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At the start of the 2022-2023 school year, Childcare Resources hired Amanda Gooch as an Early Childhood Education Coach. The Childcare Resources coaching program connects experienced educators with local preschool teachers. This individualized assistance enables teachers to add to their skill set and enhances overall classroom quality. “As an Early Childhood Education Coach, I am committed to uplift and elevate the talents and skills that exist in all educators,” says Gooch. Established in 2016, the coaching program has provided in-depth training and assistance to 151 early childhood educators throughout the county. “We are thrilled to welcome Amanda to the Childcare Resources team,” says Monica Cheslak, Director of Outreach and Program Services. "The local educators we work with will benefit from both her experience and her passion for teaching." Gooch holds a Master of Art degree in Teaching and brings a combined fourteen years of experience as a preschool and elementary school teacher. In addition to one-on-one support, Gooch will provide technical assistance to educators that attend professional development training offered by Childcare Resources. “I hope my enthusiasm is contagious as I assist early childhood educators by providing the resources and guidance needed,” says Gooch. “I believe that all children and educators are capable of success, no exceptions.”

Childcare Resources recently hosted local children’s author, illustrator, and songwriter Debbie Clement in an event for students and alumni of the Childcare Resources Education, Advancement, and Training for Early Educators (CREATE) program. Clement presented her newest book titled ‘Mighty Wings.’ Developed during the pandemic, ‘Mighty Wings’ is an arts-based book that documents the journey of the monarch butterfly in a scientifically accurate way. Throughout the evening, attendees explored how to integrate the book’s theme of conservation into classroom activities developmentally appropriate for early childhood. Taken together, the activities involving books, sign language, art materials, and music support emergent literacy in young children. Each attendee received a signed copy of ‘Mighty Wings’ and a monarch butterfly prop. "Having the opportunity to work with dedicated early childhood professionals from across our county was such a gift,” said Clement. “Leading these same professionals through an open-ended art project was the absolute cherry on the top of a perfect evening.” The CREATE program partners with accredited colleges and universities throughout Florida to enable early childhood professionals to reach their next academic milestone, ranging from a staff credential through a master’s degree. Additionally, CREATE offers enrichment sessions to provide instruction on specific topics relevant to course material. “Debbie Clement’s enthusiasm and interactive hands-on approach to learning are highly contagious,” said Amy, a local center director who earned a credential from the program in 2017. “She inspires me to be a better leader for staff and children.” For more information on CREATE, please visit https://www.childcareresourcesir.org/advance.

“Presenting was such an impactful experience,” said Dr. Elizabeth Swann, facilitator of the Childcare Resources Education, Advancement, and Training for Early Educators (CREATE) program. “Our team was able to connect with local, state, and national early childhood education professionals to share our knowledge and further our impact on the early childhood landscape.” CREATE, established in 2017 as the Credentialing Program for Early Educators, partners with accredited colleges and universities throughout Florida so that local early childhood professionals have the opportunity to earn credentials and degrees in the field of early education in a supportive, guided environment. The CREATE team including Dr. Swann, coordinator Stephanie Harmody, and recruitment specialist La’Quinta Jones, Ed. D, were featured presenters at Florida Association for the Education of Young Children’s annual conference. Held in Jacksonville, the conference attracted early education professionals and advocates from across the state of Florida. The CREATE presenters shared success stories and lessons learned from the first five years of the program in a session titled ‘Building a Community: Stories from our Backyard.’ The interactive session enabled attendees to develop their own plans to bring together early childhood professionals and opportunities in higher education. Attendees represented a broad range of roles including students, adjunct professors, center directors, and coalition administrators. “Our presentation focused on our model for success, including the power of partnerships, program design, and data, and also included barrier-breaking stories of success,” shared Dr. Swann. “Audience members participated in activities to foster a deeper level of conversation about how to bring this model to life in their own communities. Both presenters and attendees left the session feeling empowered.”

It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood at Childcare Resources’ recent professional development workshop featuring Dana Winters, Ph D, Executive Director of the Fred Rogers Institute. More than 150 educators representing forty-four local childcare centers and organizations attended the workshop, funded by Indian River County Children’s Services Advisory Committee and PNC, to explore the simple interactions that build relationships and support child development. Introduced by Indian River State College Dean of School of Education Debbie Kohuth, Winters drew laughter and tears as she relayed the immense importance of being the person in a child’s life that provides powerful interactions. “How we build relationships comes down to some simple moments and how they made us feel,” said Winters. “If we think about the relationships where we learn and grow, and the moments that make that possible, it all starts with developmental need.” An initiative of the Fred Rogers Institute, the Simple Interactions (SI) tool is rooted in the belief that children’s development is dependent on human relationships which, in turn, are built from simple, everyday moments. Used in childcare centers across the country for more than a decade, SI examines four research-based dimensions of positive interactions including connection, reciprocity, inclusion, and the opportunity to grow. The SI Tool enables teachers to examine how they are creating these meaningful interactions and helping support the development of their students. Winters previously visited the Childcare Resources School earlier in the year and filmed interactions between teachers and students. Using these authentic video clips throughout the day, attendees were asked to observe each interaction through the lens of SI. “I felt comfortable looking honestly at the areas I can improve but also celebrating where I am already succeeding,” said one local educator. “All of it comes together to allow those relationships to be a foundation for growth.” Though Winters emphasized the enormous impact of these relationships, she made sure to reiterate the simplicity of the moments themselves. “We look for these big moments to show, ‘Yes, I did it,’ and we forget all of those moments that show us the profound difference we’ve made.” said Winters. “Slow down and realize that these moments are happening all the time, and realize that they mean so much.”

