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Childcare Resources Director of Development Melisa Sweet recently graduated from the community program Leadership Indian River County, presented by the Indian River County Chamber of Commerce. Spanning almost a full year, Leadership participants attend seven all-day training sessions. These sessions explore key aspects of the county, including arts and culture, infrastructure, and nonprofit resources. “I was thrilled when Melisa approached me about applying to the program,” said Shannon McGuire Bowman, Childcare Resources Executive Director. “As a Leadership graduate myself, I know firsthand how valuable the experience is.” Through the program, participants gain an understanding of Indian River County and its current and future needs. The community program also emphasizes the development of leadership and community stewardship skills. “I am so grateful to United Way of Indian River County for the scholarship that allowed me to participate in this program,” said Sweet. “I look forward to using what I’ve learned at Leadership in my role as a nonprofit professional and as a community leader.”

“If we broaden the definition, reading and writing happen very early in life,” said Alan Guttman, recently retired Director of Early Childhood Policy and Systems at Johns Hopkins University School of Education. “This is also the beginning of child engagement. They’re not just looking at the pictures.” Childcare Resources hosted Guttman for a professional development workshop focused on supporting literacy and child engagement. Funded by Indian River County Children’s Services Advisory Committee and PNC Grow up Great, The Importance of Child Engagement in Play and Early Learning and Emergent Literacy was attended by more than 135 educators representing thirty-six local centers. In the morning, educators focused on supporting emergent literacy, both in the classroom and with the families of their students. “We can reassure parents that reading and writing develop concurrently,” said Guttman. “But some children may prefer one to the other.” To support emergent literacy, teachers explored how to incorporate developmentally-appropriate practice including filling their classrooms with writing materials and functional print, like labels and schedules. Classroom literacy centers were also featured, including guidance on how to select appealing and age-appropriate books. Additionally, Guttman highlighted how teachers can support parents in developing literacy-building activities at home. In the afternoon, educators explored the levels and methods of child engagement, including how a child engages with their teacher, their peers, and their tasks. In additional to discussing how child engagement can be an indicator of program quality, Guttman provided tips and advice in how to balance intentionality and interactions to promote child engagement. “The most valuable aspect I learned is that literacy develops from real life situations in which reading and writing are used to get things done,” said one attendee, a teacher of three-year-olds. “Literacy is functional, meaningful, and authentic.” Childcare Resources early education coaches will be distributing technical assistance, including materials for activities that support literacy, to attendees. Childcare Resources’ next workshop, Simple Interactions, will feature Dr. Dana Winters, Executive Director of the Fred Rogers Institute. Registration for the February 11th workshop will open soon.

Childcare Resources, in an effort to continue providing a safe school for students, parents, and staff, recently retained a consultant to provide in-depth training on emergency response skills. Marc Connolly, Executive Vice President of Secure Education Consultants, worked to assess emergency preparedness and conducted hands-on training with Childcare Resources staff. Connolly, with a background of twenty-seven years in the United States Secret Service, discussed skills useful before a crisis starts to occur, emphasizing environmental awareness and knowledge of emergency procedures. He also discussed the “fight, flee, or freeze” responses that occur during a crisis, pointing out that it is crucial “to recognize when these things start to happen, because they can impact your ability to navigate the situation.” After training, Childcare Resources staff participated in a lockdown drill to test response skills. Childcare Resources first retained the services of Secure Education Consultants in early 2016 following the grand opening of the new location of the Childcare Resources School. Connolly noted that refreshing knowledge and skills is crucial when it comes to emergency response as “people do not rise to the occasion, they sink to the level of their training.” “We appreciate this preparation,” said Tara Beard, Childcare Resources School Director. “Invaluable training like this allows us to maintain the highest level of safety in our school.”

