Early Learning Coalition
of St. Lucie County
Your Champions of Early Education
August 2021 Provider News:
Resources for your Childcare Center!

REMINDER: Weekly Provider Update Calls
every Wednesday at 12:30 pm
through Zoom
Don't forget our weekly provider call every Wednesday at 12:30. These calls are voluntary: just our way to stay connected, answer questions and give any updates. We hope you can join us; the instructions to join remotely is sent to you in a Zoom meeting invitation every week and you can participate on your phone or your computer. Our past provider meetings are listing in archive on our website, in the provider's section.


Remember, we will update you regularly on any information you need to know that is coming from OEL or the state DOE, so watch your emails for updates!
AUGUST IS BACK TO SCHOOL MONTH!
If the “summer-ending-and-school-starting” ritual makes you anxious, then participate in Back to School Month this August — an event that helps parents, students, and teachers prepare for the new academic year. Celebrated since the 1960s, Back to School Month will motivate you to start your back-to-school shopping and get you excited overall. So put away the beach bag and pick up the backpack, because it’s time for Back to School Month events —and we want you to get an “A” for participation.

BACK TO SCHOOL MONTH ACTIVITIES
Host a fundraiser
Celebrate Back to School Month by putting together a fundraising event that raises money to buy school supplies (textbooks, calculators, writing tools, notebooks) — and donate them to schools in need or kids in local shelters.
Set up a fun, but educational, obstacle course
Set up stations that will teach smart driving skills, safe walking practices, and the best ways to wear/pack a backpack. To keep this course within the theme, hide school-related prizes throughout, such as notebooks, planners, pens and pencils, and backpacks.
Volunteer at your local school
Get involved by helping new students. Typically, this entails showing them around their new school grounds — keeping in mind that a friendly demeanor will also help calm their nerves. If you have kids in their school, consider giving them your child’s contact information so they can start to build their friend network.
SENIOR CITIZENS DAY IS
AUGUST 21st
Do you have an elderly person in your life that you love and appreciate? National Senior Citizens Day, August 21, is the day to let them know how much you care and it’s an opportunity to recognize their accomplishments. 

In 1988, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed this holiday to raise awareness about issues that affect senior citizens and their quality of life.

Today, seniors are still active in their communities as well as continuing to have a strong presence in the workforce. For all they do and have achieved for the good of their communities, senior citizens deserve our thanks! 
CARPOOL SAFETY: COVID AND BEYOND
As the COVID pandemic finally begins to recede and Americans emerge from their homes, parents, guardians and caregivers are returning to the carpool line. While children are undoubtedly excited to see their friends, return to school and rejoin their favorite activities, this newfound freedom does come with some risk.

Despite ongoing vaccinations, coronavirus has not been entirely defeated. We have put together some extra preventative and safety measures you can take during carpools to keep your children safe and healthy.

In this article:
National Dog Day
August 26, 2021
National Dog Day 2021 is on August 26 and we are getting ready to celebrate all our furry friends in the best ways possible! Can you believe that our furry friends have been with us for at least 14,000 years?

Thank goodness for that because what would we do without man’s best friend? It is time to pull out all the cake and pictures of your pup and share your love for them with the world!

National Dog Day was first established in 2004 by pet & family lifestyle advocate Colleen Paige. The aim of promoting this day is to raise awareness about adopting these animals who are currently in rescue centers.

In addition, on this day promote dog ownership of all breeds, pure and mix. Embrace National Dog Day 2021 as an opportunity for all dogs to live a safe, happy and abuse-free life.
The Division of Early Learning is proud to announce the release of several new online courses and resources

Based on the newly revised Florida Professional Developmental Standards and Key Competencies, the courses and online Key Competencies Resource Tab create a framework and common language for professional development and serve as a standard for decisions and practices carried out by early learning professionals.

The key competencies include expectations across a continuum of training, education and experience, ranging from the entry-level educator to educators with degrees, certifications and extensive experience.

The courses are five hours each with an embedded assessment. CEUs are available once the embedded assessment is successfully completed. This information will be documented on the Florida Early Childhood Professional Development Registry—Child Care Training System training transcript.

The cost is $10 for each course and participants can register through the Florida Early Childhood Professional Development Registry.

