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Celebrating Parents Celebrating Educators Celebrating Students Celebrating Success Celebrating Parent Success “Childcare Resources has completely changed our lives. Luca is learning new things every day, and I finally have the stability to work and plan for our future.” Meet Brianna & Luca At 24 years old, Brianna was doing everything she could to hold it all together. A single mom to a spirited two-year-old son, she is his whole world. And he is hers. She works full-time, waking early each morning to make breakfast, get Luca dressed, and hurry out the door so she can clock in on time. 2026 READ MORE "Because of their care and commitment, our lives have been forever impacted. Childcare Resources was my anchor." Meet Cassandra and Zariah A single parent with a newborn daughter, Cassie was desperate to find support and build a strong future for her family. She found this help at Childcare Resources. 2025 READ MORE “I was determined not to be a statistic. When I found Childcare Resources, I found more than just childcare; I found a community that supported my dreams.” Meet Natalia & Jayden Fifteen years ago, a young mother faced an uncertain future. A high school senior with a newborn son, Natalia was determined to continue her education and build a better life for her family. She found her answer at Childcare Resources. 2025 READ MORE “It was an easy and clear decision, even before Reece was born, that this was where his educational journey should start.” Meet Gabrielle & Reece When Gabrielle was pregnant with her son, Reece, she already knew where his foundation for learning should begin. Working next door at the Alzheimer and Parkinson Association, Gabrielle had the unique opportunity to witness firsthand the unwavering dedication of Childcare Resources. 2025 READ MORE "I wouldn’t have been able to pursue my career goals and continue my education if it wasn’t for Childcare Resources." Meet Maileigh, Ava & Avery Almost a decade ago, Maileigh was in desperate need of childcare. She was a full-time student, finishing a Licensed Practical Nursing program, and she needed a place for her four-month-old daughter, Ava. 2023 READ MORE "Without you, I would not have been able to fully support myself and Sierra. I would not have pushed myself to go back to school at all." Meet Alison & Sierra When her daughter was an infant, Alison realized that something needed to change. “I was a single mother struggling to find employment that would provide Sierra and I with what we needed ,“ says Alison. 2023 READ MORE "I wish every parent and child could experience the benefits of what quality early education does. These are the most transformational years." Meet Abby & Olivia With affordable childcare made possible by supporters like you, Abby was able to attend college full-time while Olivia received high-quality childcare. 2022 READ MORE Celebrating Educator Success "Being a part of the Higher Education Program was an experience of excellence. Networking with students gave me strength and encouragement in my craft." Meet Gladys Attending Childcare Resources’ director networking meetings and professional development workshops, Gladys has worked hard to better serve the children, families, and educators she supports. 2023 READ MORE "In three years, I was able to earn my CDA staff credential, my Director’s Credential, and just recently I earned my Associate’s Degree." Meet Kayte When she learned that Childcare Resources also offered the opportunity to earn credentials and degrees in early childhood education, Kayte enrolled in classes right away. 2022 READ MORE Celebrating Student Success “Childcare Resources pointed me in the right direction and made sure I wasn’t alone.” Meet Desmond As a single mother, DeShannon was determined to give her son, Desmond, the best possible start. Shortly after enrolling at Childcare Resources, it became clear that Desmond wasn’t hitting his early communication milestones. READ MORE 2025 “I am so grateful to Childcare Resources for providing a safe place for my child to learn and grow. He has learned and developed so much!” Meet Jamari When Jamari first entered the infant room at Childcare Resources, he was a happy baby. But soon, teachers noticed that he was struggling to engage. The Wellness and Early Intervention team reached out to his mother Judean to ensure he received the proper support. READ MORE 2024 “Nico is shining. Without Childcare Resources, Nico would still be the quiet kid in the corner that is afraid to talk.” Meet Nico As Nico settled into his new classroom, his teacher quickly identified that he might be struggling and brought in Childcare Resources’ Wellness and Early Intervention Program. READ MORE 2023 "Childcare Resources helped my child find a home away from home. We love the staff and the families we have grown to know over the last five years." Meet Naomi Naomi excels at meeting all of her developmental milestones and we can’t wait to learn about her future successes! READ MORE 2022 "Childcare Resources helped me achieve my personal and professional goals, and allowed my daughter to learn and grow in many aspects of her childhood." Meet Gianna During these first years, Gianna practiced letters and sounds with teacher-led activities and learning experiences during her days at the CCR School. READ MORE 2021

