A Publication of Smart Beginnings Danville Pittsylvania

JANUARY 2013Early Childhood Educator Collaborative

Averett to offer night, weekend education classes

Averett University will begin night and some weekend classes for its Bachelors of Applied Science in Early Childhood Education degree.

Averett is in the process of updating its artic-ulation agreement with Danville Community College. Smart Beginnings will help to recruit new students. For additional information, please call 797-8887.

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Dr. Tiffany Franks’ term as chair coming to an end

Dr. Tiffany Franks has chaired the SBDP Board of Directors since January 2010. Her two-year term will expire this month.

“Dr. Franks has been a committed and effec-tive leader from day one. She has encouraged staff to aim high as we work together to strengthen the ‘system’ of individuals and or-ganizations that care for and educate young children,” said Ann Vandervliet Stratton, Executive Director.

Kirby Wright, President of Negril, Inc. and current Vice-Chairman will assume the role of Chairman on January 1, 2013.Dr. Franks’ term as chair coming to end

Save the dateSmart Beginnings Danville Pittsylvania, in partnership with Smart Beginnings Martinsville Henry County, will host a Mentor Certification training for qualified professionals on February 5-7, 2013. Childcare Mentors must have a 2 year degree in early childhood development, education or related field and have some experience working a pre-school or childcare setting. Please contact Angela Wells at 797-8887 if you are interested. The dead-line to express interest is January 25th 2013.

Special thanks to the West Piedmont Workforce Board for helping to fund this important professional development opportunity.

Mentor training set for February 5-7

More parent education, support on the wayThe second session of The Incredible Years parent education workshop will kick off in January 2013.

If you are able to help market the program to your parents, please let us know. The Incredible Years will help parents strengthen their skills as parents and foster parent involvement in school.

For more information, please call 797-8887.

The evidence is clear—quality early education is key. With the majority of a child’s brain architecture developing during the first five years of life, the quality of care child receives during this time is critical. Children with access to high quality early learning experiences are more likely to acquire the skills they need to enter kindergarten ready to succeed and adapt to new learning and social environments. High quality care means that children are engaging in meaningful learning and play, guided by qualified early childhood professionals in an enriched learning environment.

The Virginia Star Quality Initiative (VSQI) was created to provide a consistent way to distinguish the level of quality in early care and education programs, allowing families to make more informed choices.

Smart Beginnings Danville Pittsylvania is exited to announce the centers who have signed on as participants in the area’s second Virginia Star Quality

Initiative pilot: Our Children’s House, Shiloh County Head Start, Harvest Corner, Families First, Tot Spot

on Camden Street and Apple Tree have signed up to participate in the second VSQI pilot. Children First,

Danville Regional Medical Center, Tot Spot on Clarkson Street, Small World, Faith Christian Academy, Little Blessings, Play N Pretend, Bethel County Head Start and Danville City Head Start continue to receive free mentoring and a Quality Improvement Plan. Based on the Quality Improvement Plans, VSQI participants will receive up to $1,000 in improvements related to the plan.

Smart Beginnings, in partnership with other school readiness coalitions in Southside and Central VA, continues to look for early childhood development professionals who: 1) meet the minimum requirements to become a Star Quality Rater and, 2) who are interested in this unique professional development opportunity for independent contractors.

If you are interested, please view the Orientation Webinar as a first step. There is a link to the Webinar on the Smart Beginnings website. www.SmartBeginningsDP.org

The Orientation outlines important information for potential candidates. After you view the webinar, please respond to this email or call Angela Wells by Thursday, January 31 to indicate if you would like to be considered as a candidate. SBDP will sponsor training for 2 to 3 professionals.

SBDP is making a significant investment in Rater Training. SBDP “sponsored” raters will be asked to sign an agreement regarding “minimum rater assignment” during the 24 month period after training. Certified Raters typically earn $250 per rating.

Symposium a success!Thanks to the eighty five local childcare providers who participated in SBDP’s first annual Early Learning Symposium! Participants received 5 hours of high quality professional development in early childhood development. Kathy Glazer, president of the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation, presented the keynote address.

Sessions included:

Using Classroom Environment to Your Advantage The “Child Connection” The “Business” of Childcare and, “Let’s Read!”

Special thanks to our sponsors: Motley Florist, The Danville Welcome Center, Danville Parks and Recreation, A+ Education, Poogies Buffet and Grill, Chick-fil-a, and Office Plus Business Centre.

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Southside Virginia needs VSQI Raters!

Virginia Star Quality Initiative continues to grow

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Today’s Teaching Tip: Teaching with rhymeThe ability to recognize and produce rhyming words is one of the important components of phonological awareness.

Developing a child’s phonological awareness is an important part of developing a reader. Rhyme is found in poetry, songs, and many children’s books and games and most children love to sing and recite nursery rhymes.

Changes regarding zoning ordinances will affect Licensed Family Child Care Providers in Danville Effective July 1, 2012 a change was made that will severely impact Licensed Family Child Care Providers across the state. This impact unfortunately will also have a negative impact on the families and children currently enrolled as well as those seeking and needing child care.

