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#1 - Free Training Hours
We are happy to announce our continued partnership with SCORE Westchester, to offer a free series of workshops for child care professionals. Four sessions will be held in 2020 covering the following topic areas: business insurance and taxes, understanding the finances of a business, managing employees, and marketing child care programs.
#2 - Free Graco Cribs from OCFS
If you are a Legally Exempt, Family, or Group Family Day Care program you may be eligible for a free Graco Pack 'n Play crib. Simply complete the request form and hold harmless agreement below:
#3 - Shape Your Future - Take the Census 2020 Survey
Every 10 years, data is compiled for each household in the United States through a Census Survey.
Federal funds, grants and support to states, counties and communities are all based on the results. It is vital for everyone to participate in the Census so that our communities get a fair share of the more than $675 billion annually that is allocated based on Census results. This funding supports schools, hospitals, public works, child care and other vital programs.
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YOUR BUSINESS IS OUR BUSINESS
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Great Wins for Child Care in the 2020 Westchester County Budget
Thanks to both County Executive George Latimer and his team and the Board of Legislators for new investments in child care:
- Parent share will drop 2% to 25%
- Provider reimbursement rates will increase by 6%
- 100 plus additional child care slots will be funded
We couldn't have done this without the over 1,000 people from all over the county who signed on to our I SAY YES campaign for child care and the programs that hosted
I SAY YES events:
- Country Children's Center
- Happy Corner Day Care
- Kaleidoscope Childcare Center
- Montrose Child Care Center
- Mount Kisco Child Care Center
- New Rochelle Day Nursery
- Ossining Children's Center
- Queen's Daughters Day Care Center
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Congratulations to the Latest CDA Course Grads!
These early childhood professionals completed a Child Care Council CDA course and then went on to earn the Child Development Associate credential from the Council for Professional Recognition in Washington, DC. They have worked hard to build their skills and enhance their knowledge of young children. The children in their care, their parents, and their programs are very fortunate to have such dedicated professionals working with them.
The Council's In-Person Preschool CDA Class
- Jheri Ciaccio
- Sabina Kajoshi
The Council's Online CDA Class
- Diane DiChiaro
- Joele Levenson
- Angela Rose
- Kahlia Thomas
To find out more about the CDA credential or for information about the Council's CDA classes, please contact Idie Benjamin, Director of Professional Development, at
[email protected]
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Want to Take Your Program
Up a Notch?
A Child Care Council Quality Specialist
is available to work with you
Whether you are a home-based provider, or a child care center or after school program...
Whether you care for infants, toddlers, preschoolers or after school age children...
A Council specialist is eager to partner with you.
We can help you enhance the quality of your program through on-site observation and one-on-one support from a member of our experienced staff.
We can work with you on changes to your environment, introducing new activities, responding to children's sometimes challenging behaviors, promoting overall social-emotional development, curriculum and more.
To talk about how we might work together to make great things happen for your program, contact Idie Benjamin, Director of Professional Development,
at [email protected] or (914) 761-3456 x108.
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Health Tip: Cold Weather Safety
C
hildren are more vulnerable than adults to the effects of cold weather. Read and share these tips with staff and parents to keep children safe, healthy, and warm this winter.
Infection Control
- Cold weather does not cause colds or flu. However, viruses that cause a cold and the flu are more common in the winter when children spend more time indoors.
- Keeping everyone's hands clean is one of the most important ways to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. Wash hands with soap and clean running water and rub them together for 30 seconds.
- Teach children to cough or sneeze into their upper sleeve or elbow, not their hands. Adults should model this behavior.
- Review program policies on hand washing, cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting, and excluding children and caregivers who are sick.
- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that all children 6 months and older receive the seasonal flu vaccine every year. All early care and education program staff should also get vaccinated for the flu.
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Check Out Our New Professional Development
Winter-Spring Calendar
Begin the New Year by registering for these trainings:
- OCFS Regulations-What Directors Need to Know (January 22)
- Got Germs? Managing and Preventing Infectious Diseases in Early Care and Education Settings (Febuary 29)
- New Training: Self-Esteem & A Growth Mindset (April 27)
Click here
to view our 2020 Winter- Spring Training Calendar.