Fourteen local early childhood educators recently celebrated their graduation from Childcare Resources’ Credentialing Program for Early Educators, each having earned a Florida Child Care Professional Credential (FCCPC) in one semester. “It is truly a sacrifice when you spend your entire Saturdays and two more days a week,” said Natalie Sanders, Director of Head Start, during the commencement address. ”But that’s a sacrifice that you make so that you have a better life, and you can provide for children the very best care and the very best education.” The Childcare Resources Credentialing Program for Early Educators, originally funded through a grant awarded by Impact 100, has now graduated four groups of educators over the past two years, totaling fifty-four educators from more than twenty local childcare centers. Credentialing Program graduates have explored topics like early childhood curriculum and creative expression that enable them to be effective early childhood educators. “You could be working with doctors who are going to come up with a cure for dementia, Alzheimer’s, cancer,” said Ms. Sanders, emphasizing the importance of early education. “You have greatness among you.” She went on to note that, as early childhood educators, “We are shaping the future.” Ms. Sanders was recognized during the ceremony for her thirty-seven years of service and commitment to early childhood education in the community. Beginning in the fall of 2019, a second phase of credentialing will be available alongside the FCCPC program. In cooperation with Indian River State College, the new program will allow early educators who already have the FCCPC to earn a Director credential in one semester through examining subjects specific to center administration such as licensing requirements, budgeting, staffing, and management. "We are thrilled to be able to expand our Credentialing Program for Early Educators to offer the Director credential,” said Dr. Elizabeth Swann, Credentialing Program Facilitator. “Enrollment has just opened, and we are already seeing a strong interest in the new offering." Registration for future semesters of both the FCCPC Credentialing Program and the Director Credentialing Program is currently open at ChildcareResourcesIR.org.

More than 140 early childhood educators from almost forty local childcare centers spent a recent Saturday exploring Big Ideas for Early Mathematics in Childcare Resources’ third professional development workshop of the 2018-2019 school year, funded by Indian River County’s Children’s Services Advisory Committee. In the workshop, Lisa Ginet, Ed. D, and Joanna Skourletos, M.S. Ed, both of the Early Math Collaborative at Chicago’s Erikson Institute, teachers explored how young children develop the skills that lead to math readiness and discussed how they as preschool teachers can support that skill development. Beginning at birth, children learn precursor concepts, such as identifying patterns and how to compare objects, that build a foundation for mathematical thinking. Educators reexamined even basic skills like counting as Ms. Ginet asked ”What part of that is a rote skill? And what part of that is mathematical understanding? And how do those come together?” Starting around three years of age, children learn and strengthen key math concepts like counting and measurement that provide a basis for life-long learning. Ms. Skourletos reinforced the idea that preschool teachers can set the stage for a lifetime of success in math, noting how educators “build on the foundation of understanding in our youngest mathematicians.” During the workshop, twenty-two childcare center directors with a combined 533 years of early childhood education experience participated in a networking luncheon. In addition to workshops, Childcare Resources provides a number of educational and networking opportunities to early childhood professionals in Indian River County, including teacher and director credentialing, one-on-one coaching, and short-term communities of practice. Childcare Resources of Indian River, a partner agency of the United Way of Indian River County and Indian River County Children’s Services Advisory Committee, elevates and promotes the highest quality early childhood development and education in Indian River County, focusing on economically challenged children and families. To learn more about Childcare Resources, visit ChildcareResourcesIR.org or call 772-567-3202

It was a night of connections and reconnections as a mix of friends old and new gathered to toast the silver anniversary of Childcare Resources of Indian River and to celebrate twenty-five years of high-quality early education in Indian River County. Childcare Resources, founded in 1994 by Sandy Kahle, Kathy Marshall, and Sherry Waddell, works to elevate and support early childhood education throughout Indian River County by providing children with affordable high-quality education, providing families with support resources, and providing early educators with training opportunities. “Childcare Resources was there for emotional support, financial support,” said Tom Patrick, a single father who, in 1995, enrolled his son Dominic in the program. “I could try to parent to the best of my ability.” The four-year-old class from the Childcare Resources School got the celebration underway with a performance of school songs. Following the students’ performance, County Commissioner Peter O’Bryan presented a proclamation celebrating the organization’s anniversary. In addition to discussing the organization’s accomplishments over the past year, Susan Donovan, newly-elected President of the Childcare Resources Board of Directors, recognized those in attendance that brought the organization to where it is presently: members of the organization’s original Board of Directors, additional Board members from throughout the organization’s history, long-term supporters, and directors of local childcare centers that have partnered with Childcare Resources. “Twenty-five years later, we are proud to have maintained our ongoing partnership, which has allowed several hundred children the opportunity to attend our preschool,” said Stephanie Squires, Director of Community Preschool. “Many of those children are now grown adults in the community who are police officers, physicians, attorneys, and more.” The Board of Directors also welcomed six new members: Carrie Adams, Brian Baker, Ginny Glazer, Jennifer Peshke, Tracy Sorzano, and Karla Spooner. They join the thirteen current Board members in guiding Childcare Resources in its mission to elevate and promote the highest quality early education in Indian River County, focusing on economically challenged children and families. Following the program, the celebration continued with a cocktail party. Attendees explored the Childcare Resources School and discovered the values of courage, compassion, resilience, integrity, and relationships that guide the organization. “One of the main missions of Childcare Resources was to have quality preschool,” said Mrs. Waddell. “The exciting thing in the present, twenty-five years later, is that these standards are still being met.”

