Fall 2014 Harford/Cecil County Child Care Links Resource & Referral Center Newsletter Happy Fall!!! Child Care Links is now offering extra Maryland Excels support! Our “Maryland Excels: What’s Next? Support Series” is offered monthly at CCL. Topics include: Contracts, Policies & Handbooks, Lesson Planning, Improving your Daily Schedule, and an MSDE-approved curricula overview. These 2 hour meetings are FREE! The specific topic is discussed as well as updates from Maryland Excels and an opportunity to ask questions. No Core of Knowledge hours will be awarded for attending, but you will walk away with a lot of helpful information about the many aspects of the Maryland Excels program. Pre-registration is required. Upcoming dates and topics: October 16th, 6-8 pm, Lesson Planning November 18th, 6-8 pm, Curriculum Sneak-a-Peek
Child Care Links is on Facebook Don’t forget to “Like” us!! You will receive up-to-date training information, technical assistance tips, and other special offers! CLOSED FOR LUNCH PLEASE NOTE: CHILD CARE LINKS is closed daily for lunch from 12:00pm to 1:00pm
Harford/Cecil County Important Numbers Child Care Links Main Office: 443-512-0461 Fax: 443-512-0185 Training: 443-512-0462 www.hcchildcarelinksinc.org Maryland Family Network 410-659-7701 LOCATE: Child Care Referral Service 1-877-261-0060 LOCATE: Child Care (Provider Updates) 866-752-1614 Office of Child Care 410-569-2879 Office of Credentialing 410-767-7852 Credentialing Hotline 1-877-605-1539 Family Child Care Association Harford County: Theresa Milburn- - - - - - - 410-893-2984 Cecil County: Nancy Tyler - - - - - - - - - - 410-392-8872 Directors Associations Harford County: Dodi Manley - - - - - - - - - 410-893-5252 Terri Rhodes - - - - - - - - - 410-399-9678 Cecil County: Sandy Jackson - - - - - - - -- 410-287-2708 Social Services -Harford County Child Protective Services - 410-836-4713 DSS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 410-836-4700 M-CHIP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 443-643-0343 POC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 410-836-4700 WIC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 410-273-5656 Social Services– Cecil County Child Protective Services - - 410-996-0100 DSS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 410-996-0100 M-CHIP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 410-996-5126 POC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 410-996-0100 WIC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 410-996-5255
LOCATE for Providers...
LOCATE for Parents…
CALL 1-866-752-1614 (24 Hour Hotline)
LOCATE: Child Care helps parents find and choose child care to best meet their needs. If you know of a parent who needs help finding care for their child, please tell them to call toll-free:
To report changes to fees, telephone number, or e-mail address Report vacancies Leave a question
VISIT www.mdchildcare.org To report vacancies Update fees
1-877-261-0060 Monday-Friday 8:30am—4:30pm *Special counseling and referral services are available for military, special needs, and Spanish speaking families.
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DID YOU KNOW….??? Now yearly LOCATE updating is easier than ever! Complete your annual questionnaire ONLINE! Please visit http://www.mdchildcare.org/mdcfc/forproviders/provider_questionnaires.html ****************************************************************************
What’s New With…. MARYLAND EXCELS?? REGISTRATION DEADLINE EXTENDED FOR PROVIDERS RECEIVING CHILD CARE SUBSIDY REIMBURSEMENTS!! MSDE has recently announced that the date by which programs must participate in Maryland EXCELS to continue receiving Child Care Subsidy reimbursements has been delayed. Due to the regulatory process, regulations will not be published as early as originally expected.
The new date by which providers must submit an application for participation in Maryland EXCELS is now June 29, 2015.
What’s New With…. CREDENTIALING?? NEW APPLICATION CHECKLISTS
Now there is a checklist for both NEW and RENEWING providers!! When using these forms, please make sure that every applicable box has been checked, and that all required documentation has been attached. Check out the Credentialing webpage for the NEW Credentialing Application Checklists: http://marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/divisions/child_care/credentials/mdcred.htm
Technical Assistance at Child Care Links Technical Assistance = A Helping Hand
Breakthrough Centers If you:
Starting and Maintaining Your Business Professional Development Working with Infants and Toddlers
Other Special Topics Behavior & Special Needs The MD Child Care Credential Accreditation
Provide child care in a Title 1 school district,
Transport to a Title 1 school
Have a child in care receiving specialized education services
Have a child in care who is a dual language learner
Then:
You may be eligible to receive additional technical help and services. Please contact Child Care Links to see if you qualify!