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R
egulations Reminder:
414.5(c), 416.5(c), 417.5(c),
418.5(c)
Portable Heaters
Portable electric heaters and heating devices should not be used in rooms accessible to children, regardless of the type and usage of fuel.
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WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE COUNCIL
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Giving Tuesday Success!
The results are in! On Giving Tuesday
we raised over $25,000 for our Key to the Future Fund, 100% of which goes directly to early care and education scholarships for children in need.
Every milestone these children meet now, and every accomplishment later in life, will have its roots in your generosity. THANK YOU for contributing to the Council. Special thanks as well to
#TDBank for matching $2,500 in donations!
It's not too late! If you didn't have a chance to give, but still want to contribute to a scholarship, please
click here.
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Toy Overload!
Thank you Westchester for your overwhelming support of our annual toy drive! We are excited to donate hundreds of toys to Toys for Tots for distribution to families who may be struggling to provide for their children for the holidays. An extra special thank you to our partners: Ivy Rehab Physical Therapy
(Hartsdale, West Harrison, Harrison and New Rochelle locations), Archbishop Stepinac High School,
Coldwell Banker (White Plains location),
Shake Shack (Hartsdale) and Bronxville Montessori School.
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The Council's Own
Emerging Leaders
On December 3rd, Nonprofit Westchester celebrated the work of the nonprofit sector at the Keeping Westchester Thriving Awards event.
We are so proud of Juanita Pope, recognized as a member of Nonprofit Westchester's first Emerging Leaders class AND excited about Lindsay Iacovello's starting the program in February 2020! We happily continue to support and encourage the professional growth of our wonderful staff.
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Welcome New & Renewed
Child Care Programs!
Healthy Kids Extended Day Program
Renewed
SACC Programs
City of White Plains Youth Bureau (135415)
Nepperhan Community Center, Inc. (43640)
New Rochelle YMCA (44781)
Ossining Children's Center Inc. (423164)
Welcome New CACFP Participants
Sara Betwarda
Rosweny Hidalgo Flores
Johanny Paredes
Baraba Powell
Arleen Sheilds
Mary Washington
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Celebrate National Soup Month
The weather outside is cold, but a delicious bowl of soup will keep everyone warm. Making soup is a great cooking activity for children. Cooking is math and science and fun.
Try this fun recipe that gives you and the children an opportunity to make decisions and count! Print out the fun graphic and have a wonderful time.
Build Your Own Veggie Soup - Slow Cooker Recipe
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My Grandparent and Me Day
Mid-Hudson Children's Museum celebrates grandparents by offering free admission all day to grandparents when accompanied by their grandchildren.
When
:
Friday, January 10
Where:
Mid-Hudson Children's Museum
75 N Water St, Poughkeepsie
Cost: Free
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- Free Training
- Census 2020
- Child Care in the 2020 Budget
- Giving Tuesday Success
- Annual Toy Drive Overload
- Children's Corner
- What's Cooking
- Family Fun and more
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Dobbs Ferry High School
505 Broadway
Dobbs Ferry, NY
April 25, 2020
Brochure and Registration information will be available in January.
For more information, contact Carmelita Bota at
[email protected]
Annual Book Drive
Child Care Council of Westchester
313 Central Park Ave
Scarsdale, NY
March 15- April 30, 2020
Early Education Hall of Heroes
Mercy College
555 Broadway
Dobbs Ferry, NY
June 5, 2020
Early Closings
(Office closes at 3pm)
December 24, 2019
All Day
December 25-27, 2019
January 1, 2020
January 20, 2020
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We are excited to welcome Andrea Rosendo as our new Babies Step Forward Bi-lingual Engagement Specialist. Andrea will work with families to help provide additional support.
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Congratulations, Lindsay!
We are thrilled to announce Lindsay Iacovello as our new Director of Provider Services. Lindsay has been a part of the Council for over 14 years, and we look forward to the knowledge and ideas she will bring to this new role.
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Congratulations, Alexandra!
We are happy to announce Alexandra Santana as our new Assistant Director of Provider Services. We know that you will continue to contribute your professionalism and great ideas.
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Latoya received a well deserved promotion. As our new Provider Services Supervisor, she will oversee many new projects. We look forward to seeing Latoya excel in her new role.
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Join our 2020 Membership!