Childcare Resources of Indian River recently hosted transcendental meditation (TM) classes for a dozen local early childhood educators. Funding provided by Indian River Community Foundation made this enrichment opportunity possible for students and alumni of the Childcare Resources Education, Advancement, and Training for Early Educator program. “Early educators are tasked with challenging situations and circumstances on a regular basis,” said Shannon McGuire Bowman, Childcare Resources Executive Director. “Childcare Resources is committed to providing them with personal growth opportunities, tools, and support so that they can thrive in the classroom and positively impact their students.” Developed more than half a century ago, TM involves silently repeating a word or phrase to quiet the mind. The benefits of TM include lower blood pressure, improved sleep, reduction of stress and anxiety, and increased productivity, creativity, and energy. “I first learned about the benefits of TM during the COVID-19 shutdown when the Community Foundation helped fund the ‘Heal the Healers’ project designed to help local healthcare professionals to reduce stress and re-energize to continue caregiving,” said Jeff Pickering, Indian River Community Foundation President and CEO. “Extending the learning opportunity to early childhood educators seemed like another good application of this trusted method for stress reduction among people doing such meaningful work with children in our community.” Childcare Resources hosted sessions across four days that included one-on-one meetings and group educational instruction. The intensive training was facilitated by Nancy and Sue Dudley of Transcendental Meditation for Women. In a follow-up session, participating educators reflected on the benefits they felt TM had brought to their lives including increased emotional regulation and reduction of stress. “TM is slowly but surely changing my life,” noted one attendee. “It is changing how I will view things going forward.”

Through the generosity of local donors, Childcare Resources students are sure to have a bright holiday season. Childcare Resources provides families throughout the community with high-quality early education at an affordable cost. The holiday season, with all of its added expenses, presents a financial challenge for many of these families. “My husband unexpectedly lost his job,” shared one parent. “He was lucky enough to acquire a new one immediately, but the transition put us in tight circumstances.” To help with this challenge, the Childcare Resources Program Committee works with local businesses and organizations to provide enrolled students with their favorite developmentally appropriate toys and books through the holiday wish list program. Donors include Community Condominium Services, Inc. at John’s Island, First Service Residential, The Community Church of Vero Beach, the Law Offices of Jennifer D. Peshke, Treasure Coast Pilot Club, Riomar Country Club, Bent Pine Golf Club, PNC Private Bank, and Vero Beach Country Club Ladies Golf members. “The wish list is my favorite project to organize with the members at Riomar each year,” said Denise Forgione, Clubhouse Manager at Riomar Country Club. Throughout December, the Childcare Resources Program Committee collects the donated gifts and brings them to the Childcare Resources office. After a day of sorting, the gifts are distributed to program families ahead of the holiday break. “The world is brighter and needs more loving people like you,” said one grateful parent. “We are blessed to be part of this great community.”

Tara Beard, Director of the Childcare Resources School, recently earned certification as a Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) Observer for Infant, Toddler, and Pre-Kindergarten classrooms. CLASS gauges teaching quality by observing teacher-student interactions across three domains including emotional support, classroom organization, and instructional support. A CLASS observation looks for a teacher that helps students understand expectations, effectively redirect misbehavior, acknowledges accomplishments and efforts, and promotes higher-level thinking skills, among other interactions. The CLASS observation process enables teachers to measure and improve the interactions that impact student outcomes the most. “Having a School Director that is TeachStone CLASS certified in all three domains is another way to assess that we are providing the best possible student-teacher interactions and best possible outcomes for our children,” said Shannon McGuire Bowman, Childcare Resources Executive Director. To earn certification, a CLASS Observer participates in extensive training and passes a certification test, demonstrating a good understanding of the observation tool and how to assess classrooms. “Learning how to score classrooms objectively is incredibly useful,” said Beard. “The focus on continuous quality improvement allows every teacher to build on their strengths.” Higher CLASS scores have been linked to better student outcomes in both math and reading. Florida’s Office of Early Learning requires all early education providers that participate in the statewide School Readiness or Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten programs to receive an annual CLASS assessment from a certified observer.

Childcare Resources is hosting a series of Conscious Discipline trainings for families and caregivers of children currently enrolled in the Childcare Resources program. Conscious Discipline is a practice that empowers adults to help children develop the skills that support self-regulation. As an adult-first model, Conscious Discipline helps caregivers develop and practice their own self-regulation skills, enabling them to model behaviors for the children in their care. The series kicked off with a night full of fun and learning for all families enrolled at the Childcare Resources School. Parents explored self-regulation tools used in their child’s classroom, learning daily greeting rituals and creating their own ‘Cranky Cream,’ used to calm when a child is experiencing upset. Following the kickoff, Childcare Resources is hosting monthly meetings for parents and caregivers who want to learn more about Conscious Discipline implementation. Each meeting features in-depth discussion and practice of the self-regulation tools that can be easily used at home. “It’s a joy to bring Conscious Discipline training to families,” said Paulette Maggiacomo, School Family Engagement Coach at Childcare Resources. “Implementing these practices at home will help our students develop the skills they need for self-regulation, a key to future success.” 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

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.