Childcare Resources of Indian River recently welcomed more than one hundred supporters to celebrate the graduation of sixteen students of the Credentialing Program for Early Educators. The Credentialing Program allows an educator to earn a Florida Child Care Professional Credential (FCCPC) in sixteen weeks through a partnership with Indian River State College. Typically, the FCCPC may take an educator up to two years to earn. Commencement speaker Donna Rivett, Indian River State College Dean of Industrial Education, congratulated the graduates on their accomplishment, noting that, for many of the educators, earning an FCCPC will mark the beginning of their journey as teachers, not the end. Graduate Megan Thomas, a local infant teacher, agreed, saying “I’m thankful for both this program and the opportunity to better myself as a teacher.” Childcare Resources’ Credentialing Program was established through an Impact 100 grant award in April 2017 that funded three semesters of the program. In those semesters, forty local early childhood educators earned an FCCPC and­­ graduated from the program. “The Impact 100 grant and the Credentialing Program have provided these students the opportunity to grow personally and professionally,” noted Indian River State College Adjunct Instructor of Statewide Child Care Training Karen Cartwright, “The students actively participated in learning experiences with the instructors and also learned from the expertise of one another.” A fourth semester of the Credentialing Program is slated to begin in January 2019.

On a recent Saturday, early childhood educators from more than forty child development centers throughout Indian River County gathered to connect, to commit, and to learn about Conscious Discipline and resiliency in a workshop presented by Childcare Resources of Indian River. In ‘Planting the Seeds of Resilience, One Interaction at a Time,’ Conscious Discipline Certified Instructor Mandy Lloyd demonstrated how Conscious Discipline-based interactions with students enable children to build self-regulation skills and resiliency. The workshop, the fifth Conscious-Discipline based workshop presented by Childcare Resources since 2015, was attended by close to 150 local early childhood educators. In a March 2017 study, the Harvard Graduate School of Education found that classrooms that used Conscious Discipline, a classroom management program based in social-emotional learning, saw reductions in aggression, hyperactivity, and other behavioral issues. In addition to Saturday workshops, Childcare Resources offers local early educators the opportunity to work with coaches to further their understanding and implementation of Conscious Discipline concepts. Trained in the method, coaches work one-on-one with teachers in their own classrooms to model techniques and provide feedback on implementation. “The early education coaches have been so important in helping our teachers use the concepts they learn about in each workshop,” said Tara Beard, Childcare Resources School Director. “Between the workshops and the follow-up assistance available through the coaching program, our school has made great progress towards our goal of model Conscious Discipline classrooms.” Childcare Resources workshops are funded through a grant from Indian River County’s Children’s Services Advisory Committee.