From a child’s point of view, an environment is what the child can make it. Coach's Column Paulette Maggiacomo May 21, 2020 Last week we focused on the Reggio approach of bringing the outside into your classroom. I hope that you were able to get ideas and begin to incorporate them. Remember, this is not about how much can you do and how fast can you do it. This approach believes in observing the children and following their interests – it is about meeting the needs of your children. What you do must be done with intent. Ask yourself: What is the purpose of this? How will it benefit the child? Your answers do not need to be complex. For example, it may be as simple as wrapping tiny white lights around a wreath and suspending it from the ceiling so that it can help soothe a child as they look at it, or a tree in your classroom that serves as a home to various birds the children see when they are outside; or is a home to woodland animals. This approach is not about ‘prettying’ up your classroom – it is about meeting the needs of your children. So, how do we bring the inside out? Once again, it is about meeting the needs of your children (did you notice that I have said this 3 times?). Do your children love the water? Bring out those buckets, dishpans and fill them with water (of course, new CDC guidelines would need to followed) – collect the cups, spoons, duckies, gather the shells, rocks, sticks, and whatever you have that attracts their attention. It is a perfect science lesson on density. Ask questions such as: I wonder what will happen if we put the rock in - will it sink or will it float? Which is heavier - the feather or the spoon? Why is the stick floating? Remember, from a child’s point of view, an environment is what the child can make it. Children will often find uses for objects and spaces that the adults do not anticipate. Ask yourself what can you do in your outdoor space? It doesn’t matter if it is not huge, there are ways to capture a child’s interest. Who knew that fences could be so much fun? Painters tape comes in so many colors – make random patterns on the fence: Let the children paint or color (get those fine motor skills developing), take the tape off and ta-dah, you have a masterpiece! Home Depot is my "go-to" place - buy some white PVC pipes, nicely ask the worker to cut them into different lengths, attach them to the fence and let the children drop balls through them – the race is on! Which one will come out first? Ask parents for old frying pans, spray paint the bottoms, attach them to the fence, give the children sticks and you have a band playing! Children are to be encouraged to explore the outside – they will get messy doing so. The below display was done by a teacher at Childcare Resources and I think it captures the sentiment exactly. Are the children dirty? You bet! Have they learned while playing? Absolutely! Have they worked on their social/emotional skills? Yes! I hope this encourages you to begin your journey on implementing the Reggio approach outside. A single step is all you need. Back to Coaching Back to Newsletters

Each age and stage builds upon previous experiences. The result is a child who is less frustrated when entering school. Coach's Column Susan Roberts October 10, 2020 Hello Friends! My happy place is with children and educators so it is good to be back after this long summer! Childcare Resources’ first professional development offering will be More WHATs, HOWs, & WHY’s of Fine Motor PLUS Sensory Activities & Self-Help Skills! Dr. Marianne Gibbs will give a live presentation packed with ideas that can be easily used in the classroom with readily available materials. She is a very motivating and engaging speaker and I think you will really enjoy her interactive Zoom session. She will be sharing many ideas for working with fine motor skills which are so important to developing dexterity and strength. Both are necessary for the more formal writing demands of elementary school. I saw many of her ideas being used in classrooms after her last visit. Children enjoy using “tools” such as tweezers and materials like cotton balls and sand. Activities like stringing fruit loops on pipe cleaners and drawing on vertical surfaces or under tables is always fun! Did you notice the words in the title after the PLUS? Dr. Gibbs will be reviewing the developmental sequence of obtaining fine motor skills and giving example of appropriate activities by age. Tummy time is an activity which strengthens a child’s arms and wrists which help with the fine motor development of the hand and fingers. Self-help skills such as eating finger foods, buttoning, picking up and putting away toys, lacing, etc. all encourage motor skills. Each age and stage builds upon previous experiences. The result is a child who is less frustrated when entering school. He is able to communicate by drawing and writing letters which leads to an easier kindergarten transition. The first 75 people to sign up for Dr. Gibbs workshop will be getting a small bag of materials to use during the Zoom session and the handout delivered to their school a few days before the workshop. The only other thing you’ll need is your very full purse. I’ll leave you guessing as to what that is for! I hope to see you on Zoom! Wishing you Well! Back to Coaching Back to Newsletters

