If you didn't catch the announcement, Stagecoach launched expanded routes on November 9th. The circulator will run for FREE until the end of January. Find out more on their website: stagecoach-rides.org.

The new Help Me Grow phone line at Vermont 2-1-1 has launched! Parents, caregivers, family, friends, or providers can call to get answers about a child's development or behavior -- and get connected to local resources. Vermont 2-1-1 has hired two Child Development Specialists, Elizabeth Gilman and Anne Davie, to staff the line. Both have strong backgrounds serving Vermont children and families. The Help Me Grow/Vermont 2-1-1 team is working on materials for our partners to share. 

The Building Bright Futures Regional Councils are working to finalize their Regional Action Plans using a template that is aligned with the statewide Early Childhood Action Plan. Each of the regions are planning events to engage their  stakeholders in early childhood issues. Training of the 12 Regional Coordinators is ongoing, including learning more about other early childhood initiatives such as Help Me Grow, Early MTSS, Promise Communities, and Act 166 so they can better support their communities in the implementation of these efforts. This summer, the Regional Coordinators were trained in Facilitative Leadership techniques, participated in a 2-1-1 Call Center Help Me Grow site visit and working session, worked with AOE and AHS to support community-based early learning services, and have participated in health-based cultural awareness trainings. 

Why it matters: As the 12 regional councils develop capacity to impact services that affect young children and their families in their local communities, they will support the successful implementation of the Early Learning Challenge grant and the larger statewide Early Childhood Framework and Action Plan.

At the end of August, Children's Integrated Services launched an interim data system that will allow paper records from the regions to be entered digitally at the state level. This data can later be streamlined into the new system. CDD staff are closely monitoring and advising on the development of the MMIS case management system for the VT Chronic Care Initiative, which will later be modified for CIS use. Development of the CIS specific-system is scheduled to start in January 2016, with a go-live of the new system tentatively scheduled for June 2016.

Why it matters: This work will help make sure Vermont's young children are getting the services they need to thrive and that we are better able to measure outcomes and use accurate data to inform policy. 

Tentative Agenda: Regional Strategic Action Plan Draft: Review

E-mail Sarah Buxton (sbuxton@buildingbrightfutures.org) with questions, announcements, handouts, or agenda items. 

The Family Place's 13th Annual Gingerbread Festival will be held on Saturday, December 5, 2015 from 10am - 3pm at Tracy Hall in Norwich. The Gingerbread Festival is a fun-filled event for families that features: a display of over 80 Gingerbread Houses, a silent auction of the Gingerbread Houses and other auction items, a store with handcrafts and gift items, a caf� for a delicious lunch, a gingerbread house making demonstration, cookie decorating and fun activities for children. Admission is $10 per family or $5 per individual, and all proceeds benefit The Family Place. Please call 802-649-3268 or email gingerbread@the-family-place.org with any questions.

At the Child Care Challenge Community Forums we've been hearing from hundreds of Vermonters about the challenges that they face. To raise awareness in the community about the extent of this problem, please post your own child care challenge story on Facebook and/or Front Porch Forum. Your friends, family, neighbors and legislators need to know that these challenges exist in order to address them. Feel free to submit your story ahead of time to your Let's Grow Kids field coordinator if you'd like feedback or guidance. Include a link to our new TV ad for additional power.

As we continue to engage with Vermonters about the challenges they're facing, we must also continue to raise public awareness about the importance of the early years. This means continuing to let community members know about how critical the early years are, with 80% of the brain developing by age three and 90% by age five. On Tuesday, please share this highly-effective "Still Face" video via social media, email and/or Front Porch Forum to start the conversation about the early experiences all children need to succeed.

Let's Grow Kids was on the road this summer collecting the stories of more than 90 Vermonters discussing the child care challenges they face. In two weeks, we'll launch the first round of powerful video stories we collected. Please help us celebrate the launch by sharing your favorite Small Talk video via social media, email and/or Front Porch Forum. (Link to the video webpage coming soon!)
 

Since Let's Grow Kids launched last April, we've posted more than 50 blogs on dozens of different topics ranging from the brain science of early development to Vermont's child care system. On Thursday, please raise awareness in your community by sharing your favorite blog post via social media, email and/or Front Porch Forum.
 

Wear your LGK tee-shirt to work or out in your community and ask five friends or neighbors to sign the Pledge! If you'd like us to send you literature or hard copies of the Pledge to hand out-or a free tee-shirt if you don't already have one-please email your Let's Grow Kids field coordinator. Don't forget to post a photo of yourself or your colleagues wearing your LGK tees to our Facebook page!

Upper Valley Child Care Association (UVACC)

Connections

Mark your calendars to join hundreds of early childhood professionals, parents, employers, and policymakers gathered at the 22nd annual Early Childhood Day at the Legislature on March 9, 2016. This networking, education, and advocacy day at the State House and Capitol Plaza Hotel in Montpelier is co-hosted by the Vermont Early Childhood Alliance, Let's Grow Kids, and Building Bright Futures. 

Plan to attend and consider becoming a sponsor of the day. Click here to learn more.