More than two dozen local early childhood educators have earned a Florida Child Care Professional Credential (FCCPC) through Childcare Resources of Indian River’s Credentialing Program, established in 2017 through an Impact 100 grant. In an effort to continue elevating early education throughout the county, the Credentialing Program has partnered with Literacy Services of Indian River County to ensure that all Credentialing Program students are prepared to be successful in their FCCPC coursework. In Indian River County, where 13.5% of households use a primary language other than English, many students require additional assistance with English fluency and comprehension. “We are proud to partner with Childcare Resources to offer tutoring services to childcare providers,” said Jessica Schmitt, Executive Director for Literacy Services of Indian River County. “Empowering them to communicate with parents and read to the children sets everyone up for success!” Small groups of prospective Credentialing Program students that are identified as needing some additional assistance in English fluency meet regularly at their childcare centers with Literacy Services facilitators. After passing the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), students are able to enroll in the Credentialing Program and maintain their close-knit group. Beyond passing the TOEFL and earning the FCCPC, educators see incredible results in daily life. Preschool teachers in the program are more confident in speaking and reading with their students as well as communicating with parents and colleagues. “The opportunity that volunteers from Literacy Services has provided for my Spanish-speaking staff to learn English is life changing!” said Lenora Quimby, director of For Kids Only of Vero Beach. “These ladies now will have the chance to participate in the Credentialing Program at Childcare Resources, thereby improving the services they provide to children in the classroom and increasing their weekly wages. A win-win for them and for the children we serve.” The Childcare Resources Credentialing Program allows early educators in Indian River County the opportunity to earn an FCCPC staff credential, a process that can take up to two years, in just one semester. Educators from more than twenty childcare centers throughout the county have participated in the program.

Childcare Resources’ recent summer literacy program was anything but ‘fishy’! Students explored and celebrated “Only One You,” written and illustrated by Linda Kranz. Throughout the book, Adri the young fish learns wisdom from his parents: “No matter how you look at it, there is so much to discover.” Students at the Childcare Resources School discovered that wisdom along with Adri. After classroom reading, students from three years old through five years old created their own fish through art projects, then made and enjoyed gelatin fish bowls. Students also received their own copies of the book to continue the celebration at home with their families. Childcare Resources’ literacy program was established last year through a summer program funded by the United Way of Indian River County. “As part of our Education Impact area, we have made supporting summer literacy initiatives a priority,” said United Way of Indian River County’s Chief Operating Officer Meredith Egan. “United Way of Indian River County is thrilled to invest in Childcare Resources’ summer literacy program to ensure that more children are exposed to reading and enrichment opportunities over the summer months, fostering their success in school and in life!” The literacy program works to fight ‘summer slide,’ where children may lose academic skills throughout the summer. According to the National Summer Learning Association, children can lose up to three months of both math and literacy skills during the summer months. Children who experience multiple summer slides may end up three years behind their peers as early as fifth grade. “Our students get so excited for these literacy celebrations,” said teacher Marie Heaton. “It’s wonderful to watch them learn not only how to read, but to love reading.”

Educators stretched their bodies and their minds in a recent Childcare Resources professional development workshop. This unique half-day session, presented by Childcare Resources in partnership with Kindergarten Readiness Collaborative, featured both yoga and early literacy and language resources. Yoga instructor Ashleigh Whitfield kicked the session off by leading participants through a relaxing one-hour warmup. After a short break, educators came back together to learn about language nutrition in young children through the Talk With Me Baby campaign. Talk With Me Baby, presented by Jennifer Faber, Director of Grade Level Reading at the Florida Children’s Council, is a collaborative effort aimed at nurturing language and brain development in early childhood. The campaign provides parents and educators with free tools, resources and strategies to help infants and young children develop the cognitive skills needed to read proficiently by third grade. ”The single strongest predictor of future academic success is the quantity and quality of words spoken to a child in the first three years,” said Mrs. Faber. She continued, “Just like you need to feed a child to nourish them, their health and their growth, you need to nourish them with language and with words.”

More than 125 educators representing 30 local child development centers explored fun activities that promote fine motor skill development in an interactive workshop presented by Childcare Resources of Indian River with funding provided by Indian River County Children’s Services Advisory Committee. ‘Write Out of the Box,’ featuring registered occupational therapist Dr. Marianne Gibbs, introduced easy and entertaining activities that promote handwriting readiness in young children. Handwriting readiness, a critical component of reading skills and overall school success, begins early, with children as young as two years old already beginning to try to write. “Building fine motor skills is one of the biggest challenges a teacher faces,” said Childcare Resources Wellness Coordinator Tracey Griffis, RN, BSN. “This workshop was able to give educators creative and practical approaches. I love that everyone was able to walk away with strategies and manipulatives to immediately implement these methods in the classroom.”