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Highlights in this month's edition of "Monthly Minutes"
- NH Early Childhood Credential Challenge
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Winter Professional Development Opportunities
- GSQ Congratulations
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UNH-CPS Tuition Covered When You Register for a Course
- Promoting Holistic Diversity Throughout the Holidays
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Hello Providers,
Tis the season! While some relish the holidays with joy and cherished memories, others may find themselves stressed or overwhelmed. For some, it stirs up feelings of sadness or loneliness. Regardless of the holidays you celebrate or the emotions you bring into this season, remember to be gentle with yourself and those around you. Practice patience amidst the busy season and remember to carve out time for self-care.
The Child Care Resource and Referral Outreach Specialists (CCRROS) are gearing up for the winter months! With school vacations coming, more and more families call looking for care during those weeks. If you have not recently, please take a moment to log into your NHCIS child care program account and update your child care profile with any changes (enrollment status, vacancies, business hours, ages accepted, etc.). If you are in need of assistance with updating your program's profile or you know of families in need of child care, please feel free to call 603-578-1386 ext. 2531 or email ccrr@snhs.org and one of our Outreach Specialists will be happy to help.
The Training and TA Specialists (TTAS) are eager to support providers participating in the 2023-2024 Credential Challenge! December 1st is the official kick-off date to honor the hard work and skill of New Hampshire's Early Childhood Professionals. To find out more about how you can participate in the challenge, or to receive support with applying for your credential, keep reading through this month's edition of "Monthly Minutes"!
The TTAS are also busy completing trainings and providing technical assistance and support to providers state-wide. Here is a gentle reminder to please update your contact information in your personal professional registry account in NHCIS. Confirm your email address is a personal email address you can receive updates and information, too. It is suggested you do not use your business email address where this is a personal account. Also, please remember to list your name as it appears in NHCIS when registering for trainings so we can complete your hours to the right person. It is also helpful to include a middle initial or name. This is especially important if you have a common name. For any questions, or for Technical Assistance, our TTAS team is here for you! Call the TTAS Line at (603) 578-1386, ext. 2526 and 2532.
Child Care Aware of NH takes this moment to express gratitude for your unwavering commitment to the children and families you support. Wishing you a delightful and happy holiday season! We hope that you enjoy this month's edition of Monthly Minutes.
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2023-2024 Early Childhood Credential Challenge | |
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Ready.. Set.. Credential! The challenge starts December 1st!
Child Care Aware of NH, a program of Southern NH Services, and the Bureau of Child Development and Head Start Collaboration are thrilled to announce this year's Early Childhood Credential Challenge! We are so excited to celebrate the dedication and expertise of all of NH's Early Childhood Professionals.
This year's challenge is scheduled from December 1, 2023, to February 29, 2024. We recommend submitting your application as early as possible.
Contact our Training & Technical Assistance team about how you can access credentialing support by calling the TTAS Line at (603) 578-1386, ext. 2526 and 2532.
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Upcoming Professional Development sessions to support Credentialing:
NH Early Childhood Credential Process: Applying for Your Credential
Creating a Professional Development Plan using the NH Workforce Competencies
Additional Credentialing Support available during Virtual Office Hours:
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Winter CCAoNH Office Closures | |
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Child Care Aware of NH, a program of Southern NH Services, will be closed the following days during the months of December and January:
- Tuesday, December 19th (CCAoNH Staff Team Meeting)
- Monday, December 25th
- Monday, January 1st
- Monday, January 15th
- Monday, January 29th (SNHS Agency Team Meeting)
During these closures phone calls will be going to our messaging system and our LiveChat services will be closed. Please be sure to visit NH Connections for child care referrals, consumer education and training information.
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CCAoNH Professional Development Opportunities | |
Winter Trainings At-A-Glance | |
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Embrace the winter chill while nurturing the growth of our little learners! Interested in honing your skills in early childhood education during this snowy season? Take a look here!
Our Winter Trainings At-A-Glance calendars present an array of incredible opportunities for childcare providers to learn new ways to support and guide the growth of little ones. Come along for a season brimming with information we hope will inspire and motivate you to continue to learn and build connections through the months of December, January, February and March.
Save the date for the Winter Keys to Quality: Unlocking Your Professional Development Virtual E-Conference coming up on Saturday, January 27th, 2024.
Continue to revisit the Professional Development page on NH Connections for updates and additions to the training calendar.
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Intro and Overview of ERS and Beyond the Intro and Overview of ERS: Promoting Holistic Diversity Throughout the Holidays | |
Get ready to explore the Environment Rating Scales! Join our upcoming sessions to learn how to use these powerful tools effectively for your classrooms and programs. | |
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Upcoming Sessions:
Intro & Overview of ERS
- Thurs. December 7th 12:30PM-2:00PM
- Tues. December 12th 6:00PM-7:30PM
Community of Practice (CoP):
Beyond the Intro & Overview of ERS
Promoting Holistic Diversity Throughout the Holidays
- Tues. December 19th 6:00PM-7:30PM
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Leadership Summit - Reimagining Self-care (3-part Series) | |
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Thurs. February 1st - 12:00-1:30 PM
Reimagining Self-care
Thurs. February 22nd - 12:00-1:30 PM
Building Better Boundaries
Thurs. March 7th - 12:00-1:30 PM
Joy Reboot
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It's important to take the time to do things that help you live well and improve your physical and mental health. But how many times do you put yourself last because you're too busy helping others or finishing your tasks?
Engage in this 3-part workshop series presented by Jennice Chewlin, MPH, CHES® CEO & Founder, Chewlin & Group
to help your team build skills to break through barriers to take care of their mental well-being and empower them to live a happy, healthy, and productive life.
