http://buildingbrightfutures.org/bennington/about/
December 2, 2015
Bennington Building Bright Futures
Bennington's Early Childhood Council
Greetings,

  
 So many of us have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season.  I am sharing with you this information about Spirit of Sharing.  This year it is coordinated by the Catamount Rotary and the Bennington Agency of Human Services - Economic and Family Services of Department of Children and Families. 
This is an official call for volunteers for the Spirit of Sharing program. We have MANY families in need of holiday cheer. We ask that people purchase gifts between $25-35 per child. There are large and small families on the list. Can you volunteer this year? Perhaps you could organize a group in your organization? Please forward this to anyone you think might be interested!
 
You can find the volunteer information sheet and sign up at:spirit of sharing information add your name, contact information and the number of children you would like to assist or email: [email protected].  

Since we are now all driven by DATA, the Bennington region has 58.12% of it children under the age of 6 living below 200% of poverty.  The Vermont State Average is 41.89.

Robin
Robin Stromgren
Bennington Building Bright Futures
802.447.2887

Bennington BBF
Regional Council News
Next Meeting:  DECEMBER 9th
How is the work of the Early Childhood Community like Stone Soup?

The next scheduled monthly meeting for the BBF Council is Wednesday December 9, 2015 in the Community Room of the Vermont Department of Health.  This will be the Council' s annual legislative meeting.  It is the regional council's opportunity to educate the legislators about the importance of early childhood and how we work effectively in Bennington County.

There is an opportunity to work with Matt Levin from the Vermont Alliance about Advocacy starting at 10:30 prior to the legislative meeting.


 

Wednesday December 9, 2015

VDH Community Room

Please RSVP to Robin at

[email protected]

 

 Public Hearing on Proposed Bennington Rutland Supervisory Union Prekindergarten Region

The Vermont Agencies of Education and Human Services will be hosting a public hearing at the Manchester Elementary-Middle School to collect public input on the proposed Bennington Rutland Supervisory Union prekindergarten region.
WHAT: Public Hearing on Proposed Bennington Rutland Supervisory Union Prekindergarten Region
WHERE: Manchester Elementary-Middle School, Manchester Center, VT
WHEN: December 17, 2015 at 6:00 p.m.
Opportunity - Apprenticeship Program
Spring 2016 Course Announcement

The VT Child Care Industry & Careers Council (VCCICC) will be offering
Curriculum Development for Early Childhood Education (EDU 2045) at CCV in Bennington, starting January 26. The course will meet on Tuesday nights from 6-9pm.
This course is offered through the Child Care Apprenticeship Program, but space will be available for community members who are currently working with children in VT. There is a $100 application fee (or $75 for VCCICC members) and students are responsible for purchasing or renting their textbooks. This is a great deal for a 3-credit college course!
VCCICC's college courses are funded primarily by the Child Development Division and VT's Early Learning Challenge / Race to the Top Grant.
The application will be available to the general public on November 27.
Email [email protected] or call 802-985-2700
Download the application from our website: www.vtchildcareindustry.org
Please mail applications with payment to VCCICC by January 8th.


Bennington BBF in Action

Announcement of FLIP IT Trainings
from the
Center for Resilience Children

The Quality Task - Professional Development Committee
has contracted for at least 1 full day FLIP IT training most likely in March 2016.  

This interest in providing the FLIP-IT strategy training is a result of the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment trainings held during the last 3 years.  Bennington is in 2nd year of piloting the DECA region wide. 



FLIP IT is a four-step supportive strategy to help young children learn about their feelings, gain self-control, and reduce challenging behavior.  FLIP IT incorporates best-practice approaches into a method that is easy to remember and applicable in a variety of challenging situations.  FLIP IT may be used every day for minor challenges and conflict with one child or with multiple children.  FLIP IT also can be used as a targeted intervention intended to support the emotional growth of a child displaying specific behavioral concerns.  Children who frequently experience the FLIP IT process become emotionally aware problem-solvers who develop healthy coping skills that will last a lifetime

If you have not filled out a survey about which training day is better for you please do so here Flip-it survey.  We ask that the you fill out the survey by December 11th and only once.
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Playgroups  in December + Dad's Create

 
Two playgroups are continuing to meet during December.   They are:

Monday at the Bennington Free Library 
10:30 to 12 
hosted  by SVMC-EI
Wednesday at Applegate
          9 to 10:30
         Hosted by Sunrise and CIS

These playgroups are funded by the Building Bright Futures Direct Services Grant from the Agency of Human Services. Each playgroup is hosted by a local early childhood agency.

The Dad's Create night sponsored by  the Vermont Arts Exchange and Sunrise Family Resource Center. It meets the following Wednesdays from 6 to 7:30: 12/2, 12/9,12/16, 12/23 at the VAE in North Bennington.  The evening includes age appropriate art projects plus pizza, salad and drinks.  To sign up call 442-5549.  If you have questions, call Michelle Weyers at Sunrise, 442-1665.

