logo blockPennAEYC News
 
Our vision is that every child in Pennsylvania has the equal opportunity to be a successful, responsible, and productive member of society as a result of early childhood experiences. 

Greetings!

PennAEYC Offers Statewide ECE Faculty Listserv
One result of our recent survey on student issues was the formation of a listserv to facilitate communication among ECE faculty from colleges and universities around the state.  To join the conversation, send your email address to [email protected]
 
Public Policy Forum Report 
 The First Annual Early Childhood Public Policy Forum on May 11 was a great success!  Carol Brunson Day, President, National Black Child Development Institute, Inc. and advocate for children and families for 39 years, kicked-off the event and had us all believing that we can and will make a difference for children and families!
Throughout the day attendees were filled with excitement and anticipation as they gathered information to assist in their legislative visits and made use of every moment with the expert presenters.  Following the sessions, presenters, attendees and others came together over a wonderful dinner to share, celebrate and enjoy the beautiful exhibit at the State Museum of Pennsylvania, featuring the stories of 50 extraordinary women from Pennsylvania.
Thank you to all who attended and for those who missed this year . . . plan ahead to attend our 2nd Annual Public Policy Forum in May of 2010! 
 
Early Childhood Action Day Report
Since its modest beginnings four years ago, the grassroots Early Childhood Action Day campaign has been expanding-for the past two years, more than 500 educators, parents, and community members committed to developing quality early education programs in Pennsylvania have converged on the Rotunda of the Main Capitol building in Harrisburg.
This year was no different! More than 500 individuals converged on Harrisburg on May 12, bringing an urgent message to members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly to support continued state investments in early learning programs. Every member of the legislature received our gift of The Little Engine that Could and information about the importance of these investments - and nearly every member was visited personally by constituents.
Bringing together those 500 individuals inside the Capitol, the rally speakers made sure our voices were heard throughout the halls! We welcomed new faces to the podium including business leaders, grandparents/seniors, parents and TEACH scholars. Everyone knew we were there in support of quality early learning opportunities for all PA children! 
Thank you to all who attended and for those of you that participated from your local community through our virtual action day e-mails and faxes.  Keep an eye out for continued messages on what we can do to keep encouraging our elected officials on stay on the right track!
 
 
Jodi Askins
Executive Director
 
 
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Upcoming Activities
 

 
May 31  PA Promise for Children Day at PNC Park, Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Houston Astros, a portion of each ticket cost will go to support regional LICC and CEG events and programs.  Email [email protected] for details or tickets.
 

May 31 - June 3  Second Annual Higher Education Institute , Grantville, PA
 
June 6  PennAEYC Board Meeting, Harrisburg

June 6 - July 2 One-Credit On-line Course - Clarion University and the Northwest Regional Key are providing an opportunity to take a one credit on-line course available to any provider who has received their CDA Certificate or School-Age Credential.  The course is:  ECH 233 Puppetry in Early Childhood Curriculum,  June 6 to July 2, 2009 with Instructor Dr. Jocelynn L. Smrekar.   For additional information, please contact Charles E. Lytle, SAC Specialist with NW Regional Key/NWIR at 800-860-2281 ext 132 or [email protected].
 
June/July  Early Childhood Governor's Institutes, Statewide PA

 
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Professional Development Opportunities
Recognizing Perinatal Depression in New Mothers and Mothers-to-Be: An Audio Conference - Thursday, June 18  1-2:30
Description: Providers of child development and early learning programs and services in PA often encounter new mothers or pregnant women who experience depression. About 15% of all pregnant and post-partum women exhibit mood changes that impair their ability to function. This depression can affect newborns, older children and other family members. This audio conference will give providers information to help them recognize the symptoms of perinatal depression, understand how it can affect infants and other children, learn about available treatments, and take steps to support, educate and refer these women for needed services. (There is no fee for this event, but callers from the same location are asked to share one telephone line by using a speaker phone whenever possible.)
 Register for the event by visiting www.pakeys.orgwww.pakeys.org  --or--   www.training3info.orgwww.training3info.org  (for non-child care providers)
 
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Calling on Higher Education faculty and administrators and ECE students . . .

ECELS-Healthy Child Care PA has developed a 3 college-credit-hour course for child care directors and lead teachers to learn how to be Health Advocates, to infuse health and safety into their programs, and meet NAEYC Accreditation criteria related to health and safety. 
 
Child Care Health Advocate Course (3 credits=45 hours) with Modules/ Sessions for Undergraduate or Graduate ECE Courses:
The Child Care Health Advocate Course was successfully rolled-out in an on-campus and on-line format during both the fall and spring semesters of 2008-2009 with Northampton Community College.
 
With two successful semesters ECELS is hoping to reach out to other academic institutions so that the course can be offered to students across the state.  NCC is willing to mentor other colleges who wish to offer the course in the on-campus format, and ECELS at the PA Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics is ready to mentor (and recruit if needed) a local child care health professional to provide the faculty support for the course at other academic institutions.
 
