CCAoNH Early Childhood
Focused Collaborative Meetings
This year, CCAoNH, a program of Southern New Hampshire Services will be offering virtual Early Childhood Focused Collaborative Meetings once more for Directors, Administrators, Teachers, and other Early Childhood Professionals. These Meetings are group-driven to reflect the participant’s needs and interests and to provide participants with information around the focused topics. In addition, participants will learn about Child Care Aware of NH program updates, essential local and State information, and other professional development opportunities.

Click here or on the flyer for more details about our Early Childhood Focused Collaborative Meetings.

Go to the NHCIS Training Tile to register for an Early Childhood Focused Collaborative Meeting.

Click here for more information on how to register for training in the New Hampshire Connections Information System (NHCIS)

Look below for this month's topics and to see what Focused Collaboratives we are offering in the 2022/2023 training year!
Family Engagement and Communication Collaborative: Cooking Matters for the Early Childhood Professional
Date: Wednesday, February 1, 2023
Time: 1:00-2:30 PM
Location: Online Zoom Meeting
Facilitators: Julie Choiniere, ECMPWT & Karen Abbott, ECMPIM
Topic: This month, MacKenzie Kittery from the NH Food Bank will be presenting on Cooking Matters for Early Childhood Professionals. Come hear how the NH Food Bank can support your program and the families you serve, through hands-on cooking and discussion, participants learn about cooking skills, meal prep, grocery shopping, food budgeting, and nutrition. Participants also take home a grocery bag each week to practice their new skills. 
NAEYC Facilitation Collaborative:
Exploring the NAEYC Professional Standards
Date: Thursday, February 2, 2023
Time: 6:00-7:30 PM
Location: Online Zoom Meeting
Facilitator: Liz Scruton, MA, ECMPWT
Topic: This month, participants will compare the NAEYC Professional Standards with the NH Specialized Competencies. Participants will then be encouraged to discuss best practices surrounding NAEYC evidence examples. *Note a familiarization or interest in the NAEYC Accreditation standards and process will be critical for this collaborative*
Infant & Toddler Collaborative: Watch Me Grow, Ages and Stages and Learn the Signs-Act Early
Date: Tuesday, February 7, 2023
Time: 6:00-7:30 PM
Location: Online Zoom Meeting
Facilitators: Lindsey Parisi, ECMPWT
Topic: This month, Erika Downie and Jennifer Pineo will be joining us to talk about Watch Me Grow, NH’s developmental screening, referral, and information system for families with a child ages birth to six years. Erika and Jennifer will also be sharing information and resources on ASQs and free kits!
Social Emotional Topics: Conversation on Choose Love
Date: Monday, February 6, 2023
Time: 6:00-7:30 PM
Location: Online Zoom Meeting
Facilitator: Stephanie Therrien, ECMPWT
Topic: This month, we welcome CCAoNH Program Manager, Dee Dee Thurber! We will be having a conversation with Dee Dee, who is a Choose Love Massachusetts Ambassador. Choose Love, is a no-cost, next-generation Character Social Emotional Development program for any age, from toddlers through adulthood. New Hampshire was the first state in the nation to adopt the Jesse Lewis Choose Love curriculum to promote Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) in New Hampshire schools. 
Preschool Collaborative: 
Understanding Homelessness
Date: Wednesday, February 8, 2023
Time: 6:00-7:30 PM
Location: Online Zoom Meeting
Facilitator: Kris Tabor-Hall, ECPDST & Donna Lake, ECMPWT
Topic: This month, Courtney Porter, MSW, MEd School Social Worker, and McKinney-Vento Liaison/DCYF Point of Contact from SAU 6 in Claremont NH, will be joining us to share information and resources on the topic:  Understanding Homelessness and its Impact on Children and Families.  This is a powerful presentation with stories of NH families who are experiencing homelessness and what we can do to support them.
Family Child Care Collaborative: Child Care Licensing Unit
Date: Thursday, February 9, 2023
Time: 6:00-7:30 PM
Location: Online Zoom Meeting
Facilitator: Connie Davis, ECMPWT
Topic: This month Tasha Berube, Child Care Licensing Coordinator will provide updates from Child Care Licensing Unit and answer provider questions. 
Business Management Collaborative:
Nature-Based Play
Date: Tuesday, February 14, 2023
Time: 1:00-2:30 PM
Location: Online Zoom Meeting
Facilitator: Kris Tabor-Hall, ECPDST & Donna Lake, ECMPWT
Topic: Dee Dee Thurber will be joining us to share information on Nature-based Play. Children are attracted to sticks and stones and just about anything "Nature" has to offer them. Through Nature-base play, children are grounded, curious and imaginative. Each of their five senses becomes engaged when they are out playing in nature or holding something from the natural world. We will discuss the simplicity that Nature-based play offers along with the more intricate connections to child development. What does a day outside on the playground or a day in the woods look like from a child's point of view and can you offer more nature play to the children in your care?
Montessori Perspective Collaborative:
Montessori Public Policy Initiative Discussion
Date: Wednesday, February 15, 2023
Time: 6:00-7:30 PM
Location: Online Zoom Meeting
Facilitator: Christine Brown, ECMPWT & Donna Lake, ECMPWT
Topic: This month, Moderator, Christine Brown, ECMPWT, will lead a discussion on the work being done by MPPI, the Montessori Public Policy Initiative. MPPI is a joint collaboration of the American Montessori Society (AMS) and the Association Montessori International (AMI/USA) and their work centers around policy change related to Montessori education. Come and find out how we can affect the decisions at the state level that impact our schools.
Registration Information:
  • Registration is free and available through the NHCIS Training Tile.
  • Registration closes the day before the collaborative.
  • To register use the “Week View” or Month View” and then choose which session(s) you would like to join. Please note that registration cannot be completed in the “List View”.
  • On the day of the meeting, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting as well as the evaluation link.  
  • Registration is online only and pre-registration is required. 


Questions: Email [email protected] or call at (603) 578-1386, ext. 2526 and ext. 2532.
Child Care Aware of NH, a program of Southern New Hampshire Services
Child Care Aware of NH is a statewide Child Care Resource and Referral Program of Southern New Hampshire Services. The preparation of this email was financed under a Contract with the State of New Hampshire, Department of Health and Human Services, Division for Economic and Housing Stability, Bureau of Child Development and Head Start Collaboration with funds provided in part by the State of New Hampshire and the US Department of Health and Human Services.