May 2020 Bits & Bytes
DCAEYC Celebrates:
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
May is Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month, which commemorates the culture, traditions, and history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States. Originally this celebration was a weeklong event, following the passage of a joint Congressional Resolution in 1978. It expanded to a month-long event in 1992 after an official designation of May as Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month was signed into law.

Suggested Reading:
  • Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist by Jess Keating and Marta Alvarez Miguéns
  • Nadia’s Hands by Karen English and Jonathan Weiner
  • Baseball Saved Us by Ken Mochizuki and Dom Lee

Online Resources:
Upcoming Events
Let's Talk: Voices from the Field on Reopening
A DCAEYC Virtual Connection with the DC Early Learning Collaborative
Wednesday, May 13, 2020
4:00pm to 5:00pm

Please join DCAEYC and the DC Early Learning Collaborative for a conversation on the results of the recent survey conducted by DCAEYC and Under 3 DC regarding reopening child care centers and family child care homes. We are eager to hear questions, comments, and additional suggestions from owners, operators, and providers.
Prior registration required. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

 Member
Spotlight On...

Berna Artis
Head of School,
School for Friends
DCAEYC thanks Berna Artis for her four years of service on the DCAEYC board. We appreciate her for all she's done in forging a path for growth, and look forward to continue working with her as a DCAEYC member.
*If you or someone you know would like to be featured in a future member spotlight, please let us know by emailing dcaeycmail@gmail.com .
Principle of Practice: Mental Health Matters
"Now more than ever, we need to find ways to stay connected with our community. No one should feel alone or without the information, support and help they need."
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
May is Mental Health Month. Taking care of your mental health is always important, but that is especially true with everything going on related to COVID-19. Even though 1 in 5 adults in the United States experience a mental health condition, fewer than half of these adults get the help they need. No matter what you or a loved is experiencing, DCAEYC wants you to remember: you are not alone .

Looking for tools to improve mental health for you and your loved ones? Check out the resource links below.
Policy Beat:
Budget Oversight Hearing: Committee of the Whole
Tuesday, May 19 and Wednesday, May 20
Budget season is here, and due to COVID-19 the majority of testimonies this year will be conducted via Zoom.

Members of the public wishing to testify live via the Zoom meeting must email the Committee of the Whole at cow@dccouncil.us and provide your preferred call in day, name, telephone number, organizational affiliation and title (if any) by close of business Friday, May 15, 2020. Those providing live testimony will be limited to 2 minutes.

DCAEYC encourages ECE providers and small business owners, parents/grandparents, health care providers, home visitors, and other concerned DC residents to testify. Unable to testify live via Zoom? Not a problem. Written testimonies can also be submitted to the Committee of the Whole. DCAEYC is committed to offering any assistance or guidance to anyone wishing to submit a testimony, either via Zoom or in writing. For assistance, please email Kathy Hollowell-Makle at ed.dcaeyc30@gmail.com .
Make Sure Our Kids Are Counted: 
Counting Young Children 2020
By completing CENSUS 2020, you help ensure our children, families, and communities have the services they need - like quality early childhood development programs, child care, and health insurance - to thrive for the next ten years! Did you know an estimated 1 million young children under the age of five were missed in the 2010 Census? Caregivers of young children can click   here  for resources on the Counting Young Children campaign.
Special Announcements
DCAEYC Needs Vibrant Leaders:
Guide the Work of  YOUR  Association 
If you or someone you know possesses strong leadership potential, including skills and knowledge of fiscal and governance oversight and a willingness to serve as an advocate of the DC early learning community, please consider submitting a Letter of Interest and Resume for a Member-At-Large position to Jackie Hines, Chair of the Nominating Committee at ​ dcaeycmail@gmail.com​  by September 30, 2020.

Four Members-At-Large are needed:

Family Child Care Representative
Community-Based Representative
Public School Representative
Parent Representative 

DCAEYC is also seeking nominees as part of elections to be held October 30 through November 30, 2020 for the following positions:

DCAEYC Board President
Treasurer
Vice President of Programming
Vice President of Membership
Secretary

Interested? Click below to learn more.
Job Opportunity: DCAEYC Grant Writer
DCAEYC is seeking a Grant Writer to research, prepare, write, and submit grant proposals for the organization. Candidate must be able to persuasively communicate DCAEYC's mission, vision, and programs to funders.

Ideal Candidates Will:
• Have 1-2 years of experience grant writing or equivalent internship/fellowship experience; 
• Write excellent, persuasive prose that is both concise and precise;
• Take ownership of entire projects and demonstrate initiative to ensure a high-quality final product;
• Be comfortable with remote communications with multiple team members 
• Participate and be engaged in ongoing growth and culture;
• Value highly-professional communication skills;
• Be organized and detail-oriented;
• Invite and provide constructive feedback

This is a consultant position. All interested candidates should send resumes to dcaeycmail@gmail.com .
An Update from One of Our Partners:
CDA® Renewal Amnesty Program Deadline Extended to June 30
Due to recent events, the Council is extending the deadline for the CDA Renewal Amnesty Program to June 30. We hope this extension will help ease your concerns and allow you the additional time you need to take advantage of this opportunity. Please stay safe and continue to follow CDC recommendations.

ELIGIBILITY

  • Expiration date as far back as January 1, 2010
  • Must meet all current renewal requirements
  • Apply online using YourCouncil (click here to learn how to access your account)

The program is available from January 1, 2020 to June 30, 2020. All applications and payments ($125) must be submitted online by June 30, 2020. No exceptions or extensions will be granted.

Start preparing today by downloading the free  CDA® Renewal Procedures Guide  available on the Council's website. The CDA® Renewal Procedures Guide provides detailed information about the renewal requirements. Be sure to allow yourself enough time to obtain the requirements needed to take advantage of this limited-time opportunity.