The Long Island Early Childhood
Leadership Initiative
September 2021 Newsletter
Welcome to our Leadership Initiative Newsletter!
We send this out each month to update you on events, announcements, news, and more. Not a member yet and want to get involved?
Sign Up HERE!
This month, we are reading "Don't Look Away: Embracing Anti-Bias Classroom." Emily Torres, from the Suffolk Child Care Council, is leading a group of leaders to explore their own unconscious bias, ways to engage in reflective practice, and sharper our leadership skills to create equitable programs for children and families in our communities. If you missed this book group, please watch your inbox for future book groups.
This event has been reviewed and approved as Quality Assured by the Aspire Registry
Have a book in mind you would love to read and discuss with other early childhood leaders? Let us know!
Networking Meetings
Networking Meetings are hosted every week on Tuesdays, from 12:00 pm- 1:00 pm. Prior registration required. Email Cristina Medellin to learn how to become a member and register for these meetings. Our members have used these meetings to provide support, share ideas, and resources to one another, particularly in the context of our current climate.
Calling all group and family child care leaders!
Next month, the Long Island Leadership Initiative is launching programming specifically for group/family child care leaders. We will meet on the 3rd Thursday of each month from 7:00-8:00 pm. Our first meeting will be Thursday, October 21st. We will use this space to connect with other home-based providers and discuss topics relevant to your work in your community. Membership and registration are required to attend these sessions. Please emailCristina Medellin to learn more about the Leadership Initiative.
Learning Community
We are excited to launch this year-long learning community using the book "Onward, Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educator" by Elena Aguilar on October 14th, from 5:00 - 6:00 pm. The "Onward" learning community will focus on cultivating emotional resilience in educators using a conceptual framework that has four parts: who we are, where we are, what we do, and how we are. We will explore the 12 habits and dispositions that can be cultivated so leaders can build resiliency. Prior registration was required and this Learning Community is full. To learn more about the book "Onward" please click HERE. If you would like to put on our waiting listemail us.
Cost of Care in Early Childhood for
Family & Group Family Leaders
Over the last few months, there has been an increased focus on investment in early childhood care. With new federal and state investments, Long Island home-based leaders should examine their business practices. We are launching our first learning community focused on calculating the true cost of care. In these sessions, leaders will examine their program costs per child and identify the "gap" between program expenses, cost per child, and owner and staff salary. Robin Beller and I will co-lead the group to explore trends and discuss ways in which owners can strengthen their business practices to ensure stability for their programs. We plan to have our first meeting Thursday, October 14th from 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm. Additional meetings will take place on 10/28 and 11/4 from 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm. Please note this event has a limited number of seats and is exclusive for Leadership Initiative family/group family members. To register please email us.
Leadership Mentoring
Would you like to be matched with an experienced mentor?
or
Are you interested in providing mentoring to others?
Connecting with a mentor who has experience and expertise to support the effectiveness and goals of early childhood leaders is an essential component of our Leadership Initiative offerings. Mentoring provides the mentee an opportunity to develop their leadership and management skills and learn from an experienced practitioner how to navigate many of the challenges and decisions faced by early childhood leaders within the context of a confidential and supportive relationship.
Apply HERE to be matched with a mentor.
Apply HERE to be a mentor to others.
Questions? Contact us
Interested in participating in any of these above events?...
Reading Corner
"From Teacher to Leader"
By Starr Sackstein
To learn more click HERE
"The Introverted Leader"
By Jennifer B. Kahnweiler, PhD.
To learn more click HERE
"Overcoming Teacher Burnout in Early Childhood: Strategies for Change"
By: Ellen M. Drolette
To learn more click HERE
QUALITYstarsNY
QUALITYstarsNY is Accepting New Participants! Get Support for your Early Childhood Program
Join QUALITYstarsNY to receive quality improvement support and resources at no cost to your early childhood program. As New York State’s Quality Rating & Improvement System for early childhood programs, QUALITYstarsNY uses evidence-based practices to support early childhood programs in their efforts to meet the needs of the families they serve. Programs participating in QUALITYstarsNY receive one-on-one support from a Quality Improvement Specialist, professional development opportunities for staff, access to high quality classroom materials, at much more! If you would like additional information, please visit qualitystarsny.org, or email info@qualitystarsny.org. Information sessions will be added monthly, see here.