If you are interested in more information please contact:
Susan S. Aronson, MD, FAAP
Clinical Prof. of Pediatrics, The University of Pennsylvania
Pediatric Advisor, ECELS-Healthy Child Care PA
E-Mail:
[email protected]
Your Membership Status 
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If you are a PennAEYC member, your membership information is as follows:
 
Member ID #: 
 Member category: 
Expiration Date: 
Local Chapter/s: 
 
To become a member or renew your membership, go to
www.naeyc.org/membership or call NAEYC at 1-800-424-2460.

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Join Our Mailing List! 
Dawn Stewart
Quilt Graphics by Dawn Stewart
Disclaimer:  PennAEYC provides a forum for discussion of major issues and ideas in our field. We hope to provoke thought and promote professional growth.
The views expressed or implied are not necessarily those of the Association. Acceptance of advertising, announcements, and postings does not represent PennAEYC's endorsement of any product or service, nor is PennAEYC responsible for representations made by advertisers.


In This Issue
Upcoming Activities
2 Training Opportunities
Your Membership Status
Advocacy Activities
AEYC Chapter News
Early Childhood News
Resources
Advocacy News
"Mini Action Day" on June 16th
 Coming soon.....more information on outreach to legislators in their local district offices.   Keep our message strong and moving down the track! 
Don't miss being a part of the ACTION! 
 
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WE THINK WE CAN . . . Do Better for Kids
 
In keeping with our theme from Early Childhood Action Day, try some of these ideas for engaging children and families in our message to legislators to stay "on the right track with early childhood education"!
First, be sure that you have the read the book, The Little Engine That Could, to your children.
1.      Ask children and parents to fill a template of a "boxcar" with wishes for your legislator.  (Offer suggestions for what these wishes might be!) Children can color the boxcars or add designs to the box cars.  Have a place to add the child's name and parent's name. Put all the boxcars in an envelope to your state rep or senator. Place on top of the boxcars an engine with the message: "We're counting on you to stay on the right track!" Please see our enclosed boxcars - they are ready for you to carry us all the way."
 
2.      Make a video of your children and parents saying: "I think you can! I think you can! I think you can!" Email it to your legislators or post it to YouTube.
 
3.      Use the idea of "We're on the right track!" Have an activity that parents and children can do upon arrival or pickup.  Use popsicle sticks, straws, or pipe cleaners to make "tracks".  Glue them to paper.  Be sure to include the names of the children and parents who are hoping to "get there".  Send the tracks in a box to your representative or senator to encourage them to put the tracks together and "stay on track".  Enclose your letter to the legislator with you hopes for early childhood education.
 
4.      Take photos of your children and families and mount them to paper.  Add the message: "We're keeping track!" Frame the pictures with train tracks. Enclose your letter about "We're on the right track with early childhood education."
  
5.      Take the idea of "We're on track with Early Childhood Education" a "step" further.  Trace the feet of all of your children and parents, put their names on them.  Send them to your legislators.  Enclose a message about how you are "making tracks" to be sure that early childhood education is fully funded.
AEYC Chapter News
Central Susquehanna AEYC and Monroe County AEYC will be the first to benefit from PennAEYC's 2009 Technical Assistance plan for chapters; watch for their new websites over the summer! 
 
 An organizing team will be meeting on June 29 at Penn State to continue work on development of a Central Region PennAEYC group.  The proposed Region will cover Blair, Cambria, Centre, Huntindon, Juniata, and Mifflin Counties.  For information, contact [email protected]
 
**To submit your chapter's news and events, send an email to [email protected]
 
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Early Childhood News
  
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On the National Front:
 
Senator Casey Introduces Federal Early Childhood Legislation
Pennsylvania Senator Casey introduced two important early education bills: Starting Early, Starting Right, and The Child Care Facilities Financing Act of 2009.
Starting Early, Starting Right (SB 1002) would amend the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and provide $4.1 billion in discretionary funding for the first year -- two billion more than Congress authorized in fiscal year 2009.  The bill would Improve child care quality and access by requiring states to: 
�         increase the number of licensed providers;
�         make one announced and one unannounced visit to providers each year;
�         establish Quality Rating and Information Systems (QRIS) such as Keystone   Stars;
�         increase professional development for the child care workforce;
�         train providers with Limited English Proficiency;
�         extend redetermination periods and child care eligibility;
�         fund pilot projects to reach populations with special needs; and
�         provide a generous infant/toddler set-aside.
 
The Child Care Facilities Financing Act of 2009 (SB 1002) would provide $50 million over the next five years to improve child care facilities.  Money would be available to Community Development Financial Institutions and other intermediary organizations that would make grants, loans and provider technical assistance to child care programs at the local level. 
 
In late April Senator Casey re-introduced his Prepare All Kids Act (SB 839) which would provide at least one year of high-quality pre-kindergarten, focusing on children from low income families and children with special needs. Among other things, the legislation would provide designated funding for programs serving infants and toddlers. It would reinforce the importance of other early childhood programs such as Head Start and child care by maintaining existing funding for those programs.

Resources
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Head Start and Early Head Start Expansion Grant Funds
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) included funding for both Head Start and Early Head Start. Nationally, approximately 16,600 new Head Start and 55,000 new Early Head Start slots will be funded.
The grant applications for Head Start and Early Head Start Expansion have been released. The documents and links to the applications are available on the Pennsylvania Head Start Association web site.
Head Start applications due June 23rd. Early Head Start applications due July 9th.
Quick Links