Reagan and Bethany from Mix 106.5 radio helped promote your program throughout the Maryland/D.C. area! Their weekday morning show, from 5:30 to 10:00 a.m., is entertaining and relatable, especially to parents as they commute to work. We hope your program benefits from this marketing to families!
Maryland EXCELS programs also benefited from radio advertising campaigns on 92Q Jams, Z 104.3, and Big Froggy 105.3. If you heard the ads on any of these stations, let us know on social media or at social@marylandexcels.org. We love hearing from you!
|
|
|
Provider Experiences at Camden Yards
|
|
|
|
Ms. Francis and her son enjoying the game.
During our regional birthday celebrations, several providers won tickets to baseball games at Camden Yards. Here’s what one of the winners said:
“[The game] was incredible! The food was delicious, the suite was super comfortable, and the outside seating gave us the perfect view of the game. We cannot thank you enough for this experience. The kids are still talking about how much they loved it! I could not have asked for a better first baseball game experience for them! Between the dinner at Martin’s West and this baseball game experience, Maryland EXCELS truly knows how to make independent family childcare providers like myself feel like a part of something and really feel special!”
Adrienne Francis – Caterpillars to Butterflies
|
|
|
Maryland EXCELS Wraps Up 5th Birthday Celebration
|
|
|
|
Maryland EXCELS concluded its yearlong 5th birthday celebration in June with nearly 300 providers and guests enjoying a night of great food, music, and prizes. This reception in Baltimore County was the last of seven events held throughout the state to celebrate providers’ commitment to quality child care and early education. Overall, almost 1,000 providers and guests attended the celebrations.
Check out what attendees said about Maryland EXCELS and the final 5th birthday celebration!
"Maryland EXCELS makes me feel more respected. I feel more like a professional since being involved in the program."
Jan Hymes- Allegany County
"I like Maryland EXCELS because it’s a stepping stone for helping all providers be on the same page as far as implementing policies and procedures."
Tonya Lawrence- Baltimore City
"The Quality Assurance Specialists are awesome! I couldn’t do Maryland EXCELS without them!"
Shay Gurry- Baltimore City
"As a family child care provider, it can feel isolating. It was so nice to be invited to this event and meet other providers."
Adrienne Francis- Baltimore County
"My favorite thing about participating in Maryland EXCELS is the feeling of community. We all work together to bring quality child care to all of the children in Maryland."
Cathy Ross- Anne Arundel County
View photos from the event here.
|
|
|
Maryland EXCELS Western Maryland Provider Reception
|
|
|
|
Providers in the Frederick/Hagerstown area know how to have some fun! The Maryland EXCELS Team hosted a Western Maryland provider reception at Musket Ridge Golf Club in Myersville on May 16, where 100 providers and their guests were in attendance. In a special raffle drawing, a few lucky programs won tickets to a baseball game at Camden Yards this summer, as well as gift baskets provided by Kaplan Early Learning and Discount School Supply.
Check out an attendee's kind words about Maryland EXCELS and the celebration!
"My co-worker Amber and I had so much fun! We enjoyed dancing, the food, and the photo booth, and all the giveaways were great! It was a very classy event and very thoughtful! I have never ever won anything before in my life, so when they called my name I was like are you sure that’s right! I’ve been in child care for almost 30 years, and this by far was the nicest event I have ever been to in all my years. THANKS AGAIN!!"
Christy Whittington
REGIONAL DIRECTOR
Before and After School Enrichment
YMCA OF FREDERICK COUNTY
View more photos from the birthday event here. |
|
|
WTMD Saturday Morning Tunes
|
|
|
The Maryland EXCELS Team attends Saturday Morning Tunes monthly events with WTMD radio in Baltimore County to promote Maryland EXCELS programs to families. Children and families love engaging with the team and enjoy taking home Maryland EXCELS instruments like maracas and tambourines!
|
|
|
Win Tickets to a Game at Camden Yards!
|
|
|
|
Show us your Maryland EXCELS pride for a chance
to win Camden Yards suite tickets!
