CCRN

Fall 2025 Newsletter

and Training Calendar

Fall 2025 Training Calendar

Greetings Early Learning Educators and Partners,

As the vibrant colors of autumn begin to fill our valleys, we’re reminded of the incredible growth and transformation that happens in early childhood programs and classrooms every day.

Fall is a time for new discoveries and cozy learning moments with our little learners. From fostering emotional growth to building strong community connections, there’s no better time to engage in the magic of learning, collaboration, and growth!

The holiday season also offers an opportunity to reflect on the milestones we've achieved together so far this year and to embrace the wonderful possibilities that lie ahead.

In this newsletter and training calendar, we’ll be sharing helpful resources, creative seasonal activities, and exciting upcoming trainings to nurture the development of young minds.

Thank you for all the passion, dedication, and care you bring to your programs and classrooms.

Together, we continue to make a difference in the lives of children, one season at a time.

We all wish you a fantastic fall

and a wonderful holiday season to come!

Candelaria, Courtney, Cynthia, Dylan, Devon, Katrina, Kevin, Kelly, Lorena, Martha, Maureen, Molly

CCRN is Continuing to Grow!

Meet Our Newest Addition Dylan Christensen!

Hello, my name is Dylan Christensen. I am a native southern Oregonian but moved around a bit before coming back to the Rogue Valley, where I now live with my husband and three kiddos.

I have been in the world of early child care education since 2010 as a Preschool teacher, in-home child care provider, and site director. This past June, I left the classroom to join the CCRN/PSP team serving Jackson and Josephine counties. I am excited to serve the providers in this area and support early childhood educators, children and families!

Regional Updates:

Information and Opportunities

Child Care Infrastructure Fund:

Third Round Opened Sepetember 17th!

Business Oregon and DELC are excited to announce that the third round of the Child Care Infrastructure Fund (CCIF) opened on Wednesday, September 17th, 2025, at 12:00pm!

This round will consist of $20 million in grant funding for infrastructure projects that further the wellbeing of children and families in Oregon. Applications for Round 3 must be submitted by 4:59pm on Tuesday, December 16th, 2025. Updated grant materials for Round 3 can be found on Business Oregon’s website linked below.

There are many upcoming technical assistance webinars to support prospective applicants with their Round 3 applications. Each webinar focuses on a different aspect of the application process and is offered in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian, and Chinese. To register for these informational webinars, please click the link below.

If you have questions or need technical assistance completing the Child Care Infrastructure Program application, please contact one of the technical assistance providers below:

First Children’s Finance

Website: www.fcforegon.org/

Email: InfoOregon@FirstChildrensFinance.org

Northwest Native Chamber

Website: www.nwnc.org/ccif/

Email: ccifsupport@nwnc.org

Business Oregon Grant Information

CCIF English Grant Press Release

Business Oregon Grant English FAQ

Business Oregon Grant Spanish FAQ

CCIF Spanish Grant Press Release

Oregon DELC Grant Website

Speaking of Infastructure:

Looking for a site to start your own child care or to expand your child care business?

A turn-key opportunity in Ashland for the start-up of, or expansion of, a child care center has become available. The space is already approved for child care and is rented through the First Presbyterian Church on Walker Avenue. Some or all materials and/or furniture can be sold to the incoming program. For more information on this rare opportunity and to speak with the First Presbyterian Church, please reach out to them directly at (541) 482-3536.

ERDC Waitlist Refresh Underway!

DELC News and Information Page

Families who have been on the ERDC waitlist for a year received letters in August reminding them to confirm their status by October 31, 2025

Providers can help families stay informed. If someone you know is on the ERDC waitlist, it’s important they remember respond to the refresh request letter. Families who do not respond will be removed from the waitlist. If removed, they will need to reapply for ERDC and if the waitlist is active they will receive a new waitlist number.

For Questions or Supports:

Call the ONE Customer Service Center at 1-800-699-9075
Find your local ODHS office: ODHS Office Finder
For free language assistance or other accommodations, call DELC at 1-800-556-6616

Preschool Promise is Back to School!

