VDSS Professional Development Catalog

2

Director’s Networking Group

2

Race to Nowhere Movie

2

Audio-Conference on Exploring Nature

2

VAECE Annual Conference

2

Hope Harris and the Cousins’ Jamboree

3

Celebrating Babies and Tots Institutes

3

Project Learning Tree Workshop

3

Poison Prevention Week

4

Inside this issue:

To subscribe to this newsletter or if you have questions or comments, please call the Richmond Early Childhood Development Initiative at 804-646-7320.

Published by:

Issue 9

February 2011 Richmond Quality Child Care Newsletter

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined.

— Henry David Thoreau

The City of Richmond is One of Ten Regional School Systems to Conduct Kindergarten

Registration on April 7, 2011 For the first time in history, the counties of Charles City, Chesterfield, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, New Kent and Powhatan and the cities of Colonial Heights, Petersburg and Richmond will have a common date for kindergarten registration: April 7, 2011.

Every year children who will be 5 years old by September 30 are eligible to enter kindergarten in the fall. However, until now there was no consistent channel of communication to let the parents know when to register and no common date for the mass media to broadcast.

Among the localities included in this agreement, it is estimated that in excess of 4,000 kindergarteners did not register on time in the 2010/2011 school year. Registering late sometimes causes attendance delays for the child, who then misses important orientation during the first few weeks of school. On-time registration also gives the school a chance to give the parent important information about events and activities that will help their child feel comfortable when school starts. A health exam is required in order to attend school and sometimes this exam identifies developmental delays or the need for vision or hearing correction. Early identification of special needs and making sure a child is healthy can prevent the child from experiencing problems in the classroom.

If parents wait until the summer before school starts to begin planning for their child’s first day in kindergarten, then it’s a scramble – both to gather the paperwork and to make sure the child has the necessary skills to be successful in school.

The 10 school systems involved in the joint kindergarten registration day came together under Smart Beginnings Greater Richmond to plan and advertise the April 7 registration date. Promoting the enrollment of the region’s nearly 12,000 incoming kindergartners and developing a regional definition of school readiness are among the priority strategies in Smart Beginnings’ Regional Plan for Children’s School Readiness.

Published in May 2010, the Regional Plan represents the community’s consensus on what it will take to achieve school readiness for all of the region’s young children. are putting the plan in motion. Through Smart Beginnings Greater Richmond, more than 100 public and private organizations, agencies and businesses are putting the plan in motion.

Dwight C. Jones, Mayor (continued on Page 4)

Page 2 Richmond Quality Child Care Newsletter

The Virginia Infant & Toddler Specialist Network will present an audio-conference on Exploring Nature with Infants and Toddlers on Wednesday, March 9, 2011 from 1:00 - 2:00 PM. The audio-conference will be presented by Jennifer Miller, Helen Webster and Debbie Weigand, Northern Region Infant and Toddler Specialists.

Registration for the audio-conference will begin in early February. For more information about this audio-conference, please email Debbie Connell, debbiec@cdr.org or call 757-566-3300.

To learn more about the Virginia Infant &Toddler Specialist Network, visit www.va-itsnetwork.org.

This Little Light of Mind - Annual VAECE Conference - March 17 - 19, 2011 Attending a professional conference is a great way to “recharge your professional battery.” Join early childhood professionals from all over Virginia for this three-day conference that offers workshops and seminars, presentations from national speakers and a grand exhibit hall where you can see the latest products for your early childhood program. Enjoy a presentation from Dr. Jerlean Daniel, Ph.D., Executive Director of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) during the Thursday Motivational Luncheon. The conference will be held at the Richmond Marriott Hotel, 500 East Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219. Visit the Virginia Association for Early Childhood Education (VAECE) website, www.vaece.org for more information. Registration is now open.

Infant & Toddler Specialist Network Audio-Conference - March 9, 2011

Due to statewide budget restrictions, the Professional Development Catalog for Child Care Professionals published by the Virginia Department of Social Services will no longer be mailed to you. The Spring 2011 catalog is now available. This catalog includes class schedules, registration information and additional professional development information. Visit http://www.dss.virginia.gov/family/cc/professionals_resources.cgi (click on Professional Development Catalog). For more information, please call 804-523-2298 or email VDSSclasses@ccwa.vccs.edu.

Save the Date - February 17, 2011 - Director’s Networking Group Come join other Directors from Richmond, Chesterfield, Mechanicsville, Henrico and surrounding areas for an evening of dinner, training and networking with early childhood directors and administrators. This event will be held at the Weinstein Jewish Community Center, Thursday, February 17, 2011, from 6:00 - 8:00 PM. Dinner and networking will begin at 6:00 PM, followed by a presentation on Inclusion: Developing and Implementing a Successful Preschool Inclusion Program. The Richmond Area Director’s Networking Group is sponsored by Richmond Early Childhood Association, Richmond Association of Directors, the City of Richmond Early Childhood Development Initiative and Smart Beginnings Greater Richmond. This event, including dinner, is free for all Richmond area child care program directors. To participate, you must register by February 16, 2011 online at www.recava.net or by contacting Mickie McInnis at 804-874-8195. Directors will receive a certificate for 1.5 hours of annual training. Invite a director to come with you!