Please look for additional playgroup information in January.
Early Learning Challenge Grant- Race to the Top

  

Vermont is in the second year of implementation. 
There are 24 projects.  Help Me Grow 211 is one of the projects. Others such as the BBF regional coordination will extend beyond the life of the grant.  The BBF regional system supports the regional collaboration work..  The Early Learning Challenge publishes monthly updates that can be accessed at:
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The How are Vermont's Young Children and Families and the Early Learning Challenge newsletters can be accessed by going to the BBF Website.BBF Website

 

CC Block Grant
Child Care Development Block Grant 

The VT Child Development Division (CDD) is providing information and seeking input/questions regarding the recently released details of the Child Care & Development Block Grant (CCDBG).
The 8-page summary of what it means for VT.  Please take a look at this document.  Link is above. adocumentnt care block grant

If you have questions or feedback that you would like to make, please send them to:
 

Contact Information:
Robin Stromgren
802-447-2887
200 Veterans Memorial Drive, Suite 7
Bennington, Vermont 05201
In This Issue
BBF State Council
To find out more about the BBF State Council, visit the BBF website. The next meeting is January 25, 2016 in Williston.

Quick Links

Upcoming Meeting and Events

12/8/15
  
VNA & Hospice Workshop & Open House
   Coping with the Holidays
   2:30 - 4:30
    Bennington Free Library
    Silver Street , Bennington,VT
12/9/15
 Advocacy Training with Matt Levin
   10:30 to 11 - prior to the Council Meeting
    VDH Community Room
 BBF Council Meeting - Legislative Event
    11 to 1
    VDH Community Room
    324 Main Street, Bennnington, VT
12/14/15
 ACES Team Meeting
     9 to 10:30
 LIT Meeting
     10:30 to 12
       UCS  Children's Conference Room
       314 Dewey Street, Bennington, VT
12/17/15
 BRSU Hearing on Pre-Kindergarten Region
      6 PM
      Manchester Elementary Middle School
      Manchester, VT
12/23/15
  Maternal Child Health Coalition
     1 to 2
     SVMC Women's & Children's Conference
   
           

Please note there have been a lot of schedule changes or meeting cancellations because of the upcoming holidays.  Please check with the meeting facilitator for any changes.
 
Please Contact  Robin to add future event dates or for additional information



Early Childhood Data System is now 

Vermont Insights

 

www.vermontinsights.org

 




Julie Coffey, Building Bright Futures Executive Director will be stepping down on December 31, 2015.  Julie was one of the partners that brought in the Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge grant.  The grant is a systems building grant.

 

 

Vicky Senni from the Brattleboro area is the new field coordinator for Bennington District for Let's Grow Kids.  [email protected]
Blue Ribbon Commission
Vermont's Blue Ribbon Commission on Financing High Quality, Affordable Child Care will meet again on December 16, 2015.. 
 For the latest news on the Blue Ribbon Commission, check the Let's Grow Kids WEBSITE


Vermont Early Learning Standards

The newly revised Vermont Early Learning Standards
(birth through grade 3) 
Please note that professional development training will occur in stages over the next two years.
You can access the VELS from the Agency of Education website as well as information about upcoming VELS professional development opportunities by clicking on this link http://education.vermont.gov/early-education/early-learning-standards#vels , or
Download your copy now at the following link:
Contact Kate Rogers, Early Education Coordinator II, 802-479-1154[email protected] for more information


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Vermont Early Childhood News
     New specialized call-line at Vermont 2-1-1

Vermont 2-1-1, a program of the United Ways of Vermont, is now hosting a Help Me Grow Vermont call line to answer parent and caregiver questions about children's behavior and development and connect families to resources and services in their community.

Trained Help Me Grow Vermont Child Development Specialists staff this line. You can reach the Help Me Grow Vermont line by dialing 2-1-1 from 
9 a.m. - 6 p.m.Monday - Friday. 
Vermont Alliance Announces Legislative Agenda
Matt Levin from the Vermont Alliance will be in Bennington on Wednesday December 9th to speak about the Early Childhood Legislative agenda and how to advocate effectively.  Matt will speak prior to the Council meeting at 10:30.  You can find the policy agenda on the Alliance website at Vermont Alliance

A last note:
Please send me any information that you would like shared or issues and questions that you would like to have us explore together.
 
 

Like the Bennington regional action and work plans, this Strandbeest has gone through many iterations getting better with each one.  Every time the designer discovers an issue he sets about solving it.  This is really so close to the way we identify issues and develop strategies to address them. Wouldn't it be fun to find them walking along a beach somewhere!
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Robin