The Indiana Department of Environmental Management would like to share the opportunity to participate in FREE webinars on the 2nd Thursday of every month from 4:00-5:30 pm EST. Here is a list of the following webinars being offered:
December 8, 2011--Pediatric Environmental Health Resources for Community Health Professionals
January 12, 2012--Coordinated School Health: Clean, Green, and Healthy Schools
February 9, 2012--Obesity Prevention
March 8, 2012--Affordable Care Act
April 12, 2012--Communities Working Together for Better Health
May 10, 2012--Successful Asthma Management
June 14, 2012-- Healthy Homes
July--No Webinar this month
August 9, 2012--Children's Environmental Health Research
September 12, 2012--National Children's Study
For additional information, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/region8/humanhealth/children/webinars.html
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
FREE Webinars
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Paths to QUALITY Accomplishments and Updates
Bona Vista's Child Care Solutions would like to recognize the following individuals on their accomplishments within the Paths to QUALITY program. We are proud of each and every individual and/or facility that has went above and beyond to provide a high quality early learning experience for Indiana's youngest citizens. Thank you for your hard work, perseverance, and determination!
Please join us in congratulating the following licensed home providers as they join others in national accreditation status:
- Special Care Day Service owned by Deborah Gatchel of Wabash County
- My Caterpillar Clubhouse owned by Stephanie McKinstry of Howard County
- Russell Family Day Care owned by Jill Russell of Howard County
They join Bona Vista Programs, Inc. of Howard County, Bona Vista Programs-Early Head Start of Miami County, and Micro Chips Early Learning Center of Howard County who are Level 4 Paths to QUALITY providers.
Please join us in congratulating the following programs on their advancement within the Paths to QUALITY program:
Advancement to Level 3 status:
- Early Head Start of Carey Services, Inc. of Blackford County
- Early Head Start of Carey Services, Inc. of Grant County
- Finding Me Now of Howard County
- Kokomo-Center Schools Head Start Program of Howard County
- Sonbeam Child Care owned by Liesbet Patrick of Howard County
- YMCA Child Care Development Center of Howard County
- Kids Kampus of Huntington County
- Candi's Kiddie Care owned by Dawn Korreckt of Miami County
- Coconuts Family Childcare owned by Michelle Monin of Miami County
- Area Five Agency Head Start-Laketon of Wabash County
- Children's Meadow owned by Christine Metzger of Wabash County
Maintenance of Level 3 status:
- Kinder Haus Day Care Center of Adams County
- Kiddie Kaboodle owned by Barbara Merkel of Blackford County
- Our Kids Child Care owned by Ada Ebert of Grant County
- Creative Childcare owned by Sheri George of Grant County
- Huntington Head Start of Huntington County
- The Tot Spot owned by Cynthia Tobin of Huntington County
- Educare Child Care Services, Inc. owned by Danielle Hurt of Jay County
- Educare Child Care Services, Inc. owned by Danielle Hurt of Jay County
Advancement to Level 2 status:
- Montpelier Head Start of Blackford County
- Mae's Funhouse owned by Mae Cobb of Grant County
- Lezlie's Day Care owned by Lezlie Cousins of Grant County
- Little People's Playhouse owned by Tori Jacobs of Grant County
- Teaching Little Tykes owned by Tracey Terry of Grant County
- Teaching Little Tykes II owned by Tracey Terry of Grant County
- Little Tots Child Care owned by Kimberly Young of Grant County
- Little Rising Stars owned by Sadeta Hodzic of Howard County
- ABC Child Care owned by Jesse Landrum of Howard County
- Building Blocks Daycare owned by Amy Lechner of Howard County
- Our Little Angels owned by Teresa Rudd of Howard County
- Angel Tots owned by Dawnetta Sparks of Howard County
- Brighter Beginnings owned by Britina Boxell of Huntington County
- A Place to Grow Childcare and Early Education owned by Donna Skinner of Jay County
- A Place to Grow and Early Education owned by Donna Skinner of Jay County
- Ida's Kids owned by Frances Black of Miami County
- Ida's Kids 2 owned by Frances Black of Miami County
- Sherwood Forest Day Care owned by Traci Brown of Miami County
- Emanuel Lutheran Child Care of Tipton County
- Little Hands, Big Hearts Daycare, LLC. owned by Deanna Azbell of Wabash County
- Ring Around the Rosy Day Care owned by Margaret McAfee of Wells County
Maintenance of Level 2 status:
- Mary's Family Day Care Plus owned by Mary Gibson-Cosby of Wabash County
- Manchester Early Learning Center of Wabash County
A Snapshot of the Paths to QUALITY program as of 09/30/2011
- There are 2,128 Paths to QUALITY providers in the state of Indiana
- There are 81,899 children receiving a high quality early learning experience through attending a Paths to QUALITY child care program
- 59.23% of those children are receiving child care assistance and are with Paths to QUALITY providers, for a total of 16,642 children receiving CCDF.
- The Paths to QUALITY program awarded a total of $1,325,250 in recognition incentives from 2008-2011
- 52% of Paths to QUALITY participants have advanced at least one level within this year
What Parents are saying about Paths to QUALITY
- More than 50% of parents are willing to pay more for a provider who is rated higher than a Level 1
- Only 14% of families were aware that their provider was on the Paths to QUALITY program. That means that providers NEED to be SHARING about the program and their achievements within the program!
- Child Care providers are the parents' most common source of information about Paths to QUALITY and what the program means for their children
- 71% of parents said that Paths to QUALITY ratings would influence any future decisions about placing their child in a program
Online Training Opportunity through IACCRR Training Central
The Indiana Association for Child Care Resource and Referral (IACCRR), announces the availability of online training opportunities to increase the access to information and resources for potential child care providers. Participants will need to register at: http://www.iaccrr.org/portal/?#tabs-training in order to access training opportunities.
In collaboration with the Bureau of Child Care and your local child care resource and referral organization, IACCRR has launched Orientation I Online-Overview for participants who are interested in starting the business of child care.
Orientation I is a "guided tour" through the regulatory processes, requirements for different types of legal care, state and federal laws impacting child care, educational opportunities as well as a quick look at the business side of child care. This online session provides the basics so individuals can make informed decisions about whether to open a child care center, family child care home, or a child care ministry.
You will also find the Introduction to the Foundations: Indiana Academic Standards for Birth to Age Five on this website!
Participants will need a computer with high-speed internet access, audio, and flash player capabilities.
Six Stress Prevention Tips
Six Stress Prevention Tips
The child is in me still and sometimes not so still.
-Fred Rogers
- Seek and kill. Take a few minutes every day to identify stressors in your life and find ways to reduce or eliminate them.
- Commit to the positive. Don't rely on self-destructive ways of coping with stress — drinking, drugs, overeating.
- Be your own personal secretary. People who keep lists of things to do really do more things.
- Immunize yourself. Through exercise, thought management, and the daily practice of relaxation techniques, you will be in a better position to face stressors.
- Make a little plan. Spend a few minutes every morning planning your day. You will waste less time, get more done, and feel less stressed.
- And make a big plan. Planning your future is a great way of exercising more control over your life.