Ami Russell's Website: Early Learning Inspired

As of September 15th all Preschool Promise programs are up and running!

Jackson and Josephine county programs serve over 400 children and families that include over 40 classrooms! This year we welcome a new provider in Grants Pass School District 7.

The Preschool Promise Team at CCRN are busy coordinating support for this year including planning our 3rd Annual Day of Learning in October for all Preschool Promise providers. Our trainer will be Ami Russell of Early Learning Inspired as she takes us on a journey of wonder and exploration with the fascinating application of loose parts into early childhood programs.

Training Reminders

and Upcoming Opportunities

Highlighted Training Opportunities!

September 25th Bridging Communities Workshop:

Brain First Parenting

with Eileen Devine, LCSW

Join us as we learn from Eileen Devine, LCSW, about how to support children who struggle with neurobehavioral challenges from a Brain First lens. This training will focus on behavioral symptoms that are a direct result of brain differences and share strategies parents and caregivers can use to help children and loved ones experience less distress and more calm in their environments.

Details:

📅 Thursday, September 25, 2025

🕕 6:00 – 7:00 PM

🌐 Free virtual training

🌎 Spanish and ASL interpretation available upon request

Click Here to Register

October 18 SOU Saturday workshop:

The Power of Theatre in ECE: Building Flexible Communication and Collaboration.

Greetings early educators! Southern Oregon University will be offering one local workshop during the upcoming Fall term. Workshops can be taken by any early educators in the field, either for 8 training hours (FREE) or for 1 college credit (10 hours - $60 fee). One credit of ED 399 will be available for those who attend the full 8-hour class and complete the course assignment.

If you are willing and able to travel, SOU is partnering to offer other SOU Saturday workshops! Other workshops this fall:

Oct. 11th - Autism Spectrum Disorder in ECE (in-person workshop IN COOS BAY)
Oct. 25th - Holistic Practices for Early Childhood Mental Health (in-person workshop IN ROSEBURG)
Nov. 15th - Preparing for Kindergarten and beyond (this workshop will be presented in Spanish Only) in person in KLAMATH FALLS

To register for any SOU Saturday Workshop, please get in touch with Susan Faller at fallers@sou.edu or 541-552-8436. If you'd like to earn SOU college credit, be sure to make note of this during your registration.

Training Reminders

Please remember that to receive credit for a training session you must:

Attend the session: Training credit requires full attendance and participation, which is measured through staff and Zoom reports. You CANNOT miss more than 15 minutes!
Be active and engaged in the content of the session (this is verified by reviewing the saved chat): You MUST participate in breakout rooms, polls, and chat. You have options in order to support your needs. Please speak with CCRN staff if you feel like there is a barrier to your full participation.
Be PRE-Registered through CCRN: You MUST register by noon the day before a training to GUARANTEE that you are registered (we do not always have staff available for last-minute requests – though we do our best!)

Thank you! We are always open to your feedback and suggestions for upcoming topics.

Click here to register for a training

If you share the link to a session with your co-worker who has not pre-registered through CCRN, we will not know how to look for them in the attendance report and the chat, and they will not receive credit for the session in ORO.

If you have attended a training session and have not received credit, please feel free to contact us at CCRN and we can look into this further for you!

To register for a training session please click the link below to register through our online registration form or you can call the CCRN training request line at 541-776-6768.

Please reach out with any questions you may have! You can reach CCRN's Main Office Number at 541-776-8590 x1126.

Fall 2025 Training Calendar

FCCO Provider Portal Access

Want more information on what the FCCO Provider Portal is and how to access your profile? Check out our training calendar for an upcoming training session!

FCCO Provider Support Documents

Fall 2025 Training Calendar

Click here to register for this training

Updates Directly from Licensing

Allergy Care Plans

Child care rules require facilities to have an allergy care plan on site for any child with serious allergies or emergency medications. Please ensure staff are reviewing the allergy care plans to confirm that the program has all the medications that are listed on the plan.

To accept the child into care, any medications listed on these plans need to be on site and current. Also, any medications listed on the allergy care plans need their own medication authorization form. For example, if two medications are listed on an allergy care plan, then two medication authorization forms, one for each medication, will be needed in the child’s file.

