June Calendar

Medication Administration-registration (Hybrid)

Day 1 Tuesday, 6/9/2026, 6:30-9:30 p.m. Virtual

Day 2 Wednesday, 6/10/2026, 6:30-9:30 p.m. In-Person

This MSDE OCC approved training teaches childcare providers to safely administer medications, properly store them and accurately complete record keeping.

This is a two-day training. To receive certification, you must attend both sessions.

4 HSN, 2 PRO| Carolyn Fleming| $70

Customizing Your Contract-registration (Virtual)

Wednesday, 6/16/2026, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

This workshop session provides discussion and activities that help participants reflect on contract evaluation, updating and revisions. The key idea for participants to take away is that customizing their program contract can be an easy process that will best reflect their program's goals and objectives, while also meeting the needs of the families they serve.

3 PRO| Georgia Ferentinos| $5

Hands in the Soil: The Basics and Benefits of Gardening with Young Children-registration (In-Person)

Thursday, 6/11/2026, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

In this training, participants will review the benefits of gardening both outdoors and indoors with young children. They will identify steps and strategies in creating a garden, the materials needed and the most appropriate plants and vegetables to use when gardening with young children. Participants will have the opportunity to create an action plan to implement gardening into their program.

1 COM, 1 CUR| Nicole Pontoriero| $5

Surviving Summer with School-Agers-registration (Virtual)

Tuesday, 6/16/2026, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

This course is designed for childcare providers who work with school children ages 5-8. Topics and activities will focus on social-emotional development, self-esteem, peer relationships, gross and fine motor development, cognitive development and language development.

3 CUR| Lisa Hendricks| $5

CPR & First Aid-registration (In-Person)

Wednesday, 6/17/2026, 5:30-9:30 p.m.

This program includes Adult, Infant, Child CPR and choking procedures. The class is also appropriate for all childcare providers who need to learn or review basic first aid. This course satisfies all state requirements. This is a combination CPR and First Aid class that will result in both certifications.

2 Years Certification|Carolyn Fleming| $90

Polices That Protect-registration (Virtual)

Wednesday, 6/17/2026, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Minimize the risk of your program becoming the focus of a CPS investigation by developing and following policies and procedures which offer protection against allegations of child maltreatment.

3 PRO|Georgia Ferentinos| $5

Improving Transitions in Your Program-registration (In-Person)

Thursday, 6/18/2026, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Moving from place to place, activity to activity, is often filled with tears, screaming, and trantrums. Learn how you can make smooth and productive transitions that provide fun times for children and are stress free for adults.

3 CUR|Teresa Smith| $5

More Than a Fence: Reimagining Outdoor Spaces for Young Children-registration (In-Person)

Wednesday, 6/24/2026, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Often overlooked as a potential space for exploration, this workshop explores how a fence in the outdoor learning environment can be transformed. Learn ways to create a unique place of wonder and exploration accessible to all children when a fence becomes a magical place to play.

3 CUR| Abena Njeeri| $5

Outdoor Environment Design for Infants & Toddlers-registration (Virtual) (PD for educators)

Tuesday, 6/30/2026, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Infants and toddlers are natural investigators. Fueled by their curiosity, they use their senses to learn about the world. Oftentimes outdoor environments are overlooked as an environment that can stimulate curiosity and learning in infants and toddlers. This workshop focuses on how to curate outdoor learning environments for infants and toddlers to grow and learn based on their developmental needs and abilities.

1CD, 2 CUR| Janera Beavers| $5

This workshop aligns with Exploring Nature Through Play parent workshop. The alignment between educator professional development with parent learning opportunities creates coordinated approaches across the classroom and home. Children benefit from shared language and consistent expectations, and parents gain practical tools and strategies they can use at home. Encourage your families to register.

Don’t let challenging behaviors become unmanageable, the IECMH team is here to help! 

To better serve the educator community and offer more comprehensive support services for early childhood educators and children, the CCRC and IECMH teams work together to provide Tiered support service to address challenging behaviors. Our IECMH behavior consultants work directly with teachers and individual children to support programs in managing and reducing challenging behavior, as well as supporting children's social emotional development. The behavior consultants offer developmental and classroom screenings; on-site behavior observations; goal setting and practice-based coaching, and resource and referral information for both infant/toddler and preschool classrooms. For more information, please contact Lisa Hendricks, lhendricks@howardcountymd.gov or call the Care Line, 410-313-CARE.

MD EXCELS, and Maryland Accreditation individualized support services are available. Work with the CCRC to enhance and improve program quality and increase educator professional qualifications. Contact the Office of Children and Families Child Care Resource Center (CCRC), 410-313-1940 or email Abena Njeeri, anjeeri@howardcountymd.gov or Janera Beavers, jbeavers@howardcountymd.gov

 Ready to Start or Renew Your CDA? We're Here to Help! Whether you're applying for your first CDA or renewing your credential, we offer personalized support with the application process, portfolio preparation, training hours/professional development plan, and review of documentation for renewal. Funding support for new applications ($525) and renewals ($250) available. Contact Janera Beavers, jbeavers@howardcountymd.gov for assistance.