Each session will explore key topics to enrich both your professional and personal life! Discover valuable strategies and tools for self-care that you can incorporate into your daily routine.
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Early Childhood Collaboratives | |
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Child Care Aware of NH is delighted to continue our online Early Childhood Focused Collaborative Meetings.
These dynamic gatherings are shaped by the participants themselves, ensuring that they align with your unique needs and interests. By joining us, you can expect to:
- Stay informed about the latest developments in Child Care Aware of NH programs.
- Gain access to crucial local and state information.
- Get valuable professional development opportunities tailored to your needs.
This month we're highlighting the Preschool Collaborative held the first Wednesday of the month from 6:00PM-7:30 PM. This collaborative is designed to elevate preschool programs, optimizing curriculum and environment, and nurturing young learners.
This month you'll be learning more about T.E.A.C.H. & ECAP, with Diane Manning, T.E.A.C.H. NH Counselor, and Amanda Enos, Early Childhood Apprenticeship Program & T.E.A.C.H Support Coordinator on Wednesday, December 6th from 6:00-7:30 PM. You can register for this collaborative and others through your NHCIS account.
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Progressive Training and Technical Assistance Program (PT&TAP) | |
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Our Progressive Training and Technical Assistance Program offers child care programs an opportunity to participate in focused and facilitated training and technical assistance.
When you enter into a progressive, you get assigned a Technical Assistance Specialists who will work with you one-on-one on the State Initiative you choose to focus on.
The five State Initiatives are:
- NH Early Childhood Professional Development System (Credentialing)
- Strengthening Families, Strengthening Care
- Business Management Practices
- Infant & Toddler Care
- NH Early Learning Standards
During the progressive, you will earn professional development in the form of Technical Assistance minutes, you will build a bond with our wonderful TA staff, and build your knowledge and skill set as an educational professional within the field of early childhood education!
For more information about this interactive training opportunity, you can contact us at ccrrta@snhs.org or (603) 578-1386, ext. 2526 and ext. 2532! We look forward to hearing from you!
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Child Care Aware of NH hosted Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs, an 8-week training series, completed on November 15th. 17 early childhood professionals actively participated in the learning modules by virtual meetings and trainers Julie Choiniere and Meriba Johnson thoroughly enjoyed working with this group.
Each module focuses on a specific life skill, starting with adults and reflecting on our individual life experiences and learning the science behind the skill. The second part of each module focuses on children and how adults can help children develop these essential skills.
Why do we think this training is a powerful experience for you as an early childhood educator and caregiver? These skills can be learned, and it is never too late to learn and develop the seven essential life skills. Put this message on repeat: It is never too late to learn and develop the seven essential life skills.
That’s why we want you to consider joining us in January 2024 for the next training series. You will have an interactive, reflective and engaging experience while learning the science behind the Seven Essential Life Skills.
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Monthly Health And Safety Resources | | |
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Playing outdoors in all kinds of weather, except for the most extreme conditions, is great for children’s physical and mental health. It supports their gross motor development, offers great opportunities to learn about the natural environment and weather, and practice social skills. During winter weather, children should be dressed in layers, and caregivers should monitor children for evidence of being either too cold or overheated.
Now is a good time to create a policy about how long to take children outside in cold weather, and communicate that to parents.
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Other Early Childhood News And Updates | |
Granite Steps for Quality | |
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On behalf of the Bureau of Child Development and Head Start Collaboration, we would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the following programs on achieving a step in the Granite Steps for Quality System
Stay and Play Early Learning Center, Pyramid Model, Step 2
Sweet Beginnings Daycare, ERS, Step 2
Congratulations and thank you for your dedication to continuous quality improvement! To learn more about Granite Steps for Quality and how you can apply for a Step, click the button below to view the Granite Steps for Quality page on NH Connections.
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Find year-end best practices on the SELA Platform. Put plans in place to address payroll year-end practices and communicate about tax credits for your staff and the families you serve.
Pro tip: Get started right away!
There are many FREE resources on the State Early Learning Alliance (SELA) Platform for Engaging Families.
| Log in or register for the SELA Platform for free at www.selanhmembers.com or use the register QR code. | | |
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is available to low- to moderate-income workers with or without qualifying children. Find qualifying rules and how to claim the EITC on the SELA Platform.
The Child & Dependent Care Tax Credit can help families pay for the care of eligible children and other qualifying dependents in order for families to work or look for work and provided that family income level is within the income limits set for the credit.
Easy to read FAQ from the IRS and eligibility tool to help with understanding eligibility requirements. Also, learn how to claim the credit!
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University of New Hampshire College of Professional Studies -
Get 100% of Tuition Covered When You Register for a Course!
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Apply to receive tuition assistance through the Early Childhood Tuition Assistance (ECTA) and Preschool Development Grant (PDG) at the University of New Hampshire College of Professional Studies, funded by the NH Bureau of Child Development and Head Start Collaboration!
Available to NH Educators, Paraeducators, and Childcare Workers
This grant is available to individuals working in NH-licensed centers, including:
- Individuals working a minimum of 15 hours per week in an out-of-school time center
- Childcare teachers working a minimum of 20 hours per week
- Elementary school paraprofessionals working a minimum of 20 hours per week
- Childcare directors working a minimum of 30 hours per week
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The preparation of this (report, document, etc.) was financed under a Contract with the State of New Hampshire, Department of Health and Human Services, with funds provided in part by the State of New Hampshire and/or such other funding sources as were available or required, e.g., the United States Department of Health and Human Services. | | | | |
