflections, providers will explore and increase their familiarity and knowledge with best practices in self-care and ways to reduce stress and prevent burnout. 


Wed., Sept. 22 / 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM / $20
D. Tobin / 2 COM
Today’s families are diverse. They come in all sizes and in many configurations. As early childhood educators, this diversity challenges us to be more accepting, more responsive, and more respectful in our relationships with young children and with their families.


Thurs., Sept. 30 / 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM / $20
C. Bethke / 2 CUR
Children’s social and emotional health affects their overall development and learning. Participants will explore the importance of developing social-emotional skills in young children and how they can support those skills with simple materials. Participants will experience using the social-emotional materials and will create materials to utilize in their own program.

Thurs., Sept. 30 / 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM / $30
K. Reel / 2 CUR
During this module, we will focus on establishing the critical foundation needed for developing an inclusive childcare program. We will identify leadership styles based on values and beliefs and define your philosophy on inclusion. We will also explore comprehensive and effective inclusion policies to include in your program handbook. Because building an effective team is critical, we will discuss strategies for recruiting, selecting and orienting staff and other team members.

MSDE has updated the CPR and First Aid Trainers. Please click HERE for more information.
We are offering Virtual and In - Person Onsite Trainings!
Does your center need specialized training for professional development? The Howard County Office of Children and Families is now offering virtual onsite training options! This is a great way to get all of your staff their continuing education hours at once while providing them professional development on center specific needs. Our In-Person onsite training options began August 1. For more information please fill out the attached form and send it to our Training Coordinator, Kristin Reel at kreel@howardcountymd.gov.
The Child Care Resource Center is Now OPEN
The Howard County Office of Children and Families Child Care Resource Center is now open by appointment only. Our hours of operation are 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM. We are offering laminating, printing, copying, book binding and die cuts! We are happy to assist you with all of your needs.
SEFEL Pyramid Model Training for Infant and Toddler Classrooms with Community of Practice Coaching Sessions
Have you ever attended a workshop and realized that the ideas are great, but you don’t have the time or understanding on how to implement them within your classroom? Would you like to feel more successful and less stressed in your day to day interactions? 
If you answered yes to these questions, then this training is for YOU!
  • The SEFEL Pyramid Model training is developed to teach strategies to make a long-term impact on children. Participants will get free tools to implement strategies. This training opportunity is being offered at a drastically reduced price and teachers can also earn PAUs during this process.  
Early Intervention Office Survey
Greetings to our Child Care Community Partners!
Thank you for your continued support to our children and families during these uncertain times. We are all working hard to meet the vast needs of staff, children and families as we navigate through this journey together.  So that we can maintain the health and safety of all parties and provide continued services to the child care community, children and families in Howard County, we truly appreciate a response to the survey link below. We did something similar to this in the spring as we prepared to return to the community settings and would value your input once again. 


Please respond by September 8, 2021
Updated Consolidated COVID-19 Health and Safety Guidance for P-12 School and Child Care 
Updated guidance regarding the COVID -19 safety procedures were released August 13, 2021. For more information please click the link below.
­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­45-Hour Coaching and Mentoring Series
Maryland Family Network will be hosting the 45-hour Coaching and Mentoring series beginning in September 2021. Registration is now open and providers may register for either an English-speaking cohort or a Spanish-speaking cohort. Both cohorts will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:45 – 9:15 pm beginning September 28th and ending on November 16th. The series will be conducted on Zoom and the cost is $325 per person. For more information and to register, visit:

FREE Social-Emotional Resources for Programs this FALL
An important way to start the school year is with lessons focused on social- emotional skills. Now more than ever, children need teachers to intentionally teach skills to help with their interactions with others and to support positive mental health. In May, the Family Institute and CARE Center created a week-long set of activities that included fun and interactive social skills lessons that incorporated family engagement. 40 preschools/ child care programs received a bag full of activities, books and resources to support Children’s Mental Health Matters month.
The Children’s Mental Health Matters bag has five days of short activities that you can do in your program as well as short and easy complementary activities for parents to do at home.
Day 2 Mindfulness 
Day 3 Problem Solving 
Day 5 Resiliency

If you did not take advantage of the opportunity in May 2021 and are interested in using these activities as a launching pad for your school year, please email Lisa Rhodes at lrhodes@howardcountymd.gov to arrange a time to pick up supplies. 1 bag per program.
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