December 2020 Bits & Bytes
DCAEYC Wishes
all of our members and the ECE community a happy, safe, and healthy holiday season!
Bulletin Board:
New NAEYC Brief - Child care providers across the United States are facing an unsustainable reality without significant public investment, according to a new national survey conducted by NAEYC. To read the results in full, check out NAEYC's new brief Am I Next? Sacrificing to Stay Open, Child Care Providers Face a Bleak Future Without Relief.
Join or Renew Your Membership Today - Have you been following DCAEYC, but have been holding off on getting a membership with us? Perhaps you are a member with us, but your membership is about to lapse. A lot of exciting things are coming up which require a DCAEYC/NAEYC membership, and we don't want you to miss out. Become a member or renew your membership today and stay part of the movement supporting early childhood education in Washington, DC.
Upcoming Events
Start With Equity Webinar:
14 Priorities to Dismantle Systemic Racism in ECE

Wednesday, December 16, 2020
12:15 pm-1:15pm

NAEYC has joined The Children’s Equity Project, in partnership with the Equity Research Action Coalition, the National Black Child Development Institute, the Council for Professional Recognition, the National Indian Child Care Association, the National Head Start Association, and The Education Trust in issuing a new resource that outlines 14 critical priorities and actionable policies that can immediately and concretely advance equity in the early care and education system. Please join us for a webinar to learn about the report and listen to a panel conversation about how we collectively move equity forward in ECE systems.
Raising the Flag on Quality:
Measuring Important Early Childhood Outcomes

Thursday, December 17, 2020
12:00pm - 1:30pm

Join AppleTree for a conversation about a project that began in January of 2018, with support from the Trust for Learning. AppleTree Institute for Education Innovation brought together a group of stakeholders who operated preschool and prekindergarten classrooms within the public charter school sector to discuss challenges in the context of the District of Columbia Public Charter School Board's Performance Management Framework.

With the inputs from a variety of outside experts in measurement and early childhood education, and the support of Bellwether Education Partners, we have published the results of those discussions in Raising the Flag on Quality: Measuring Important Early Childhood Outcomes. We invite you to participate in the analysis and recommendations on Thursday, December 17, 2020, 12:00 pm-1:30 pm.
DCAEYC and the DC Department of Behavioral Health Self-Care Check-In Sessions for Educators

Session Two: Creating Healthy Boundaries

This session will help early childhood educators prioritize creating healthy boundaries to manage work-life balance.  
Suggested Materials: Paper, drawing materials, scissors, magazines, or an old book you no longer want.  
Member
Spotlight On...

Shayna Cook
Senior Manager of Early Learning Systems at the Bainum Family Foundation
"In our country, I hope that we can reach the day where all children are valued by society, and families have universal access to high-quality early childhood programs and wraparound supports, starting at birth."
Principle of Practice:
Choosing the Right Toy
"Play is essential to babies, toddlers, preschool, and school-age children. Children need plenty of opportunities to play with a variety of good toys and materials and use their imagination."
No matter what you celebrate, there's no denying 'tis the season for gift giving. When it comes to finding gifts for young children, toys are usually the obvious choice. What may not be so obvious though is the answer to the question "Why This Toy?" While toys are primarily a source for fun, they are also fundamental to a child's development. Not sure what questions to consider when looking for toys that are both fun and stimulating? NAEYC lists some out for you in their article "Why This Toy?"

Did You Know? December is Safe Toys and Gifts Months. Click here for tips from the American Public Health Association on choosing safe toys.
Policy Beat:
Mayor Bowser's Bridge Fund
As the pandemic continues to wreak havoc on our community and economy, Mayor Bowser recently launched a Bridge Fund to support businesses harmed by COVID-19. We are pleased to see Mayor Bowser utilizing $80 million of DC’s reserves for this fund — this is precisely the moment a rainy day fund is created for. Yet for many of our most vulnerable residents, it has been pouring for years. We are in a once-in-a-lifetime crisis that requires more innovative and creative solutions. We are concerned that without significant adjustments to the Bridge Fund, the District will miss critical opportunities to maximize our precious reserve funds.

A just economic stability and recovery plan that advances resiliency, equity, and public health would ensure basic human needs are met alongside the needs of the business community. Specifically, we are concerned about our neighbors experiencing homelessness and housing instability right now, those who have lost their jobs or hours, and people struggling to put food on the table.
 
A few of the Just Recovery partners drafted a sign-on letter providing policy recommendations on ways to best leverage the Bridge Fund to ensure that our reserves provide support both to businesses — including child care providers — and residents facing unprecedented obstacles. We strongly encourage Mayor Bowser to:
 
  • Leverage the Bridge Fund so grant awards create win-wins in the community;
  • Ensure that the Bridge Fund is targeted to those who need it the most; and,
  • Continue to leverage reserve funding to ensure a people-centered just recovery.