How do we react to children’s struggles? Do we punish or do we see as an opportunity teach missing skills? Are you willing to see them through a different lens? Coach's Column Paulette Maggiacomo October 1, 2021 “If a child doesn’t know how to read, we teach. If a child doesn’t know how to swim, we teach. If a child doesn’t know how to divide, we teach. If a child doesn’t know how to behave we…..teach?…….punish? Why can’t we finish the last sentence as automatically as we do the others?” -Tom Herner, former NASDSE President The above quote has been resonating with me since I viewed Jacky Howell’s webinar, Turning Challenging Behavior into Prosocial Learning: A New Year Brings New Opportunities . During this continued unprecedented time in our lives, we are all facing challenges, and we have all heard “it’s how we solve or deal with them that makes us different.” I don’t know about you, but for me it is getting harder and harder to face these challenges in a positive way. Last year your teaching world was turned upside down and this year continues to be anything but normal. So how do we help these children who are entrusted to our care? When we see challenging behavior what do we do – do we teach or punish? Children need our unconditional acceptance and support to make meaningful relationships and it begins with us. You know what, let’s replace children need with children deserve . Are you willing to be a detective (to find what the child’s trigger is and how to teach skills to change the behavior), an archeologist (to look into the child’s past), and a connector (to form those teacher – child relationships)? We know that Social/Learning is a process. How can we effectively guide our children (and ourselves) through this? Consider the Environment Is your classroom welcoming? Do you provide areas for children to explore? Do you have visuals around the room: daily schedule, routines? Children thrive on predictability. Are your class commitments discussed each day and all day? Have you created a safe place for children to go to when they are struggling? Understand the Importance of our Role as Adults How do we react to children’s struggles? Do we punish or do we see as an opportunity teach missing skills? Are you willing to see them through a different lens? Are you willing to just sit with a child for a few minutes and simply spend time with them? (I hear you saying that you don’t have time. I know you have so much to do but I promise you that if you take the time now to make that connection, the results will be worth it!) How we talk to others and what we say matters! Are you willing to use Positive Language Alternatives? Instead of: Calm down! Stop crying! Be quiet! Don't get upset! Say: How can I help you? I see this is hard for you. Use a softer voice. It's okay to be sad. And remember: Our self-talk becomes their self-talk. Our expectations become their expectations. Prosocial Information Are you willing to provide your children with ways to learn empathy? When talking about empathy, Jacky spoke about Dr. Becky Bailey, founder of Conscious Discipline. She mentioned I Love You Rituals, to help build moments of connection, and Baby Doll Circle Time, to learn how to care for others. Are you willing to have a pet in your classroom that the children can care for? Are you willing for each child to have their own job? Are you willing to post a Kindness Tree that documents kind acts? Are you willing to be mindful? Are you willing to offer your children times to use mindfulness during the day? I hope that you had an a-ha moment while reading this and that you are willing to incorporate these strategies in your classroom to give your students both what they need and they deserve. Lastly, I would like to leave you with a quote from Rita Pierson: “Every child deserves a champion: an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists they become the best they can possibly be.” Are YOU willing to be that champion? Until next time, I wish you well, Paulette Maggiacomo Back to Coaching Back to Newsletters