CALL US TODAY!!! 443-512-0461
DO YOU NEED SOME HELP WITH MARYLAND EXCELS? When visiting your Maryland Excels account, simply select the “Request Technical Assistance” button inside of any Maryland EXCELS criterion. Your Maryland Excels Program Coordinator will then contact the Technical Assistance staff at Child Care Links, and someone will be contacting you soon to help! Technical assistance may be requested at any level and with any Maryland EXCELS criterion and it’s FREE!!!
New MSDE Approved Curricula is Now Available to View at Child Care Links Resource Center! * Frog Street—Pre-K (4 year olds) * DLM EC Express (3-4 year olds) * Little Treasures (4 year olds) * Investi-Gator (3-5 year olds) * Curiosity Corner (4 year olds) * Kinder Corner (5 year olds) * Creative Curriculum for Preschool (3-4 year olds) * Creative Curriculum for Family Child Care (3-5 year olds)
Come visit Child Care Links Resource Center to see what each curriculum has to offer. Our staff will be happy to answer any questions you have. All curricula are approved for both center-based and family child care programs. Please stop by!!! COME TO OUR FREE MARYLAND EXCELS—WHAT’S NEXT SUPPORT SERIES CURRICULUM SNEAK-A-PEEK ON NOVEMBER 18th from 6-8 PM at CHILD CARE LINKS. PLEASE CALL 443-512-0462 TO RESERVE A SPOT!!
SPIDER DANCE Tune: “Farmer In The Dell” Spiders crawl around, (children crawl around) Spiders up and down, (stand up, bend down) Spiders, spiders make a web, ( join right hands to form a spoke) Spiders circle ‘round. (walk around in a circle together) Spiders in and out, (crawl fingers on left hand, down and back on right arm) Spiders all about, (repeat crawl action) Spiders, spiders make a web, Spiders now sit down. (children sit down)
THE TRACTOR ON THE FARM Tune: “The Wheels On The Bus” Oh, the tractor on the farm goes ‘round and ‘round, ‘Round and ‘round, ‘round and ‘round. Oh, the tractor on the farm goes ‘round and ‘round, All around the farm. Oh, the cow on the farm goes, moo, moo, moo, Moo, moo, moo, moo, moo, moo. Oh, the cow on the farm goes, moo, moo, moo, All around the farm. Continue with other farm animals/objects
LITTLE OWL Tune: “This Old Man” Little Owl, in the tree, He is winking down at me. With a wink, wink, wink, wink, All through the night, Little Owl is quite a site! Little Owl, in the tree, He is hooting down at me. With a hoot, hoot, hoot, hoot, All through the night, Little Owl is quite a site!
FALL TREE Tune: "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" Stand up tall and spread your limbs. You're a fall tree in the wind. Move your branches all around, Pretty leaves falling down. Some are brown and some are red. Time for you to go to bed.
Five Little Turkeys Five little Turkeys by the front door, (hold up 5 fingers) One waddled off, and then there were four (put one finger down) Four little Turkeys out under a tree, (use arms as tree branches) one waddled off and then there were three (put another finger down) Three little turkeys with nothing to do, (put hands on hips) one waddled off and then there were two (put another finger down) Two little turkeys in the noon-day sun, (shade eyes) One waddled off and then there was one (put another finger down) One little turkey, he better run away, for soon it will be Thanksgiving Day (hide fingers behind back)
Harford County Director’s Association The Harford County Director’s Association is preparing to kick off a brand new school year! Serving as our local chapter of the Maryland State Child Care Association, this group is comprised of the leaders in the field of Early Childhood Education. Meeting once a month, we offer trainings to improve our programs, updates on new regulations, support for new programs and directors, parental trainings, and community outreach. We are widely regarded as one of the most active chapters in the state! After taking a short summer break, the Association is now preparing for a dynamic new school year led by returning co-presidents Dodi Manley and Terri Rhodes. Officer positions for our 2014/15 school year have been selected as follows: Secretary (Terri Rhodes), Treasurer (Lora Pangratz), Cultural Coordinators (Anjanette Jacobs and Joan Elloff), Newsletter Coordinator (Valeree Imperiale), Media Marketing (Jan Bracken), Community Coordinator (Karen Brown) and Welcoming Committee (Jen Eder and Stephanie Foley). Our Fall Kick-off meeting will be on Friday, September 19th from 12:30-3:00. Should you elect to join the association, there is an annual registration fee of $20.00 for your membership dues. After the first meeting, registration dues increase to $30.00. If, however, you would just rather attend a training workshop/meeting, there is a $10 fee for visitors. For more information on membership, or to RSVP for the kick-off meeting, contact Terri Rhodes at ertr2@verizon.net. Lots of dynamic new topics are planned for our upcoming year. Beth O’Connor, our Regional Director for the Office of Child Care, will come and address our group about a variety of licensing topics. Many of us will attend the annual Fall Leadership Symposium. There will be a Human Resources training, activities for the Week of the Young Child, and a spring multi-cultural event. Don’t forget Conference by the Sea by MSCCA! Training sessions are being planned for the Association for which certificates for COK hours are received. And, by joining our association, you’d receive one PAU for credentialing. In addition, your attendance at 80% of our meetings also earns you another PAU. These are just some of the benefits of being a member! You won’t want to miss a minute of this informational association! Mark your calendars today for our Meet & Greet and the first meeting and plan to come meet lots of other directors! Let’s celebrate our most productive year yet!