The following courses and resources are now available:

1. Online Florida Standards and Key Competencies Tab (free resource)
2. Florida Core Competencies for Early Childhood Educators
3. Florida Core Competencies for Directors and Administrators
4. Florida Core Competencies for Afterschool Educators
5. Preventing Expulsion and Suspension in Early Childhood Programs

Please address your questions to Oel.Questions@oel.myflorida.com or call 850-717-8550. 
Summer Adventures On the Road With National Geographic
This FREE immersive educational experience teaches the wildlife, geological characteristics, and Indigenous histories of three U.S. national treasures: Yellowstone National Park, Everglades National Park, and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Learners will complete challenges, inspect images and accompany real National Geographic Explorers on scientific adventures.
July 12th through August 22nd!

Who
Ages 4 and up

Cost
FREE
How


More Info
Over the course of six weeks, families can make “stops”— whether by car or virtually from home — at each of the three parks. Click here to get started!
Resources for families with young children
affected by hurricanes

The Office of Early Learning has compiled resources and information to help families who have been affected by hurricanes. Children have an especially difficult time adjusting after a disaster. These are some of the resources on how to discuss the disaster with young children, health and safety information for evacuees returning to damaged homes and ways to help your child feel safe after the emotional distress they have experienced.
Please Share Your Experiences as a Child Care Professional during COVID-19!
Dear Child Care Professional,
Child care providers have had it rough during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yale School ofMedicine has partnered with the National Workforce Registry Alliance and your state child care registry to make sure that your voice is heard by policy leaders making health and economic decisions regarding child care.

Last year over 80,000 child care professionals (from all 50 states and U.S. territories) just like you participated in this study, making it the largest study of child care professionals ever conducted.
As appreciation for your participation, you will be:
  • eligible to win a $500 Visa card (we will randomly select 20 participants; we wish we had the funding to just pay everyone!)
  • invited to optional information session(s) where the results will be shared
Follow this link to the Survey:
Or copy and paste the URL below into your internet browser:
Now, Post a Teacher Ad with DCF!
children-reading.jpg
The Department of Children and Families’ Child Care Program Office now offers a tool for Child Care Facilities to advertise available positions. How To Post An Ad: Use the following steps to post your ad:
  1. Enter your exact Child Care License Number
  2. You are taken to the employment database
  3. Choose "Make Director Ad" or "Make Staff Credential Ad"
  4. Create the position summary
  5. List position requirements
  6. Specify dates to run
  7. Input provider contact information
DEL Resources for Providers
The Director Toolkit

This resource was developed to assist early childhood program directors, mentors, coaches and instructors in planning professional development goals for continuous program and instructional improvement.
Learning Circles Social Studies Calendar for August 2021
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DEL Parent Pages to Share
For more information from Division of Early Learning visit: Parent Pages.
Overwhelmed by Change? Turn to 3Ts
3Ts Development for Providers helps children succeed at early age
Remember: even when things are uncertain, YOU are helping to build the brains of the children you care for and are preparing them for success just by talking and interacting with them. Your class day is full of opportunities to use the 3Ts and help your children understand changes going on in the world. Learn more at the3Ts.org. Also available in Spanish at las3Cs.org.  AnyTimeIs3TsTime #3TsFlorida #PNCGrowUpGreat
Here is a free professional development series for you and your staff – which is a perfect in-service training opportunity! This resource shares easy-to-remember strategies and features videos of caregivers using the 3Ts in everyday situations.
**ATTENDANCE REMINDERS**
 
  • REMEMBER all VPK certificates and sign in/out sheets must be either faxed or emailed by the due date. We cannot work on your submitted attendance till I have the sheets. Failure to do so can result in non-payment for the child(ren).
 
  • Sign in/out sheets must include your provider name and the name of the child that is printed on the VPK certificate. Please do not use nicknames or any other names. Only the name the name the parent entered on the certificate.
 
  • All expired documents (licensures, credentials, background screenings, etc.) must be up to date and approved in the Portal. If not, payment cannot be processed past the expiration date.
 
  • Remember all your new enrollments must be submitted and approved in order for you to submit attendance for that child(ren).
 
  • If you have any enrollments that were not paid due to being submitted after reimbursements were closed or not providing the sign in/out sheets, please submit those at this time also. Per contract you only have 60 calendar days to report any discrepancies.
 
  • If you were closed due to COVID-19 all changes to your VPK calendar need to be submitted and approved prior to submitting your attendance. You should of received instructions from me pertaining to VPK. 

  • Review your Registration Fee queue in the portal under Manage SR Enrollments and submit eligible children for payment.

  • Paid absences will be up to 10 days only, this is, 3 unexcused days and 7 more with a doctor’s note. Documentation is now required for absences beyond 3 days. Please see the document below for guidance on how to record your SR absences.

  • If you see any discrepancies on your holidays or closure dates, let us know before submitting attendance. This requires a change in your profile and approval, to be reflected correctly on the attendance roster.