As adults we are often reminded how important it is for us to welcome gratitude into our hearts. Gratitude enables us to re-define how we view our lives Coach's Column Paulette Maggiacomo November 1, 2021 As adults we are often reminded how important it is for us to welcome gratitude into our hearts. Gratitude enables us to re-define how we view our lives; as the saying goes, it can turn that frown upside down . But how do we teach our children to internalize this concept? To answer this question, I looked to Dr. Becky Bailey and Conscious Discipline for guidance. Conscious Discipline is composed of 7 Powers and 7 Skills. In order to teach children the skills needed, the adult must first internalize the Powers. So I wondered which Powers relate to gratitude. The Power of Attention states that what you focus on, you get more of. Think of a flashlight shining on the positive behaviors that you see in your classroom. The constant mentioning of those behaviors results in more of them occurring. “Sam and Lily, you did it. You are cleaning up the mess. That is helpful.” “Toby, you did it. You gave Jackson a hug because he is sad. That was kind.” By constantly shining that flashlight on positive behaviors, children will begin to understand that when they are helpful and kind to people, those people are filled with gratitude. They will also begin to internalize the concept themselves. The Power of Love states that we are willing to see the best in others. This optimism that we project produces the hormone oxytocin in our brain which increases prosocial behavior. It allows us to see positive intent rather than negative intent. Some might say that it allows us to see the world through rose colored glasses. Use your positive intent to see that Nathan is upset and how can you help him. Use Describe, Notice, and Acknowledge (DNA): “Nathan, your face is going like this.” Pause and wait for eye contact “You seem angry.” “You were hoping to stay outside.” “You may walk like a robot or penguin to line up.” “Which do you choose?” “You did it, you walked like robot to lineup.” Are you willing to look at this child and realize that he is not a problem to you but a chance to help strengthen his skills? “Tyrone, your face is going like this.” Pause and wait for eye contact “You seem sad.” “You want Mom to stay. She has go to work and will be back at the end of the day.” (This is also a great time to show him the daily schedule and show him when his Mom will be back) “It’s hard. You can handle this. Breathe with me.” “Would you like to walk her to the door or wave from the window?” “You did it. You chose to walk her to the door.” “At Center Time, would you like to go to the Art Center and draw Mom a picture?” When you use this power to see the best in everyone, your children will feel safe and connected and are then ready to learn. Are you willing to see that when you internalize The Powers of Attention and Love you can transform common days into Thanksgiving, turn routine jobs into joy, and change opportunities to blessings within your classroom? I am filled with gratitude for all that each and every one of you do day after day in your classrooms. You are all superheroes to me. As always, until next time, I wish you well and may your heart be filled with gratitude……shine on. Paulette Back to Coaching Back to Newsletters

