December eNews
Child Care Center Equipment and Furnishings Online Module is now available!
We are happy to announce that our fourth online module, Child Care Center Equipment and Furnishings , is now available in our training portal.

This interactive, self-guided and self-paced session is designed to help you with selecting furnishings and equipment that make your space usable and comfortable, child-safe and child-friendly, and attractive and functional for your needs. The careful selection and arrangement of furnishings is an essential step in transforming an empty space into an early childhood environment. This course will help support you in your quest to design a high quality early learning environment.

This session is worth 3 early childhood professional development hours.
Community Question - Is It Too Cold to Go Outside?
Did you know that the best practice resource, Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards; Guidelines for Early Care and Education Programs (now in its 4th edition) , notes that weather poses a significant health risk when the wind chill factor is below -15°F (-26°C) and the heat index at or above 90°F (32°C), as identified by the National Weather Service?

Even really cold temperatures are totally ok to be outside in. Just remember the following in cold weather conditions:

  • Children should wear layers of loose-fitting, lightweight clothing. Outer garments, such as coats, should be tightly woven and be at least water repellent when rain or snow is present.
  • Children should wear a hat, coat, and gloves/mittens kept snug at the wrist. There should be no hood and neck strings.
  • Caregivers/teachers should check children’s extremities for normal color and warmth at least every 15 minutes.

So get out there and enjoy the Winter Wonderland!
Ready for Viewing Online - the 2019 Rhode Island Early Learning Facilities Needs Assessment
This report was commissioned by the State of Rhode Island as part of its strategic planning process, funded by a federal Preschool Development Grant. It is designed to articulate access issues and explore the ways in which space is impeding the growth of quality slots in the Rhode Island Early Learning System. All children deserve early learning environments designed not only to keep them healthy and safe but also to support their physical, cognitive and behavioral development. The assessment includes a series of actionable recommendations to address the facility component of the overarching goal of improving equitable access to quality early learning opportunities.
The Rhode Island Child Care and Early Learning Facilities Fund (RICCELFF) is an innovative public-private partnership dedicated to expanding access to quality child care and early education opportunities throughout Rhode Island. The RICCELFF provides the capital and technical expertise that child care and early learning centers need to improve the quality and capacity of their physical space. The RICCELFF provides a combination of training, technical assistance, grant funding and flexible, affordable financing for a wide range of indoor and outdoor projects including minor renovations or construction of new, state-of-the art facilities and playground spaces.  Click here  to learn more about what the RICCELFF can offer your program.
Building Solutions for Rhode Island’s Children