What's New in the ECE Community

Rhode Island College (RIC) is offering the course “Infants and Toddlers in Early Care and Education Programs (ECED503)” as part of it’s Early Childhood Education Graduate Program. The course covers components of quality group care for infants and toddlers. Topics include professional responsibilities, health and safety routines, appropriate materials and environments, and legal issues for child care providers. It is scheduled to run from May 18 – June 26. You can register online at: www.ric.edu. The call number for registration is 30485.

Sending on behalf of Office of Child Care

Traducción en español está abajo

May 4, 2020

 Valued Providers,

As you know, the Governor announced on Friday her intention to reopen child care on June 1^st. Prior to reopening, providers are being required to submit a plan outlining how they will adhere to new regulations specific to COVID-19. Part of this plan includes watching a webinar developed by DHS. This webinar will provide an overview of new regulations and CDC guidelines as well as support on how to develop your plan. Your participation is required as part of your COVID-19 plan approval process.

This webinar will go live on Wednesday, May 6^th at 1:00pm. Because this is being done on a virtual platform, there will be a limited number of spaces available for this May 6^th viewing. However, the entire webinar will be recorded and posted to the Center for Early Learning Professionals (The Center) website within 24 hours of the original event (https://center-elp.org).  The link to the May 6^th viewing is listed below.

https://meetings.ringcentral.com/j/1494439282 [meetings.ringcentral.com]

Because this webinar is being recorded, registered participants will not have an opportunity to ask question.  If, after you have watched the webinar, you have questions specific to your program or your plan, please contact your assigned licensor or the Child Care Licensing team at DHS.Childcarelicensing@dhs.ri.gov.

We realize that you are anxious to learn more about this process. We ask for your patience and understanding while we do our best to ensure we are sharing information in a timely but also efficient and accurate manner. As always, my team is available to assist you in any way we can. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions you might have.

Nicole Chiello
Child Care Administrator of Licensing
Nicole.Chiello@dhs.ri.gov

Se envía este documento en nombre de la Oficina de Cuidado Infantil

4 de mayo de 2020

Apreciados Proveedores,

Como ustedes saben, la Gobernadora anunció el viernes su intención de reabrir el cuidado de niños el 1ero de Junio. Antes de la reapertura, los proveedores están obligados a presentar un plan que describa cómo se adherirán a las nuevas regulaciones específicas de COVID-19. Parte de este plan incluye ver un seminario web desarrollado por el DHS. Este seminario web proporcionará una visión general de las nuevas regulaciones y directrices de los CDC, así como apoyo sobre cómo desarrollar su plan. Su participación es requerida como parte de su proceso de aprobación del plan COVID-19.

Este seminario web se pondrá en marcha el jueves 7 de mayo a la 1:00 pm. Debido a que esto se hace en una plataforma virtual, habrá un número limitado de espacios disponibles para esta visualización del 7 de Mayo. Sin embargo, todo el seminario web se grabará y publicará en el sitio web del Centro de Profesionales de Aprendizaje Temprano (Centro) dentro de las 24 horas posteriores al evento original (https://center-elp.org).  El enlace se muestra a continuación.

https://meetings.ringcentral.com/j/1489542377 [meetings.ringcentral.com]

Debido a que este seminario web se está grabando, los participantes registrados no tendrán la oportunidad de hacer preguntas.  Si, después de haber visto el seminario web, tiene preguntas específicas para su programa o su plan, comuníquese con su trabajador de licencia asignado o con el Equipo de Licencias de Cuidado Infantil en el DHS.Childcarelicensing@dhs.ri.gov.

Nos damos cuenta de que usted está ansioso por aprender más sobre este proceso. Pedimos su paciencia y comprensión mientras hacemos todo lo posible para asegurarnos de que estamos compartiendo información de manera oportuna, pero también eficiente y precisa. Como siempre, mi equipo está disponible para ayudarle en todo lo que podamos. Por favor, no dude en ponerse en contacto con cualquier pregunta que pueda tener.

Nicole Chiello
Administrador de Licencias de Cuidado Infantil
Nicole.Chiello@dhs.ri.gov

The Department of Human Services and BrightStars would like to learn more about how the COVID-19 public health crisis is affecting your program. How is your child care program adjusting and adapting? What supports do you need from the state to continue to work with your staff and the families, and to ensure everyone’s health and safety?  We recognize that COVID-19 has dramatically changed how we work and live, and want to ensure that the state supports programs and staff in ways that are relevant and useful for Rhode Island’s child care workforce.

Thank you for everything you’re doing, including taking the time to share your experiences and challenges here today.

Please take 10 minutes to complete the survey by clicking here.

El Departamento de Servicios Humanos y BrightStars desean obtener más información sobre cómo la crisis de salud pública de COVID-19 está afectando su programa. ¿Cómo se está ajustando y adaptando su programa de cuidado infantil? ¿Qué apoyo necesita del estado para continuar trabajando con su personal y las familias, y para garantizar la salud y la seguridad de todos? Reconocemos que COVID-19 ha cambiado drásticamente la forma en que trabajamos y vivimos, y queremos asegurarnos de que el estado respalde los programas y el personal de manera relevante y útil para la fuerza laboral de cuidado infantil de Rhode Island.

Gracias por todo lo que está haciendo, incluyendo el tomarse el tiempo para compartir sus experiencias y desafíos aquí hoy.

Por favor tóme 10 minutos para completar la encuesta a continuación: La Encuesta.