Commonly, EpiPens will be paired with an antihistamine, so staff need to ensure that if an antihistamine is listed as a necessary medication on the allergy care plan, the antihistamine is on site, and the guardian of the child has also signed a medication authorization form, which is on file. Please also ensure that all medications are being checked regularly for expiration dates, and have the medications replaced by the family prior to the current medication’s expiration date.

Don't hesitate to get in touch with your Licensing Specialist with any questions you may have or support you may need when accepting new medications into your facility.

Allergy Plan Form

Medical Authorization Form

Fall Activity Ideas

for Children and Families

Fall fun has begun! Whether you like to embrace Spooky Season or prefer to surround yourself with the essence of the fall weather, there are so many fun ways to bring the joy of fall into your program or classroom! Here are just a few we found particularly engaging!

Fall Season Activities

Try some of these Fantastic Fall Fun Activities with your children or send some supplies home for children to do with their families!

Sweet as Pie:

Card Stock
Paper Strips
String
Sequins
Cotton Balls
Paint

via makingwithmommy/instagram

Water Color Leaves:

Coffee Filters
Markers
Liquid Dropper
Water

via onelittleproject.com

Nutty Family:

Acorns
Glue
Sharpie

via cutecraftideas1000/instagram

Fall Sensory Sort:

Smooth Acorns
Spiky Pinecones
Crunchy Leaves
Rough Sticks
Soft Berries
Paint Color Swatches

via eyfsbadgerclass/instagram

Leaf Friends:

Leaves of all sizes
Google Eyes
Paint
String
Pipe Cleaners
Glue
Paper if wanted

via makingwithmommy/instagram

Spooky Season Silliness

Crawly Class Critters:

Poster Paper/Board
Paint
String
Google Eyes

via miamama/pinterest

Pumpkin Pipe Cleaners:

Pipe Cleaners
Beads

via onelittleproject.com

Cauldron Bubbles:

Paper
Paint
Tubes paper or plastic
Cauldron if desired

via artofit.org

Shaving Cream Pumpkins:

Shaving Cream
Paint
Cardstock Paper Pumpkin with face or without
Toothpicks
Shallow Tray
Squeegee

Via hellowonderful/plaefulprintables/etsy

Happy Halloween Ghosts

Paper
Paint
Google Eyes or paper eyes
Sharpie
Scissors

via alittlepinchofperfect.com

ECE Wins Across the Nation

New Mexico is offering Universal Child Care to All Families!

New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department Universal Care Information Website

New Mexico will become the first state in the nation to offer no-cost universal child care starting November 1, extending access to families regardless of income and saving families an average of $12,000 per child each year. This historic investment strengthens family stability, supports the workforce, and positions New Mexico as a national model for building a sustainable, high-quality early learning system.

Now it is OUR TURN!!

Make Your Voice Heard in Oregon!

Policy advocacy in early childhood education is crucial for ensuring that all children have the opportunity to thrive. Whether you're an educator, parent, policymaker, or concerned citizen, your voice can help shape a better future for young children and society as a whole.

Why Early Childhood Education Policy Advocacy Matters:

Critical Developmental Period:

Early childhood is a foundational stage in human development. High-quality early education can significantly improve long-term outcomes such as academic success, health, and economic productivity.

Equity and Access:

Advocacy aims to address disparities by influencing policies that promote equity, such as subsidized child care, universal pre-K, and inclusive education practices.

Economic and Social Impact:

Research consistently shows that investments in early childhood education yield high returns in terms of reduced social costs, improved workforce readiness, and stronger communities.

Examples of ECE Policy Issues:

Universal access to pre-K
Child care subsidies for low-income families
Compensation and training for early childhood educators
Family leave policies
Inclusion of children with disabilities in mainstream early learning environments

How to Get Involved:

Join or support advocacy organizations like NAEYC, Zero to Three, or local ECE coalitions
Contact legislators and share your concerns or experiences
Participate in community forums or school board meetings
Use social media to raise awareness
Educate yourself and others on current ECE issues