Early Learning Update Week of December 7^th

Each week I will send out an Early Learning Update email.  These are meant to be quick updates on any relevant items for the week including resources, Professional Development, new health department info and more.

Items Covered:

• All: Friday, March 12^th Professional Development Day
• All: Remote Learning Resources
• Licensed All: License Program Webinar Topics
• Licensed ONLY: DCYF December Webinar Focused on MERIT redesign

 

Please see this week’s professional development opportunities and news and bookmark the Early Learning Portal Page: https://mycatholicschool.org/for-catholic-schools/catholic-identity/early-learning/

 

Friday, March 12^th Professional Development Day
In the past two months as I have had the opportunity to travel to schools and talk with you I heard a consistent and high priority need across our programs for a Professional Development Day that was strictly geared to Early Learning. The Archdiocese has a Regional Curriculum Professional Development Day scheduled on school calendars for Friday, March 12^th. After conversation with Office of Catholic Schools leadership we have the opportunity for this to be the date of our first virtual Early Learning Professional Development Day Conference. The day would feature several sessions focused entirely on Early Learning topics geared toward you and your staff (and STARS eligible for programs that need it). I am reaching out today to ask for those they would be willing to commit to being on a small task force to plan the program and logistics of the day. I think we will need 4-5 early learning leaders for the task force and the commitment would be about 3-4 one hour meetings scheduled between December and March. Please let me know if you are interested in helping the planning and I will send a save the date with the time for the conference for your calendars shortly!

 

Remote Learning Resources

Multiple programs have shared resources and materials they used for Remote Learning either last spring or earlier this school year. I have attached an additional zip folder to this email that has a sampling of the resources schools were willing to share. Please let me know if you need more information on any particular school’s program and I can connect you with that Early Learning Leader. If you have additional materials that you would like to share please send them to me by email. Thanks!

 

Licensed ONLY: License Program Webinars

I am working with Talina from Saint Monica to develop a series of short Licensed Program Webinar’s that focus on easy step by step instructions and guidance on a variety of Licensed program’s administrative responsibilities. These Webinars will start in January and be between 20-30 minutes long with multiple options of access. We will send out calendar invites to join the webinar’s live on zoom. We will also record the webinars and email links out after the webinar is complete for those that cannot attend or to keep for later reference. I will also write up a short synopsis of each webinar with highlights for a quick reference guide. We will do 1-2 a month and each one will be focused on just one topic for bite-sized information! I have included some of the topics we have already brainstormed below. What other topics should we cover that would be helpful for a licensed program? Please email me any ideas!

 

Child Care Check and it’s uses
Provider Portal and it’s uses
Annual Inservice Training
Professional Development Plans (coming in 2021)
MERIT responsibilites on the Facility Tab
Education – Hiring Requirements
Education Awards
Training Reimbursement

 

Licensed ONLY: DCYF December Webinar Focused on MERIT redesign

On last reminder for Tuesday, December 15^th at 6pm DCYF will hold a Webinar that will focus on the new updates and features are coming to the workforce registry MERIT. MERIT is a great tool to track your professional development and staff qualifications. The new updates will include easier navigation and a better overall design to help you track your progress. Stay tuned for more details and don’t miss out! Register HERE

 

Have a great week!