Important Notice to ALL Early Childhood Professionals

Race to Nowhere - Byrd Theatre - February 27, 2011 Race to Nowhere points to the silent epidemic in our schools: cheating has become commonplace; students are disengaged; stress-related illness and depression are rampant; and many young people arrive at college and the workplace unprepared and uninspired. Race to Nowhere is a call to action for families, educators and policy makers to challenge current assumptions on how to best prepare the youth of America to become healthy, bright, contributing and leading citizens. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. The movie will be shown on Sunday, February 27, 2011 at 2 PM at the Byrd Theatre, 2908 West Cary Street, Richmond, Virginia, 23221. For more information about this movie, contact Commonwealth Parenting online at www.commonwealthparenting.org or call 804-545-1272.

The Richmond Early Childhood Association (RECA) invites Richmond early childhood programs to bring their children with their dancing shoes on for an energetic, interactive free concert to celebrate Month of the Young Child! This concert features Hope Harris and the Cousins’ Jamboree on Friday, April 8, 2011 at 10 AM at the Weinstein Jewish Community Center, 5403 Monument Avenue, Richmond, Virginia 23226. Month of the Young Child is designated in April to focus public attention on early childhood programs that serve the child care and preschool needs of young children and their families.

To register contact Donna Peters, Early Childhood Director, Weinstein Jewish Community Center at dpeters@weinsteinjcc.org.

Programs are encouraged to invite families for this exciting program. Space is limited so register today!

Page 3 Richmond Quality Child Care Newsletter

The Richmond Public Library is pleased to announce a Project Learning Tree workshop on Saturday, May 14, 2011 from 10 AM - 2 PM. Project Learning Tree's Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood encourages children to explore, discover, and communicate in expressive ways, and provides an introduction to environmental education at a key developmental period in children's lives. Developed with preschool educators and early childhood specialists, the guide is designed for educators who work with children ages 3 to 6. The program offers over 130 experiences that engage

children in outdoor play and exploration. Topics include exploring nature with five senses, meeting neighborhood trees and experiencing trees through the seasons. An accompanying CD features music from children's musician Billy B. Brennan that encourages children to sing, dance and move.

There is no registration fee for this workshop. A $10.00 materials fee, payable to Project Learning Tree, will be collected at the workshop.

This workshop is limited to 25 participants. Participants will also need to bring a bag lunch and drink. Pre-register by contacting Krista Dawson, Literacy Out Reach Coordinator, Richmond Public Library at krista.dawson@richmondgov.com or call 804-646-4147.

Celebrate with Hope Harris and the Cousins Jamboree - April 8, 2011

Save the Date - Celebrating Babies and Tots 2011 The Virginia Infant and Toddler Specialist Network will host four exciting institutes for early care providers who serve infants and toddlers. The institutes will take place on Saturday, April 30, 2011 in Charlottesville and Fairfax and on Saturday, May 21, 2011 in Roanoke and Williamsburg. The institutes will be held from 8:30 AM - 4:15 PM. Each institutes will feature a nationally recognized keynote speaker, a director’s forum and seminars related to quality care for infants and toddlers including:

listening and talking to infants and toddlers

strengthening families

understanding behavior

Information and registration for this event will be available mid-February at www.va-itsnetwork.org.

working with multiple ages in family care homes

creating safe and engaging environments

Project Learning Tree - May 14, 2011 - Save the Date

Page 4 Richmond Quality Child Care Newsletter

(continued from Page 1)

Below is information to help Richmond child care providers guide families through the registration process.

Poison Prevention Week - March 20 - 26, 2011 Each year, National Poison Prevention Week is designated by Presidential proclamation and occurs during the third full week of March. This week is a great time to introduce a great program to the children, share important poison prevention tips and provide resource information to parents.

Quill’s Up! - Stay Away is a poison prevention program designed for preschool children. The program includes a video and classroom activities as well as educational materials for parents and caregivers.

Visit http://www.poison.org/prevent/preschool.asp to learn more about this FREE program.

To order FREE stickers, magnets and pamphlets to share with families during this safety week, visit http://www.vapoison.org/ and click on Poison Prevention for the on-line order form.

What number can I call to find out what school my child will go to?

804-780-7811

What website can I use to find out what school my child will go to?

www.richmond.k12.va.us and click tab "Schools", then select school locator

How old should my child be in order to attend kindergarten for the 2011/2012 school year?

A child must be 5 years old on or before September 30, 2011

What time should I come? 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM

What should I bring with me to register? 1) Certified copy of the child’s birth certificate

2) Child’s Social Security number* 3) Proof of city residency* 4) School Entrance Health Form completed by a licensed medical

provider. Part I-Health Information Form Part II-Certification of Immunization Part III-Comprehensive Physical Examination Report completed within

the twelve months prior to the date the child first enters kindergarten **

5) Photo ID for parent or legal guardian

Does my child need to come with me to registration? No, children are not required to attend registration If I move during the summer to another school zone in Richmond City, do registration records transfer between schools?

Yes, we can transfer all documents within the City of Richmond. However, parents will need to provide the new school with proof of residence at the new address

If I move during the summer to another school jurisdiction (different city/county) do registration records transfer between school divisions?

No, you will need to take your registration documents to the new county/city school to register

Is kindergarten a full day program? Yes

What if I can't come on April 7? If it is not possible to register on April 7, parents should call the school to set up an appointment as soon as possible

What if I need help getting all of the paperwork together?

Speak to your school first, then call 2-1-1 for additional community re-sources. 2-1-1 is an abbreviated dialing code for free access to health and human services information and referral (I&R) and is available to everyone needing help, especially in times of crisis

*Some exceptions could apply, see website or call for more details **May bring these on registration day or by the first day of school