Benefits Include:
- Membership Certificate to post at your site
- Discounted calendar trainings and on-site trainings
- Listing on your website with a link to yours
- Free postings on the Council's job bank
- Free Members Only networking events
- Lakeshore Learning coupon and discount
- Printed Council Training Calendars
- Free promotional gift
- Refer a friend and receive voucher for a free training
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Opportunities to Connect with Colleagues!
Regular meetings at the Council for family providers, early childhood directors, and school age directors provide opportunities for you to learn, share resources and support one another. These meetings are also an avenue to increase your knowledge. Each one includes a training with a certificate accepted by OCFS.
Providers Network:
This group for registered family and licensed group family providers meets 4 times a year. For information about the network, contact Sarah Merrifield, CCCW Infant Toddler Specialist at
[email protected] or (914)-761-3456 ext. 107.
Westchester Early Childhood Directors Association:
The Association meets the 3rd Tuesday of the month from 1:00- 3:00pm. Contact Howard Milbert at Ossining Children's Center at (914) 941-0230 or Dawn Meyerski at Mt. Kisco Child Care Center at (914) 241-2135 or
[email protected] for details.
School Age Directors Network:
Join the network today!
Please note the networking groups do not meet in August.
The Council is pleased to host these groups. We encourage you to attend their meetings.
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Are You Hiring?
We encourage Council Members to post openings on our website and to check out candidates' resumes for your openings.
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How Do I Know If It's Too Cold to Go Outside?
OCFS regulations require that "Programs must offer daily supervised outdoor play, except during inclement or extreme weather or unless otherwise prohibited by a health care provider."
Going outside in the winter gives children fresh air in an open space. They can move and get exercise, use their imaginations as they explore the winter environment, and get Vitamin D. Cold weather does not cause the cold or flu, so children dressed appropriately should go outside whenever there are not extreme temperatures.
But when is it too cold to go outside for infants, toddlers, preschool, and school age children? Click below to see the Weather Watch chart. Find the day's temperature and wind chill to see if it is a day to go outside. Green always means go outside. Yellow is "caution" and means children who are dressed warmly can go outside. You might want to keep infants and young toddlers in on those days. Remember that children benefit from going outside for even 5 minutes.
Resources
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What's Cooking?
Turkey Hummus Wraps
INGREDIENTS
- One 9-inch whole wheat tortilla
- 3 tablespoons of hummus (any flavor)
- 1 ounce sliced deli turkey breast
- ¼ cup baby spinach leaves
- ¼ cup carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks (can substitute bell peppers)
DIRECTIONS
- Lay the tortilla out on a cutting board. Spread the hummus over the surface of the tortilla. Lay the tortilla out on a cutting board. Spread the hummus over the surface of the tortilla.
- Arrange the turkey slice on top of the hummus and sprinkle the spinach and carrot sticks on top.
- Fold in the sides of the tortilla and roll it up like a burrito.
- Use toothpicks to secure the filling in place and slice into 5 pieces. Remove toothpicks before serving
- Arrange the turkey slice on top of the hummus and sprinkle the spinach and carrot sticks on top.
- Fold in the sides of the tortilla and roll it up like a burrito.
- Use toothpicks to secure the filling in place and slice into 5 pieces. Remove toothpicks before serving
- Fold in the sides of the tortilla and roll it up like a burrito.
- Use toothpicks to secure the filling in place and slice into 5 pieces. Remove toothpicks before serving.
For more information on reimbursements for meals and snacks, contact Latoya Ramsey, Provider Services Supervisor at (914)-761-3456 x 118 or email her at [email protected]
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Community Resources
United Way's 2-1-1 is a free, confidential, multilingual information and referral helpline open 365 days a year, 9am-7pm.
United Way's 2-1-1 call specialists can give you information about things such as:
- Food Assistance
- Housing assistance and shelters
- Abuse prevention
- Elder care
- Mental health services
- Recycling regulations
- Services for people with disabilities
- How to become a foster parent
- Where to get medical help and more
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How Delicious It Is to Give Back!
Shake Shack's Hartsdale location contributes
5% of sales of their Pie Oh My Concretes to the Council, so that we may continue to fight for quality early care and education for all children in Westchester.
Make sure you stop by and enjoy their ever changing Pie Oh My Concretes to support the Council!
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