SUMMER 2007
New Staff and Changing Staff Roles
Making sense of changes underway within the Professional Development System
Surge Support Child Care Project Update
Sharing the Wisdom of Many Voices Conference
PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES::
Contact: Gail Mahr
651-290-9704 ext. 200
Not by Chance:
Contact: Gail Mahr
651-290-9704 ext. 200
Ounce Scale MN Child Care Project
Contact: Mary Scott
651-433-2182
Sharing the Wisdom of
Many Voices Conference
Contact: Julie Wasiluk
651-290-9704 ext. 119
Contact: Cory Woosley
651-746-4024
New Staff and Changing Staff Roles
The Network Professional Development Department is growing and changing in response to the myriad of changes taking place around us. With new initiatives and the continued importance being placed on professional development, the Network has done some restructuring which will allow our agency to better fulfill our mission and vision. First, it is my great pleasure to welcome Linda Magel to our professional development team. Linda is stepping into a new role that combines several current initiatives that are all designed to financially support or reward providers for their commitment to continuing education and program improvement. Linda will coordinate the REETAIN grant program, the new CDA Advisor grant program and she will provide technical assistance and support to those CCR&R staff who work with the CCR&R grants program. All of these financial programs have a strong connection to providers professional development. By being part of the professional development department, we will be able to be more responsive and intentional with this linkage. To read more about Linda, click here.
Our second big change is a new pilot initiative that has been spearheaded by the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) and the Department of Defense. Julie Wasiluk, whom many of you know through her past work as the ITTI program assistant and most recently as the coordinator of the Sharing the Wisdom conference, will now be coordinating this important pilot project called Surge Support Child Care project. Click here to read more about the Surge Support project.
Finally, Gail Mahr, our Professional Development Coordinator, will devoting the majority of her time coordinating the Environment Rating Scale Consultation Project. Several regional CCR&R sites around the state are or will be participating in a project designed to provide on-site consultation services to child care providers who want to improve their programs by using the environment rating scale tools. There are strong linkages with this service and the Not By Chance trainings as well as the pilot Parent Aware Quality Ratings System. Ideally, providers will gain knowledge, understanding and some implementation skills regarding the environment rating scales from the Not By Chance trainings, and can have access to follow-up consultation in order to use the scales effectively in their programs. The Parent Aware Quality Ratings System includes the use of the environment rating scales as part of the overall ratings system. Providers who participate in Not By Chance and the CCR&R consultation service will be well-prepared to participate in Parent Aware. Gail has a wealth of knowledge and experience providing consultation services, so coordinating this work statewide is a great fit for her. Gail will also continue to provide “transition” support for the Not By Chance and PITC training efforts.
The Network is humming these days with such top-notch staff leading such dynamic initiatives. Stay tuned in future issues for more updates on these new efforts!