Did you know that 50% of children under the age of 5 have spent half of their life with no social opportunities? And yet we expect them to go to school and succeed. Coach's Column Paulette Maggiacomo December 1, 2021 Oh boy, the holiday season is upon us! As you are reading this maybe you went straight to your Emotional State or even down into your Survival State . If we are feeling this as adults, imagine how our children are coping. While we are dealing with the added stress of trying to make everything perfect (this is the time of year when I really dislike Martha Stewart) , children are going to school with extra stress also. Did you know that 50% of children under the age of 5 have spent half of their life with no social opportunities? And yet we expect them to go to school and succeed. I recently listened to a webinar featuring Dr. Donna Housman, founder and CEO of The Housman Institute , and she spoke about The Power of Emotional Intelligence from Birth to Age 8 . Dr. Housman adamantly stressed how powerful teachers are! You are the ones who are guiding our children through this national state of emergency on children’s mental health. You are the ones that can change the trajectory of a child’s mental health! Let’s explore how you may be already doing this and how you can strengthen the skills you already have. Children are born to learn. Research has shown that 90% of the brain is developed before Pre-K. Every second a million new neural connections are formed in the young child’s brain – if they are not connected by experiences and interactions they will not connect and be lost forever. Each time that you interact with a child, you are helping those neurons connect! How we manage our emotions is how children learn how to manage theirs. When we take that breath and self-regulate, children are taking it in – we always remember that we have to deal with our state before we can help the child deal with theirs. What else can we do? Model calmness Participate in problem solving Use emotional situations as opportunities to talk about emotions and label them Validate the child’s emotions In the past scientists have always stressed the importance of a child’s I.Q. Today, the importance of the E.Q. (Social & Emotional Learning Skills) is the focus. Did you know that a child’s E.Q. determines 80-90% of their success in school, their career, and their life? The other 10-20% is determined by I.Q! There is a direct link between emotions and learning. Dr. Housman spoke about the skills that we can strengthen in children to help them identify their emotions. Recognition and Identification – labeling the feeling Understanding – what the emotion is you are feeling and naming it Expression – non-verbal (hugs, smiles, frown), verbal (I am…) Regulation – manage & cope with emotions and responses This reinforces what we learned from Kim Hughes, Conscious Discipline Master Instructor, this past April at our Feel Your Feelings workshop where she introduced the concept of Emotional Intelligence and the Mood Meter tool. The Mood Meter can help all of us identify and name what we are feeling. In order for a child to be successful and have balance, there must be a positive connection between the teachers, directors, and parents. This collaborative relationship sends a united message for the children by using common language between home and school. Housman used the following correlation: A child cannot balance a 3-legged stool without the other 2 legs. He needs the unconditional love and support of his home family and his school family to succeed . Are you willing to be that person who models and guides a child and his family to fill their tool boxes with the necessary skills to manage their emotions? YOU are powerful! During this holiday season please take the time to pause and reflect on what is truly important. Those gifts cannot be bought at a store, they come from your heart. As always, until next time, I wish you well, Paulette Back to Coaching Back to Newsletters

The Science of Reading Coach's Column Amanda Gooch November 1, 2025 To circle back on what we focused on during the workshop, we want to remind you that the Science of Reading is an interdisciplinary body of research from fields like education, psychology, and neuroscience that explains how humans learn to read. It demonstrates that reading is not innate skills and identifies specific, explicit instructional practice that are most effective for teaching reading to all students. There are five key components of effective reading instruction that are central to the Science of Reading. Phonemic Awareness : The ability to hear, identify, and manipulate the individuals sounds (phonemes) in spoken words. This is a purely auditory skill and is a prerequisite for learning to read. Phonics : The understanding that there are predictable relationships between the sounds of spoken language (phonemes) and the letters and spellings (graphemes) that represent those sounds in written language. Instruction should be systematic and explicit. Fluency : The ability to read text accurately, quickly, and with proper expression (prosody). Fluent readers can focus on comprehension because they do not have to labor over decoding individual words. Vocabulary : The knowledge of word meanings. A robust vocabulary is crucial for comprehending texts. The Science of Reading emphasizes intentional, systematic vocabulary instruction. Comprehension : The ability to understand derive meaning from a text. This depends on both decoding and language comprehension and involves higher-level thinking skills. The science of reading is essential in early childhood education because it provides evidence-based methods for how children learn to read. It helps educators understand the essential components of literacy and how these skills develop together. By applying the science of reading, teachers can use effective instructional strategies that prevent reading difficulties, support all learners, and build a strong foundation for future academic success. Wishing you all the best, Amanda, Todd, and Jensen Back to Coaching Back to Newsletters

Conscious Discipline: Supporting Neurodiversity | Kristen Balhoff | Conscious Discipline Conscious Discipline: Supporting Neurodiversity August 26, 2023 Handout (PDF) Back Kristen Balhoff Conscious Discipline Learn how to use Conscious Discipline to support neurodiversity with Certified Instructor Kristen Balhoff : Explore the role of adults during children's significant "brain building" years Discover the positive impact of shifting your perception Review practical strategies to nurture a felt sense of safety

Sponsorship opportunities for Starfest, Childcare Resources' signature fundraiser. Thank you for being a part of Starfest 2026! Please scroll through the available sponsorship opportunities below.