This change will affect how many children a Licensed Provider can care for. The state of Virginia would license providers for a capacity of 12. However, there is variance between zones. The zoning ordinance number was not necessarily enforced, even though the licensing guidelines required compliance.

The Danville Zoning Code allows Family Child Care Home Providers to care for no more than five non-related children within their home with less than 24-hour care. Family Child Care Providers may be required to apply for a Special Use Permit to care for more than five non-related children.

La’Verne Tarpley, owner of Gab Dan Christian Family Care and President of the Danville Pittsylvania County Family Child Care Association and Penny Bruce, owner of Bruce Family Day Care and Treasurer of the Danville Pittsylvania County Family Child Care Association, went before the Danville City Council on September 18, 2012 to stress how these changes will affect seven licensed family child care businesses and the children and families they serve.

They asked the City Council to investigate the Danville Zoning Code and make changes to allow for a maximum of 12 unrelated children to be cared for within a licensed family child care home. The City Council agreed to address this issue in a work session and then proceed to finalize their recommendations.

We will keep you posted!

Use a mix of traditional (nursery rhymes) and modern rhymes

Repeat rhyming songs and poems orally to help children identify the rhymes (begin with one-syllable words)

Tell children that rhyming words have the same ending sound, give examples

Isolate the ending sounds in the familiar words found in the rhyme. Use pictures instead of words in activities for younger children.

Generate a list of rhyming words and point out their common ending

Create and play rhyming games (Rhyme Bingo, Rhyming Matching Pairs, and Which One Does Not Rhyme)

Take a familiar rhyme and have children substitute a different rhyming word in the rhyme.

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7 tips for teaching rhyming

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Please, sir. I don't like this trick, sir.

My tongue isn't quick or slick, sir. I get all those ticks and clocks, sir,

mixed up with the chicks and tocks, sir. I can't do it, Mr. Fox, sir.

Dr. Seuss

Zoning ordinances undergo changesChanges will affect licensed family child care providers

Melanie McLarty contract coming to close

Welcome SBDP Mentors

Smart Beginnings has recently contracted new Virginia Star Quality Mentors. Mentors include Joyce Underwood; Joyce is a retired elementary school teacher and has a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Averett. Tara Martin is the Education Manager at Head Start in Danville. Tara has a degree in Psychology and has earned several undergraduate hours in Early Childhood Development. Melanie McLarty has extensive experience providing technical assistance to child care centers. She has a minor in education and earned graduate level hours in child and family development from Tulane University. Wendy Mills has a Master’s degree in Elementary Education and has mentored with Smart Beginnings for the last year. All SBDP mentors are certified to mentor in Virginia.

SBDP welcomes Helen Jane Hodges as its new Public Engagement Coordinator.

Families First purchases DRMC child care center

Families First recently purchased the Danville Regional Medical Center Child Development Center. Michelle Hand is directing both centers.

133 Robertson Avenue, Danville Virginia, 24541Phone: 434-797-8887

Fax: 434-797-9999E-mail: info@SmartBeginningsDP.org

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Schoolfield, Stony Mill, Taylor and Wilson Elementary Schools hosted “Ready Schools!” kick off events in September, 2012. Parents, childcare providers and businesses within each of the four pilot school feeder zones were invited to visit the school. The purpose of the kick- off was to initiate and strengthen early relationships between families, kindergarten teachers, childcare/preschool programs and local business leaders. “Smart Beginnings, in partnership with ‘Ready Schools!’ pilot participants, wants to increase awareness in each school feeder zone about the importance of school readiness and to explore how organizations, families and schools can support each other,” notes Tyke Tenney, Project Coordinator.

“Our hope is that more children will register early for kindergarten, more parents will participate in PTO and more kindergarten students be ready to read by the first day of kindergarten,” he adds.

Future events will include: teacher visits to childcare facilities, an early registration to kindergarten drive, collaborative “Parent Input and Child Profile” forms, Kindergarten orientation events and a summer “Meet & Greet.”

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q Recent News

Email your center’s news to: info@SmartBeginningsDP.org. The next Childcare Connection will be published in April.

SBDP supports “Ready Schools!”

Melanie McLarty was hired as the Smart Beginnings Coordinator in Fall 2010. With a “Getting Ready” grant from the VA Early Childhood Foundation, Melanie transitioned into the role of School Transition Coordinator.

Melanie has a long history within early childhood organizations and has brought many experiences and much enthusiasm to our organization. Most recently, she worked with elementary schools participating in the Ready Schools! school transition pilot. She also led the Pre-Literacy Collaborative and its efforts to bring the Dolly Parton Imagination Library to Danville and Pittsylvania County. The Getting Ready grant has ended and so we take this opportunity to thank Melanie for many contributions. She will serve as a VSQI Childcare Mentor beginning in January.

Wishing You & Yours

a HappyNew Year!

Ann, Tyke, Helen Jane, Vera and Angela

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