Deadline to enter: August 16, 2019
Take a photo of yourself, your staff, or the children in your program representing Maryland EXCELS for your chance to win 4 tickets to a baseball game at Camden Yards on August 24, 2019. Some photo ideas: wear a Maryland EXCELS T-shirt, hold a Maryland EXCELS sign, or have your students decorate a poster featuring the Maryland EXCELS name. Send your creative photos and a brief description to social@MarylandEXCELS.org. Be sure to include your name, program name, and contact information. Winners will be contacted by phone by August 20, 2019, and photos will be posted on Maryland EXCELS' social media pages. Good luck!
|
|
|
Marketing Your Child Care Business
|
|
|
|
As a business owner, you wear multiple hats. In addition to caring for the children in your program, you manage paperwork, finances, communication with families and many other things on any given day. How do you find time to market your business to keep it growing and flourishing?
One of the benefits of participating in Maryland EXCELS
is free marketing opportunities!
The Maryland EXCELS Team strives to help you find families that are a good fit for your program. The team does this by attending community events, running radio campaigns, posting billboards, and publishing ads and articles in local publications.
What are some of the ways you market your business? What have you found to be the best ways to reach the families in your community? The Maryland EXCELS Team knows that marketing can be different in each region, so we want to hear from you! Send us an email at social@marylandexcels.org to let us know the marketing methods that have been most effective for your program. We will feature some of the tips in upcoming issues of eNews!
Share this article, originally published in Baltimore’s Child magazine, with the families in your program to demonstrate how Maryland EXCELS helps families and how they benefit from quality programs by choosing you! |
|
|
Select the image above to visit the Workgroup and Training calendar online.
|
|
Access Frequently Asked Questions about
Maryland EXCELS "Year of Bonuses" here.
|
|
The Maryland State Department of Education is partnering with WIDA Early Years to support the language development of young multilingual children. Learn more about this important initiative and how it benefits your program here. |
|
Follow Maryland EXCELS on Facebook and Twitter to see the #NewFoodFriday posts, which help spark creative ways to introduce children to new foods! Do you have any creative ideas for snacks that you use in your program? Share your ideas with us at social@marylandexcels.org for a chance to be featured on the Maryland EXCELS social media pages! |
|
|
Family Engagement
Research shows that children are more likely to have a positive experience in programs that engage families in supporting their children’s learning at home. Family engagement goes beyond basic communication with families. It requires deeper involvement and relationship building that promote strong, healthy families. Family engagement requires ongoing interaction between parents and providers. It is something that occurs throughout the course of a child’s connection with your program.
Read more here.
|
|
|
Environment
As summer winds down, thoughts begin to turn to the arrival of fall. Take advantage of this time of year to consider the type of learning environment you would like to provide for the children in your program.
Beginning at Quality Rating 3, the Maryland EXCELS Toolkit offers information on how to plan for the months ahead. Topics include ways to welcome children and families into your program, planning developmentally appropriate learning opportunities, and designing an environment that reflects children’s interests, backgrounds, and experiences.
Visit the Developmentally Appropriate Learning and Practice: Environment section of the Toolkit to learn more.
|
|
The Maryland EXCELS Team is busy in the community connecting with families to promote your program. Whether you are a published program or you are considering joining our community, we’re glad you are here!
Here are some of the events where you could find Maryland EXCELS this summer:
· Tots @ 10 at The Avenue at White Marsh
· WTMD Saturday Morning Tunes · Minor league baseball games:
· Bowie Baysox
· Frederick Keys
· Southern Maryland Blue Crabs
· Delmarva Shorebirds
· Hereford Junior Farm Fair
September 2019 Events
Tots @ 10 at the Avenue at White Marsh
Thursday, September 5, 2019, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
FamFest at Lake Monticello, Baltimore City
Sunday, September 7, 2019, 10:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Sign up here to attend for free!
Family Fun Day at Camden Yards
Saturday, September 14, 2019, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Attention Providers! Be on the lookout for an email blast to enter to win free tickets for you and the families in your program.
|
|
|
Before you begin the Maryland Accreditation/Validation process, you must attend a Maryland Accreditation Orientation. Orientations take place at Johns Hopkins University’s IDEALS Institute on the following dates:
Thursday, August 15, 2019
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Room: 218/219
Optional technical assistance: 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Thursday, November 7, 2019
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Room: 218/219
Optional technical assistance: 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Location:
IDEALS Institute
Johns Hopkins School of Education
6740 Alexander Bell Drive
Columbia, MD 21046
2nd Floor – See room numbers above
If you have not attended an orientation within the past year, please register for one of the above orientations by sending an email to accreditation@marylandexcels.org. Please enter Maryland Accreditation Orientation in the subject line of your email and include the following information:
- Program name
- License number
- Your name
- Your email address
- Your phone number
- Date of session
|
|
|
|
|
|