Challenging Classroom Behavior | Dr. Allison Betz | Challenging Classroom Behavior March 2016 Handout (PDF) Back Dr. Allison Betz

So how do we discover a new approach to teaching that prioritizes play, child-led exploration, curiosity and wonder? Coach's Column Amanda Gooch January 1, 2024 How many of you are still talking about our last professional development day? For those of you who did not get an opportunity to attend, we welcomed Sally Haughey from Fairy Dust Teaching, now called Wunderled. We reset, rebooted, and refueled together as she unpacked her play-activated pathway model. Throughout the day we were able to find our true teaching heart and honor our gifts as an early childhood educator. Sally placed an emphasis on understanding brain science research around learning environments, children’s play, and why choice matters. The power of repetition and the beauty of everyday moments were explored as we learned to appreciate the small meaningful interactions in our work and reflect on the science behind care. Maitland Farms Preschool Early Educators reflected that the workshop was a “refreshing reminder that the magic of learning lies not in perfection, but in intention. When we encourage our student's curiosity by incorporating nature into our play, it sparks engagement, encourages exploration, and fuels a genuine interest in acquiring knowledge.” Together we can strive to curate new ideas, strategies and resources that will save us time and energy. If you are ready to teach with more ease and intention, click on the following link to explore more about Wunderled. Wunderled So how do we discover a new approach to teaching that prioritizes play, child-led exploration, curiosity and wonder? Discover dozens of creative Play Invitations to engage children and spark their imaginations that will: INCREASE engagement, creativity, and problem-solving skills. MORE joyful and playful learning environment. REDUCE prep time. You can learn more about play invitations by clicking on the following link: Wunderled Play Invitations It’s going to be an absolutely incredible time at our next professional development day. We welcome Coy Bowles from the Zack Brown Band as he presents “Connect to Your Calling” on Saturday February 3rd 2024. Just a friendly reminder, the workshop will be back at First Presbyterian McAfee Hall. Together we will gain an understanding of the key factors in investigating the root causes of success or fulfillment. Participants will recognize the importance of the “Butterfly Phase/Window of Opportunity” for child development and the implications of that for teaching and learning. We will recognize the importance of a social emotional foundation for every student and reflect on how connecting to our calling and sharing our origin story is crucial in regaining clarity, passion and purpose for being an early childhood educator. To learn more about Coy Bowles and how his successful musical career enabled him to create an advocacy platform for literacy, early education and teacher appreciation, click on the following link: Coy Bowles Each organization represented at the workshop has opportunity to receive Coy Bowles’ “Behind the Little Red Door Activity Kit” presented by Lakeshore Learning. Those organizations that will be receiving the kit are committing to follow up technical assistance that will include early childhood education coaching. The kit recipients are expected to utilize, implement and share the tools and resources they acquired from attending the workshop with their colleagues or local community. Examples might include: Lunch and learn at a staff meeting, share in professional learning communities or write a blog post to share their kit story on Childcare Resources website or newsletter. Within this kit, Coy Bowles, author and member of the Grammy Award-winning Zac Brown Band, promotes social-emotional competence, creativity and storytelling with an all-in-one kit based on his book, Behind the Little Red Door. Featuring beautiful illustrations and lighthearted rhymes, the book shows what might be behind an intriguing red door—from a field of red flying foxes to a room that’s upside down. Kids discover it could be anything…if they just use their imaginations! The kit is packed with engaging materials, including a CD featuring 10 original songs written and performed by Coy himself. Plus, you get a storytelling board with 10 facial features and 25 storytelling pieces, skill-building activity cards, puzzles, books and more! All components store neatly in the custom-designed box. Little Red Door Activity Kit As always we thank you for your dedication and willingness to pour into the next generation through education as we elevate and promote the highest quality early childhood development and education in Indian River County. Wishing you the best, Amanda & Todd Back to Coaching Back to Newsletters

Reggio Emilia | Gigi Schroeder Yu, Ph. D. | Reggio Emilia April 2017 Handout (PDF) Back Gigi Schroeder Yu, Ph. D.