Connecting
The Newsletter of the Bennington County Child Care Association

 Summer 2010


Link to sections: Professional Development | Parents Page

Hi!

I hope this note finds you all well and enjoying the onset of summer! For many of you this means more children in care and much more time spent outside enjoying nature and gross motor activities.  For those of you who attended the I am Moving I am Learning sessions, being able to spend more time outside may give you more opportunities to get the children in your care moving!! Bring your music outside and run, dance, hula hoop…whatever they are interested in! Remember also that BCCCA’s Lending Library has gross motor equipment available to enhance learning activities such as parachutes, rocking cones, a rocking boat, balance beams etc. For a complete listing visit our Lending Library page.

Providers are sometimes asked by parents and other providers to recommend programs for their children for various reasons.  Please feel free to direct them to the BCCCA staff @ 447-3778 or specifically Heather Sandquist @ 447-6938.  They can also look on the BFIS website – www.brightfuturesinfo.org – to find an inventory of licensed and registered providers listed by town. 

This next announcement is bittersweet for me.  This will be my last issue of Connecting as I have accepted a position with a CCR in Fitchburg, Massachusetts.  As many of you know, I am moving back to Massachusetts to be closer to my family.  I will truly miss working with all of you and with my BCCCA family and community colleagues.  It has been a pleasure and an honor being part of the early childhood community in Bennington County.  I wish all of you the best in your personal and professional endeavors.

Peace,
Pam

Vermont Fitting Stations and the Vermont Discount Car Seat Program Certified child passenger safety technicians check seats for:

~ Recalls ~ Correct fit of the car seat to the child ~ Proper installation of the car seat to the vehicle ~ Missing parts, i.e., do you need a locking clip?

A Fitting Station is held every 3rd Monday of the month, from 3 – 7 pm @ the Bennington Rescue Squad, McKinley Street, Bennington. Please call 447-5160 for more information.

Make sure the children you are transporting are safe!!   This is a great service for both parents and providers!!


TO THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS FOR RENEWING THEIR STARS ACCREDITATION:

Readsboro Preschool, Inc., Bennington Early Childhood Center, L’il Peeps Playschool, Forever Friends

And to Alyson Grzyb for achieving Step I of the Director’s Credential

Here are the STARS incentives that Kaplan is offering to providers: To get different levels of unprecedented discount please do the following:

1. Send in or Fax a copy of current STARS certificate

2. Once in the system enjoy your Kaplan discounts

3.  Discounts are good until STARS certificate expires or you move to another level. Then simply fax your new STARS certificate to enjoy more savings

4. Contact Kaplan if you want to use their online ordering with your discount by setting up a custom MY KAPLAN account.

Vermont 1 Star: Free UPS shipping, minimum order of $100

Vermont 2 Star: 10% off & Free UPS shipping, minimum order of $100 for both

 Vermont 3 Star: 15% off & Free UPS shipping, minimum order of $100 for both

 Vermont 4 Star: 15% off & Free UPS shipping, minimum order of  $0 for both

 Vermont 5 Star: 17% off & Free UPS shipping, minimum order of $0 for both.

For more information, go to www.kaplanco.com

ALL ABOUT ECERS
(Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale)

ECERS (Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale) is used to measure quality in early childhood environments in terms of a child’s actual day-today experience. A quality program must provide for three basic needs all children have: Protection of their health and safety - nutrition, sanitation, personal hygiene, measures to reduce infectious diseases in group settings, parent education materials, precautions to avoid injury mishaps, supervision, prevention of abuse and neglect. Building Positive Relationships – child to child, adult to child, adult to adult;  With Children – separation from parents, continuity of care, positive approaches to discipline, development of social skills; With Parents – Opportunities for communications, building trust over time, parent support and education, anti-bias approach, cultural sensitivity, tuned-in to the child’s community. Opportunities for stimulation and learning from experience (what is accessible, how it is being used, how long is it accessible) -  Variety of hands-on activities, appropriate activities for group and individual needs, many open ended materials available, schedule that handles routines gracefully and leaves time for activities, language related to activities, concepts brought out of play. Each of these components has implications for the program’s environment, policies, schedule, curriculum, supervision and parent involvement. These are the key aspects of process quality measured in the environment rating scales developed by Harms, Clifford and Cryer.  The scales can be used as a tool in measuring and improving quality regardless of curriculum or philosophy.

How is the scale scored?

Each item is described in four levels of quality: inadequate (1), minimal (3), good (5), and excellent (7).  The inadequate and minimal ratings focus on provision of basic materials and on health and safety precautions. The good and excellent ratings require positive interaction, planning and personalized care as well as good materials.  It is difficult, if not impossible to score a 7 in all areas.  A typical first time score tends to fall between 3.5 – 4.

How does the scale relate to CDA competencies or National Accreditation Criteria?

The authors of the scales collaborated on NAEYC Center Classroom Observation and Accreditation Questionnaires and the CDA Classroom Observation.  The items on the scale help providers identify and organize the necessary components required for reaching NAFCC and NAEYC accreditation and CDA goals. 

How are the Rating Scales related to STARS?

STARS (Step Ahead Recognition System) is a statewide program to recognize a provider’s (program’s) accomplishments above and beyond regulatory requirements in several arenas including: Licensing Compliance History, Training and Qualifications, Administration, Family and Community Interaction, and Program Assessment.  ECERS is one tool that can be used to perform a program assessment. The scales can be used for self-assessment as well as outside observations. Any program applying for 3 or more STARS and/or desiring to partner with a public school system (under Act 62) must have an outside assessment done and earn an average score of 4.0 in all subscales and no subscale score below a 3.0 in order to earn 2 points in the Program Assessment Arena.

Why use the scales in a program?

The scales can be used to: Measure the impact of your planned activities, schedule, and routines or children’s experiences; Identify materials that would enhance learning; Identify future training goals; Evaluate child to child and adult to child interactions; Prepare for accreditation; Isolate any gaps between curriculum/policy and practice; Promote program achievements; All around quality of care/program improvement.

There is a scale designed to fit your program: ITERS-R - Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale; ECERS-R - Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale; SACERS - School-Age Care Environment Rating Scale; FCCERS-R - Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale

 

FUNDING FOR THIS NEWSLETTER IS PROVIDED BY THE CHILD DEVELOPMENT DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, BENNINGTON’S SUCCESS BY SIX, AND THE BENNINGTON COUNTY CHILD CARE ASSOCIATION

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B.C.C.C.A.
P.O. Box 829 – 226 Union Street
Bennington, VT 05201
(802) 447-3778
 

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