The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) is now accepting applications for programs to become pre-kindergarten providers for the 2020–2021 school year. Eligible organizations include licensed child care programs, Head Start organizations, public schools, and non-public schools. There will be an informational webinar on March 10 and all applications are due by March 31. Here is a link to the Request for Proposals for RI Pre-K Programs. You can find additional information on the RIDE website.

The Autism Project is offering the following three online trainings:

• Understanding Autism – March 5 from 6:30–8:30pm
  Participants will learn about children with communication and self-regulation challenges and how their needs impact their behavior.
• Visual Supports in Practice – April 9 from 6:30–8:30pm
  Participants will learn how to create and use visual supports to better support individuals with autism spectrum disorder.
• Positive Behavior Supports – May 7 from 6:30–8:30pm
  Participants will learn how to help parents and professionals view challenging behavior through a different lens addressing possible skill deficits, coexisting conditions, and motivation of behaviors.

Approved PD hours for Rhode Island are available, as are NASW-RI credits. There is a $30 fee per class. For further information, email Deb Langevin or call 401-785-2666 ext. 5.

Photo credit: PlusLexia.

The SEIU Education and Support Fund is offering several professional development trainings this spring for early childhood educators in Rhode Island.

On Saturday, March 28, the Fund will host a screening of No Small Matter, a documentary film that explores the critical role high-quality early childhood education plays in individuals’ and communities’ success. The screening will be held from 9 am to 11 am in Providence.

Other trainings include:

• A peer mentorship and leadership development course for family child care providers
• A five-week course on basic computer skills
• Infant/Toddler CPR, which will be offered monthly from March through June

The trainings are provided in English and Spanish.

The SEIU Education and Support Fund is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that develops and manages worker-centered training and PD programs, including the National Early Educator Training Center (NEETC). The Fund works closely with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the labor union that represents over 80,000 early childhood educators across eight states. The fund has offered PD trainings in Rhode Island since 2019.

Learn more

The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) is accepting applications from early childhood education (ECE) programs for its new Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) Grant program. In October 2019, the U.S. Department of Education awarded RIDE $20 million for the grant program, which will strengthen literacy development and instruction for children from birth through grade 12.

RIDE has set aside $3 million in CLSD Grant funds for community-based organizations and public schools that serve children from birth to pre-kindergarten. ECE programs across the state are encouraged to apply for a grant to boost their literacy efforts and curriculum. The objectives of the Birth to Pre-K grants are the following:

• Increase the percentage of students with access to high-quality curriculum, as defined in RIDE’s Comprehensive Early Childhood Education (CECE) Standards and/or the BrightStars standards
• Increase the number of programs utilizing Teaching Strategies Gold (TSG) to monitor student progress
• Increase the number of families participating in Pre-K evidence-based literacy activities

The grant period is five years. Applicants must conduct and submit a needs analysis with their application, along with a scope of work, work plan, budget, and demonstration of their capacity to implement the grant. Programs can apply for grant funding for the following activities, among others:

• Purchase a high-quality Pre-K curriculum
• Provide professional learning to implement high-quality curriculum
• Evaluate progress with TSG
• Provide professional learning to implement a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS)
• Implement an itinerant special education model
• Enhance their transition-to-kindergarten programs

Grant applications are due February 26, 2020, by 4:00 pm. Questions? Email clsd@ride.ri.gov.

Learn more

The Rhode Island Department of Human Services (DHS) Office of Child Care has announced three orientation dates in 2020 for people interested in obtaining a state license to operate as a family child care home provider.

DHS, in collaboration with the Center for Early Learning Professionals and Ready to Learn Providence, will offer the orientation sessions on three Fridays: January 17, April 17, and August 21. The orientations will be offered in English in the morning and Spanish in the afternoon. The sessions will be held at the Pawtucket Public Library, 13 Summer Street, Pawtucket, RI 02860.

The orientation sessions explain the licensing process to participants, and are the first step toward obtaining a state license. Participants need to attend just one orientation. After the orientation, participants then enroll in and complete a series of trainings that provide information about health and safety in family child care homes, state licensing regulations, and high-quality learning environments for young children. After participants complete all trainings, Center staff will support them as they apply for licensure.

People interested in attending an orientation session must register online. DHS will confirm attendance and the hours of each orientation after people register. For additional information, please call 401-528-3624.

Register now

Rhode Island educators are invited to a day-long summit on November 22 that will explore young children’s transition to kindergarten. Register to learn about national transition trends, hear from RI communities currently participating in transition work, and build upon your current transition practices with a transition toolkit designed to improve upon the transition experiences of all RI children.

The Rhode Island Transition Summit: Effective Transitions to Enhance School Readiness will take place on Friday, November 22, 2019, from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Warwick. Lunch will not be provided.

The summit objectives include:

• Learn why the transition to kindergarten is important
• Explore transition strategies that support child success
• Learn about the transition plans that Rhode Island communities are implementing
• Examine a toolkit of transition resources
• Discuss the implications for your community

All are welcome, but participants are encouraged to come in teams that include administrators and teachers from both elementary schools and community-based preschools. The summit is sponsored by the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) and organized by the Center for Early Learning Professionals. A team of transition coaches will lead and facilitate the day’s activities.

Learn more

Effective today, Rhode Island’s Child Care Licensing Team has moved from the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) to the Office of Child Care in the Department of Human Services (DHS). The state General Assembly voted to transfer the team to strengthen child care services for Rhode Islanders and better support the state’s early childhood workforce.

For child care providers and programs, your day-to-day responsibilities of providing safe, quality care to children as outlined by current child care licensing regulations will not change. All active child care licenses—for both family child care homes and centers—remain valid, and current licensing regulations and requirements are still in place.

To learn more, visit the new Child Care Licensing website and read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document from DHS.

Learn more