The Resource Room features a Lending Library to enhance your reading centers, lesson plan ideas and materials, new die cuts, laminating services, and a computer lab (internet access and printing available). Children’s books are organized by theme (5 to 6 books per theme) and can be checked out for a 2-week period. Find lesson plan ideas and books for your library!

Resource Room Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.

• Entrance will not be permitted after 4:30 p.m.
• All educator patrons must be escorted into the Resource Room
• Educator patrons may not remain in the Resource Room after 5 p.m.

For new and approved, expanded workshop offerings that meet Maryland child care requirements, coaching and support on all aspects of owning and operating a child care in Maryland,visit -

www.prosolutionstraining.com/md (English portal) and https://www.prosolutionstraining.com/md-espanol (Spanish portal). Courses are available through the MCCRN, a program of Maryland Family Network. Do note, any previous eLearning content purchased through Smart Horizons will still be accessible; training must be completed by June 30, 2022.  Please contact Maryland Family Network with any questions, MCCRNinfo@marylandfamilynetwork.org.

For additional Early Childhood Education& Provider news and updates in and around the State of Maryland, checkout Tuesday Tidbits

Child Care Career and Professional Development Fund

OCF Workshops and News

Support your families’ success—share our monthly newsletter featuring workshops on challenging behaviors, resilience, coping, nature play and screens. View and share the Parent Pages and OCF Programming Flier Questions,email lrhodes@howardcountymd.gov

Screen Time Struggles: Navigating Screen Time Challenges with Young Children (Flier for families)

Feeling overwhelmed by the battle over screens at home? You're not alone — and you're in the right place. This warm, judgment-free session meets you where you are. We'll validate the real challenges families face, share insights from experts and provide practical tools to make meaningful shifts. Research shows that excessive screen time is already linked to attention difficulties, disrupted sleep and elevated stress in children even before the age of 5. This isn't a future problem — it's happening now. Come ready to connect, learn and leave with a personalized action plan your family can start using right away. 
Thursday, June 4, 12:30 p.m. Free virtual workshop


Parent’s Guide to Challenging Behaviors

Discover a proven, research-based approach to better understand your child’s behavior and what influences it. Learn practical tools to prevent challenging behaviors—and handle them calmly when they do occur. Ask questions, gain ready-to-use strategies and leave feeling more confident in your parenting. For parents of children ages 2–8. Monday, June 8, 7:30 p.m. Free virtual workshop


Raising Resilient Kids: Strengthening Children’s Coping Skills

Build your child’s emotional resilience through everyday experiences and develop strong coping skills. Learn strategies to support your child as they navigate transitions and manage overwhelming emotions like worry, disappointment, failure, and sadness. Discover how to help your child prepare for challenges, regulate their feelings and bounce back with confidence and strength. 2-part workshop: Attend one or both. Free virtual workshop. 1 – 1:45 p.m. | Part 1 – Resiliency: Tuesday, June 9 | Part 2 – Coping Skills: Tuesday, June 16

Exploring Nature Through Play

Join us for an engaging workshop exploring the benefits of nature-based outdoor play for preschool children. Discover practical ideas that encourage curiosity, creativity, confidence, and healthy development while fostering a lifelong connection to nature.

Wednesday, June 17, 7 p.m. Free virtual workshop


The Basics Howard County 

Research shows that 90% of brain development happens before age five, making the early years especially important for learning, relationships, and emotional growth. The Basics provides five simple, science-based parenting and caregiving principles that help support children’s social-emotional and cognitive development from birth to age five. Families in Howard County can sign up for free Basics Insights text messages to receive weekly tips and activities tailored to their child’s age and developmental stage. Messages are available in English and Spanish and offer easy ways to support learning, connection, and growth in everyday moments. Learn more about The Basics Howard County.  


Have rising Kindergarteners? Share the June Kindergarten Readiness newsletter.

The Family Support Center (FSC) offers comprehensive, family centered, community-based preventive programs for parents, caregivers, and their children ages birth to five. Parenting little ones is hard, the FSC is here to help! visit https://www.howardcountymd.gov/children-families/family-support-center for more information.

Transition to Kindergarten

License Center Based and Family Child Care programs are invited to complete a Learning Progress Form (LPF) for each of the students entering kindergarten this Fall. The forms created an avenue for communication between early education teachers and HCPSS kindergarten teachers and are based on the Maryland Early Learning Standards and the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment indicators. All participants who complete and return the forms can earn 1 PAU. Contact Melanie_Facchiano@hcpss.org for additional information.

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