http://buildingbrightfutures.org/middlebury/about/
April 2015

Addison Building Bright Futures
Early Childhood Council - Early Connections Newsletter

watermelon-2.jpgGreetings,     summer-toys.jpg

                                                        

Summer is here!
I love spending longer days outside, keeping the windows open, and enjoying the many summer activities Addison County has to offer!  June marks the end of the school year, and I do hope you  all enjoy a relaxing, engaging, and inspiring summer!
While our Early Childhood Council (Addison BBF) meetings will cease for the summer months- the work will continue!  Please join us on June 4th at 3:30, to celebrate a fruitful year, and find you how you can participate in Summer 2015 Strategic Planning!  We are seeking individuals who wish to participate in the final steps of determining our outcomes for Health, Education and Family Support.  Find out more below.
 
Be sure to subscribe to About MiniBury.com for  family-friendly activities and summer events sent to your inbox!
 
Happy Summer Adventures!  
Dana
The intent of this monthly newsletter is to provide the latest news  and research, upcoming events and connect our early childhood world, both locally and statewide. 
I invite you to send your ideas,  concerns and dreams for a healthy early childhood system within Addison County! Please contact me at [email protected] or 349-5173 to schedule a time to share ideas.  
Please visit http://www.buildingbrightfutures.org/middlebury/about/  to learn more about our region!
Addison County in ACTION


 

Addison Building Bright Futures Early Childhood Council

Mission: All children (birth- age 8) in Addison County reach their full potential 

Summer 2015 Work Groups

Are you interested in learning more about the Theory of Change and strategic planning?  Are you interested in defining the future work of the Addison BBF Early Childhood Council?  Do you enjoy working with small groups in a relaxed, yet engaging and inspiring way?  

Work groups will meet periodically throughout Summer 2015.  Participation level may vary, based on your level of interest and availability. Simply join a group for a single visit to learn more, or become a driving force.  It's up to you!  Meeting times and frequency will be determined based on participants.

 

What you will gain: 

Strategic planning skills transferable to your own work.

Opportunity to voice your concerns for the future of our children.

Knowledge of "real time" challenges and issues families are facing in our community.

A chance to make a difference!!

 

How to participate:

Simply complete this 2 question survey https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/6DFKZKC  or email me at [email protected].  Please RSVP by June 15, 2015.

 

            

ARC Trauma Training-  Tracie Carlson, NFI
August 20 for all staff
October 5 for supervisors and lead teachers
9:30-4:00   Counseling Service of Addison County (CSAC) Catamount Park, Middlebury
Please RSVP danderson@buildingbrightfutures.org    *This training is FREE for all staff, but RSVP required*


 

Budgeting and finance workshop for providers 
 Vermont Technologies money_grass.jpg
This workshop is focused on general accounting/budgeting for childcare businesses.      
RSVP deadline: June 8, 2015.
1.  The workshop will be tailored to the needs of the participants. 
2.  The workshop is FREE and facilitated by a local business mentor. 
3.  Time and location will be determined by participants.
If interested in attending, please RSVP to [email protected] and also complete the pre-workshop survey SURVEY-Budgeting and Finance Workshop.

 

Group for Addison County parents 

 Join us for a free lunch At CSAC 67 Catamount Park Middlebury, VT Wednesday June 17, 2015 from 5:30pm-7:00pm

  Parent flyer

 

 



 

Addison BBF is spreading the word on the importance of early brain development....
 Local pediatrician Dr. Johana "Jody" Brakeley spoke at at Ilsley Public Library on Tuesday, May 19th about how our brains develop and continually change. Approximately 40 parents and community members engaged in a lively discussion with Dr. Brakeley, entitled  "Early Brain Development: What you should know, and why it matters". 

 

First Annual Addison  Provider Wellness Fair a success!
Special thanks to Michelle, Gerri, Muffy, and Amethyst (not pictured) for organizing the event
Demonstrations and information booths from wellness-related vendors included Sound Therapy, Tai Chi and more.
Congratulations to ALL providers for a successful year!

  

 

Communities Address Opiate Addiction

In Addison County, new programs underway or in the works offer addicts treatment closer to home, transportation and even acupuncture.  

The focus in the past year in Addison County has been on treatment, and it shows. The number of people in treatment jumped 40 percent in Addison County between January 2014 and January 2015, compared with a 26 percent increase statewide. Read more

 

 Vermont Early Childhood News

 

 

 

Building Bright Futures has released their How Are Vermont's Young Children and Families?

Click here to read more HAVYC 2015 

This annual report provides a factual depiction of young child and family well-being, as well as progress on selected indicators and outcomes. New in this year's report is a section that highlights key indicators for each of the 12 Building Bright Futures' regions in comparison to other regions and to the state as a whole. 

 

Act 166 Public Comment Period Ends on June 10
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Educators, school employees, school board members, community members and parents:  The written public comment period will be open through June 10, 2015.  Public comment may be submitted to Shirley Rawson at [email protected]
Act 166 Frequently Asked Questions can be found  here FAQ Act 166

Early Learning Challenge-Race to the Top Grant Updates
  Project 9: Vermont Early Learning Standards (VELS)
The Agency of Education will be hosting an Early Education Summer Institute titled "VELS in Practice" that will help educators working with ages infant through grade three to integrate the new revised Vermont Early Learning Standards into daily teaching practices. The institute will be held from July 27-31 at Champlain College. More information will be forthcoming from AOE.
 