CCL Welcomes New Providers!!
Don’t forget to fill out the survey at the back of this newsletter Submit it for the chance to win a
FREE 3-hour training!
Jennifer Flosser-Moody Mary Bloch Jennifer Topper Christie Tolson Ciara Oti Melissa Barnes Megan Jones Victoria Wiggins Michelle Zitterbart Carol Slembecker Sarah Fox Rebecca Karn
Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 27th and get ready to get healthy at the 2014 Healthy Harford Day at 119 Hays St., the sight of the old Health Department and just down the block from the Bel Air Farmers’ Market. This year’s event is going to be bigger and better than ever! Healthy Harford is the healthy communities initiative of Harford County. Founded in 1993 as a non-profit 501c3, Healthy Harford is a coalition of local government agencies, businesses, non profits, and citizens dedicated to improving the health of Harford County residents through education, policy changes, and improvements in the built environmental. Promoting local resources, services, and business that support a healthy lifestyle is a large part of our vision to help make Harford County the healthiest community in Maryland.
Be sure to check the Child Care Links training calendar for special training classes sponsored by the Harford County Health Department Community Transformation Grant and the Healthy Harford initiative. Class participants will receive free learning materials to use in their child care programs and information about the nation-wide Let’s Move Child Care program. A brief follow-up survey will be e-mailed to participants to determine the usefulness of the materials provided.
Child Care Links of Harford & Cecil County Training Policies and Procedures
REGISTRATION FORM Phone-In Registration to 443-512-0462 (Requires a Visa or Master Card payment) Mon. thru Fri. 8:30am to 3:30pm
Registration. All workshop participants must pre-register ; meaning, participants must register AND PAY for workshops in advance. Registration is accepted by phone, mail or in person. The training line for phone-in registration is operational from 8:30am3:30pm, Monday-Friday. Visa or MasterCard required for all registrations done by phone. Mail registration form to Child Care Links of Harford/Cecil Counties 2105 Laurel Bush Rd., Suite 105, Bel Air, MD 21015. Child Care Links does not accept personal checks.
OR Mail registration form to: Child Care Links, 2105 Laurel Bush Road, Suite 105, Bel Air MD 21015 Name:
_ Last Name
First
Address:
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City/St./Zip: ____________________________________ Email Address:_____________________________________________________________ Please circle one: Family Provider, Child Care Center Director, Child Care Center Staff, Prospective Provider, Parent, or Other Work Phone:
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Home Phone:
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Center Name:
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WORKSHOP TITLE:
DATE
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TOTAL_______________ I would like to become a Child Care Links Member Family Provider - $25 Center Director - $25 Center Staff - $25
Payments Accepted are: Visa/Master Card/ Money Order/Center Check /Cash
NO PERSONAL CHECKS PLEASE Signature:
__________________
Account #: _________________________ __________________ Expiration Date:
___________
Visit us on the Web at www.hcchildcarelinksinc.org
Late Arrivals. Workshops begin at stated time. Our instructors reserve the right to refuse admittance to any workshop for any participant arriving 15 minutes or more past the start of the workshop. Credit or transfer will be issued at the discretion of the Child Care Links staff for any participant turned away from training for lateness. Cancellation or change policy. Child Care Links may need to cancel a workshop due to lack of enrollment; in this event, a CCL staff member will contact you at the phone number or address you provided upon registration. If we need to cancel a workshop and you do not wish to be transferred to another training, you will be issued credit good for one year or refunded fees paid for the canceled workshop. If you are phoning in your registration please verify that we have the correct contact information, including more than one telephone number where you can be reached. Rude and/or disrespectful behavior during workshop will not be tolerated. Please remember to exercise good judgment and respect for both the trainer and other participants in your session. It is okay to disagree with facts or opinions presented by the trainer or other participants but please remember to remain professional. Should you violate this policy, the instructor may ask you to leave the workshop and you will not be re-admitted, nor will you receive a refund for the class.