Are you using the Aspire Registry?
The Aspire Registry is an online system that supports early childhood professionals and recognizes the valuable work that you do!
You may have noticed that some of the Leadership Events are endorsed by the Aspire Registry. This means the event is approved by the Aspire Registry and if you register and attend a Aspire approved event and you are part of the Aspire Registry, your attendance will be listed in your personal Aspire Profile.
To learn more about the Aspire Registry click HERE
Long Island News and Updates!
Child Care Stabilization Grant Support Did you know the Child Care Councils of Nassau and Suffolk have people standing by to help you with your stabilization grant application? Do you not know where to start with the application process? Are you struggling with our application or receiving errors? Or would you like more information prior to applying?
Please reach out to us, we have people standing by to help you navigate the application process, free of charge!
Early Childhood Staff Orientation Program: Space limited! Sign up for this intensive early childhood center staff orientation program. Nominate your staff today. For more information and registration see the flyer here.
Professional Development Booklet with Fall training can be found here.
School-Aged Care Credential (SAC)
We now have the SAC credential training being offered right here on Long Island! This is a wonderful opportunity for before/after school care educators. Classes begin soon sign up today!
Infant-Toddler Conference
Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to attend a conference focused on topics related to infant/toddler care. Sign up here.
Best Practices for Teaching Pre-K and K Conference
The Long Island Pre-K Initiative will host its annual conference on November 2nd, 2021 virtually. Registration is $75.00 per person. Sign up today!
Resources & Professional Development Opportunities
Children's Program Administrator Credential (CPAC) Graduate-level courses to advance your skills to lead high-quality and
effective early childhood programs Are you interested in early childhood management and leadership? The Institute and CUNY School of Professional Studies offer graduate-level coursework that leads to theChildren’s Program Administrator Credential (CPAC). Register Now! Program benefits: CTLE credits awarded
4 week courses
Offered online
Pursue on your own schedule
NYS B5 SUNY-CUNY Early Childhood Workforce Scholarship Information Sessions Do you work in an early childhood center? Would you like to build your career?
Are you interested in earning a Credential, Certificate, Associate's, Bachelor's, or Graduate degree? The Institute's Career Development Center is offering information sessions on theCUNY/SUNY Early Childhood Workforce Scholarship. This needs-based scholarship is designed to support those individuals in the early childhood workforce working 20 hours or more in a licensed early childhood center. New, returning, and current students are eligible to apply through the Institute's Career Development Center. Contact Cristina Medellin to register for an upcoming information session.
Are you an early childhood program in need of teachers and support staff? Become a member of our ECE Employment Network to post jobs at no cost on our job board and gain access to a personal advisor who can make connections with our Job Seekers who have also signed up for the network. As soon as you apply, our Career Advisors will be in contact with you to support you in you in your hiring needs.
Are you looking for an early childhood job opportunity? The Early Childhood Career Center has established an ECE Employment Network for employers and professionals at all levels. To join the “Job Seeker cohort” of our new network, tell us about yourself, provide your resume and let us know what kind of position you are seeking. One of our Career Advisors will contact you to begin linking you to employers who are actively hiring, as well as access to training and career development resources and support you in your job search!
As the summer winds down and we prepare ourselves to enter a new school year its an important time to take a pause and consider what we are doing to re-energize ourselves, care for ourselves, and be ready physically, psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually so that we have the capacity to provide the care and leadership our children, families, and staff deserve. Here are some resources that will hopefully be useful to you.
Caring for Ourselves, So That We Can Care for Others- Take care of yourself. Your students need you to do this. Put on your oxygen mask first so your teaching can be a gift of yourself to your students. They need your mind, body, and soul to be nurtured. You can’t give to them what you don’t have.
REFER an aspiring or current leader to join the Leadership Initiative. Send them thelink to join ENROLLin CPAC courses. Have you considered obtaining your CPAC credential? There is open enrollment.