 
Project 17 - Early Childhood Workforce Survey
The early childhood workforce survey is currently available for all staff.  The goal of the survey is to provide the VT AHS Department for Children and Families (DCF), the Agency of Education (AOE), and other Vermont stakeholders with a clear picture of the Vermont Early Childhood and Afterschool workforce. The results will help all Vermonters better understand the strengths, needs, and aspirations of this critical workforce and will help DCF, AOE and partners better target the needs of the workforce. The survey takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. Responses are anonymous and confidential. Those completing surveys by May 29, 2015 will have a chance to enter a drawing through a separate link to win one of 3 iPads.  Those completing the survey by June 19, 2015 will have another chance to win one of 3 iPads (6 in all).  (Those completing the survey by May 29 will have two chances to win!)
There are three survey links, depending on your position:
 Family Child Care Providers:                                  Family Childcare Survey
 PreK-3 Public School Staff:                                    PreK-3 Survey
 Early childhood, Head Start, CIS and all others:    Early Childhood, CIS, HeadStart, Other Survey

You can read more about all of the updated projects in the update below.
 ELC Monthly Update Volume 7/ May 2015
  
NFI Vermont Presents: Dr. Bessel van der Kolk
August 27 & 28
Two 6-hour workshops for professionals who work with children, adolescents, adults and families, and for caregivers who are raising youth exposed to trauma.
Day 1: The Body Keeps the Score: Mind, Brain and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Dr. van der Kolk will be highlighting work inspired by his most recent book.
Day 2: Advanced Topic on Trauma: Trauma, Memory, and the Restoration of One's Self.

 
crawling-hallway-baby.jpg Parent Education Corner
Parents Are the Secret Sauce: Successful Parents Webinars  
From Slipping & Sliding to Present & Soaring: Engaging Parents to Reduce Chronic Absence and Summer Learning Loss
June 12, 2015 @ 3 pm ET   Click here to register
Parents have the greatest impact and influence in children's success, especially in the early years. They are the most important factor in ensuring that they go to school every day possible, that their summers are enriching and that they don't miss a beat in continuing to learn and stay on pace for the next school year. We know, however, that parents can't do it alone. They need information, tools and supports to help their children succeed. But how do we focus our efforts? What are the most important things we can do to help parents? What are some great examples of supports and strategies that are making the difference? And what messages are most effective in helping parents understand the importance of the summer for ongoing learning?
  
  

Governor announces that some Vermont doctors to prescribe state parks for exercise valuecolorful-boats-header.jpg

The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation is teaming up with some doctors with a plan to get more people outside and exercising by having the physicians write "prescriptions" that are really free passes to any Vermont State Park.

http://www.greenfieldreporter.com/view/story/92c7b16994214dd0ae2e220959ce26d2/VT--Park-Pass-Prescriptions

 


 


 


Addison BBF
Regional Council News
Next Addison Regional Council Meeting: Thursday, June 4, 2015 at 3:30pm (This meeting will follow the regional CIS meeting at 2:30)
Addison County Parent Child Center 126 Monroe Street, Middlebury, VT

 

 

 

Please join the council for our final meeting of the school year for share feedback, celebrate  and identify future areas to explore as a council!  

 
Agenda:
1) Current Project Updates and Council News
2) Strategic Planning Update 
3) Council Structure Informal Discussion
4) Updates from the Field- that's YOU!  How can your individual/organizational work initiatives complement or become integrated into the work of the council?
Addison Overview

                                                                       

The priorities of the Addison County Early Childhood Council include :
 

     Health- Families- Education kids-holding-hands.jpg

  • Collaboration in Service
  • High Quality Programs and Staff
  • Community Resources and Outreach
  • Parent Education/Family Engagement

The focus of our work is on whole population prevention, with resources in place for interventions as needed to meet families where they are.  Our goals include providing access, quality and seamless transitions throughout our greater education and human services system.  Collaboration is at the heart of our work!

 

Summer Reading Suggestion

 

The Philosophical Baby: What Children's Minds Tell Us About Truth, Love, and the Meaning of Life by Alison Gopnik   

How do babies think? What is it like to be a baby? How much do our experiences as children shape our adult lives? In the last decade there has been a revolution in our understanding of the minds of infants and young children. We used to believe that babies were irrational, and that their thinking and experience were limited. Now Alison Gopnik-a leading psychologist and philosopher, as well as a mother-explains the cutting-edge scientific and psychological research that has revealed that babies learn more, create more, care more, and experience more than we could ever have imagined. And there is good reason to believe that babies are actually smarter, more thoughtful, and more conscious than adults.
 

 

 


 


 



Around Addison County

 
Quarry Hill School
1622 Quarry Rd
Middlebury VT
Upcoming Playgroups:
Addison Summer Playgroup
Monday and Wednesday mornings- 9:30-11:30
June 22nd-August 5th
Play, projects and a healthy snack for young children, infants and their caregivers
playgroups held at Quarry Hill School
suggested donation- $2.50
With support from Quarry Hill School, Addison County Parent Child Center,
Neat Repeats, Junebug, VT Birth to Three, Addison County Early Childhood Council/BBF

Check out the MiniBury Events Calendar for more summer activities, story hours, playtime and more!


The Addison BBF newsletter hopes to provide the latest news, research and local activities, as well as to connect and inspire those in the state's early childhood system. 

I invite you to send me your ideas, concerns and hopes for our children. I want to hear and learn from you! 
Dana Anderson
Addison Building Bright Futures
(802)349-5173
In This Issue
BBF State Council
To find out more about BBF's State Council, CLICK HERE
Quick Links
Building Bright Futures | 802-876-5010 | http://www.buildingbrightfutures.org
600 Blair Park, Suite 306
Williston, VT 05495