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Fees Paid are NON-REFUNDABLE. Should you miss a workshop, credit or transfer to another workshop may be given if Child Care Links is notified prior to the workshop. If after hours, please leave a message on Child Care Links’ answering service. No credit or refunds are issued for “no shows”. Call 443-512-0462 with any questions or concerns about our refund or credit policies. Any credits issued are good for one year from the date of issue.
Certificates. Core of Knowledge certificates will be issued at the conclusion of the training session for all participants who successfully complete all requirements set forth for the course. Child care is not provided during workshops. Workshops provided by Child Care Links are intended for adults only. Please make other arrangements for care of your children during workshop hours. Workshop locations. Child Care Links has two locations where we offer trainings. One location is at our main office on 2105 Laurel Bush Rd. Suite 105 Bel Air, MD 21015. The second location is at the YMCA of Elkton on 25 YMCA Blvd. Elkton, Md. 21921. If you need directions to either locations please let us know upon registering for the trainings. Inclement Weather - Please note that the training department of Child Care Links follows Harford & Cecil Counties Public School Weather Policy for closings and delayed openings. If you are scheduled for a workshop and Harford or Cecil County Schools close for inclement weather, our workshop will be canceled. During the weekend our workshops will be canceled if Parks and Rec cancels school activities. If, for any reason, this changes, a CCL staff member will contact you. Attempts will be made to reschedule
Child Care Links Resource and Referral Agency for Harford and Cecil Counties Child Care Links of Harford &Cecil County 2105 Laurel Bush Rd. Suite 105 Bel Air, Md. 21015 Phone: 443-512-0461 Fax: 443-512-0185 Business Hours: Monday-Thursday 8:30am-4:30pm Friday 8:30am –4:00pm Training Department 443-512-0462 Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30am-3:30pm LOCATE CHILD CARE Maryland Family Network 1-877-261-0060 Hours: Monday-Friday 9:30am-3:30pm
MISSION STATEMENT Child Care Links addresses available, affordable, quality child care issues in Harford and Cecil Counties. Child Care Links is committed to expanding and enhancing the quality of child care in Harford and Cecil Counties by helping parents, child care providers, and the community understand and implement the indicators of quality enabling all children to receive optimum early care and education experiences. Child Care Links is committed to enhancing the quality of the child care delivery system in Harford & Cecil Counties by providing pertinent resources, training, and referrals to families, child care providers, and the
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“Advice” columns/articles Technical Assistance Articles Other events/announcements Special announcements on events in the region (e.g. conferences, etc) “News” articles on events, (licensing and other) policies, etc. How can we make our Newsletter better ? (please explain) _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ After completion please fold and stamp and return to Child Care Links or fill it out online at www.hcchildcarelinksinc.org and e-mail it to us at info@hcchildcarelinksinc.org. To be entered in our drawing you must include your name, address and telephone number. Good Luck to you all! Thank you for your feedback we appreciate it! Name: __________________________________ Phone #_________________________________
Address: __________________________________ City, State, Zip: _____________________________
This publication was produced as a work for hire for the benefit of, and with funds from, the Maryland State Department of Education
FIND IT FAST FOR FAMILIES— a resource locator document with web links for families of young children on topics such as Choosing Child Care, Transitioning to School, Health, Wellness and Safety and Supporting Your Child’s Development. http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/divisions/child_care/commres
FIND IT FAST FOR PROVIDERS - a quick reference guide with links for professional development, program improvement, Career building and financial supports. http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/divisions/child_care/credentials
Member agency of the Maryland Child Care Resource Network with the funding provided by the