May 2021 Bits & Bytes
Educational Supply Drive in Partnership with Discount School Supply Benefiting DCAEYC Members in Liberia, West Africa Continuing Through May
For several years, DCAEYC has been proud to have a cohort of members in Liberia. Because of the distance we're not able to engage with them as much as we'd like, so when we heard the pandemic was creating barriers for educators and young children there to get the supplies they needed, we knew we had to help.

Back in April, DCAEYC partnered with Discount School Supply to host a supply drive for high-quality educational supplies for our DCAEYC members in Liberia. Although we’ve collected a lot throughout the month, we still have more room in our shipment. Will you support us in filling it up? 

Donations can be made through purchases with Discount School Supply. Information on how to contribute can be found on DCAEYC's blog here. If you have any questions, please email Kathy Hollowell-Makle at executivedirector@dcaeyc.org.

Bulletin Board:
DCAEYC Celebrates
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
DCAEYC is proud to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, which commemorates the culture, traditions, and history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States.

While DCAEYC encourages all educators to incorporate Asian-Pacific history into their curriculum throughout the entire school year, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is a great time to explore the rich history and contributions of Asian-Pacific Americans, as well as analyzing the bias and discrimination faced by them. TeacherVision and Share My Lesson have some great resources to help bring Asian-Pacific history into your lessons. For information on analyizing bias and discrimination, check out NAEYC's Advancing Equity Initiative.
DCAEYC Member Recognized by Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts
Congratulations to DCAEYC Board member Kalpana Kumar Sharma for being highlighted in a tribute by the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts during Teacher Appreciation Week! Notably, in 2017, Ms. Kumar accompanied Wolf Trap Institute to India for a series of presentations to school administrators, teachers, and stakeholders.

Learn more about Ms. Kumar, including her approach to teaching and how she advocates for the ECE community, in Wolf Trap's tribute to her here.

Share your news with DCAEYC : What's been going on with you? Have anything you'd like to celebrate with your ECE family? Let us know by emailing DCAEYC at info@dcaeyc.org, and we'll share it in next month's newsletter!
Welcome New DCAEYC Members! - DCAEYC extends a warm welcome to the following new members who have joined throughout April and May:

Habibah D.
Tanika F.
Keyanna G.
Asia G.
Andrea G.
Sareeta J.
Barbara L.
Saidah S.
Pernelope W.
Upcoming Events:
Directors' Nook
Wednesday, May 19, 2021
1:00 pm-2:00pm
Join our virtual meeting for DCAEYC members who are early childhood directors. This meeting will be a safe place for all early childhood directors to meet, share, and discuss topics related to our work and any additional interests.


This month we'll be joined by special guest Sisi Dong Brinn from LENA. LENA is a nonprofit focused on accelerating language and “early talk” between caregivers and young children, and LENA Grow is a professional development program that focuses on increasing those interactions in childcare and early learning settings. Learn more about how LENA Grow measures teaching quality here, and how it fosters student equity here. For more information, check out the LENA Grow Overview and their Outcomes Report. 
Click the above image to access the pdf with links. Click here for a version in Spanish.
WTU and DCAEYC ECE Task Force Meeting
Thursday, May 20, 2021
6:00pm - 7:00pm
Please join us for our last WTU and DCAEYC ECE Task Force meeting of the school year! In memory of Elizabeth (Liz) Davis, we will share how under Liz's visionary leadership, educators, advocates, and luminaries in the field of early education formed the WTU and DCAEYC ECE Task Force.

Special Speakers: Dr. Maurice Sykes, Early Childhood Leadership Institute; Dr. Robert Gundling, Better Futures, LLC; Megan Stockhausen, American Federation of Teachers (AFT); Kathy Hollowell-Makle, Executive Director of DCAEYC; Jackie Hines, Member of the Washington Teacher’s Union (WTU) Retiree’s Chapter, Past WTU Treasurer and Board of Trustees


Registration is required. Register Here
Leadership Circles: Cultivating Connections - A Virtual Professional Learning Community (PLC) for Early Care and Education Directors
DC Child Care Connections (DC CCC) is hosting a virtual Professional Learning Community (PLC) for Early Care and Education Directors. PLCs are an approach to professional development in which educators work collaboratively to learn about strategies to improve their craft. PLCs meet regularly to explore new concepts, share expertise and insights and engage in collective problem solving. PLCs also provide opportunities for frequent feedback and create a space for people to learn from each other.

This PLC will include the following sessions:

Session 1 – May 4, 2021, 12:30-2 p.m.
Effective Communication in Leadership

Session 2 – May 18, 2021, 12:30-2 p.m.
Driving Organizational Culture

Session 3 – June 1, 2021, 12:30-2 p.m.
Leading with Creativity

For more information on this PLC and instructions to register click here.
NAEYC DAP Symposium 2021
June 9th -June 10th
Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) is the foundation on which quality early learning is built. This event will be an opportunity for anyone involved with early education to explore the rationale and consequences to their work from the recent revisions to the DAP Position Statement and the upcoming 4th edition of Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs.



Member
Spotlight On...


Carolene E. Charles
Assistant Professor,
University of the District of Columbia
"There has been nothing more rewarding as an educator than to see my student when they have captured the essence of a lesson. The moment their contemplation turns in the instance of recognition for a concept or topic being taught. The excitement in their eyes is unforgettable."
*If you or someone you know would like to be featured in a future member spotlight, please let us know by emailing info@dcaeyc.org.
Principle of Practice:
Practice Mindfulness As An Act of Self-Love
"Mindfulness is the ability to focus on the present moment as it is happening."
In honor of May being Mental Health Awareness Month, DCAEYC encourages its members and all early childhood educators to practice acts of self-care and self-love daily. One act of self love we particularly encourage is mindfulness. 

Mindfulness is not just a buzzword that has gained traction during a global pandemic. It has been around for centuries, having roots in Buddhist and Hindu teachings before going mainstream in psychological clinical practice. Frequently used to treat fear, stress, and anxiety, its benefits have shown effective as a daily practice. Mindfulness is about cultivating, as the Buddhist teacher Joseph Goldstein has written, “the quality and power of mind that is aware of what is happening, without judgement and without interference.”

 Adults and kids alike can practice mindfulness. Although it looks very different based on age, the benefits remain the same. Take some time to read the NAEYC article “Mindful Morning Meetings” and incorporate mindfulness in your mornings. It’s a gentle way to start the day while giving young children a tool for nourishing their mental health.
Policy Beat:
Schedule for DC Budget Season Hearings Released!
After being delayed by the DC Council for new guidance on federal spending for funds coming due to the American Rescue Plan, budget hearings for FY22 are finally scheduled! Notable dates can be found below.
The DC Council needs to hear your perspective and the importance of Birth to Three programs for ECE in DC. Email DCAEYC Executive Director Kathy Hollowell-Makle and she will help you craft your tesitmony. 
Let Your Voice Be Heard on the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF)
Are you familiar with the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF)? This federal program provides resources to state, territory, and tribal grantees that enable low‐income parents to work or pursue education and training so that they can better support their families while at the same time promoting the learning and development of their children. The CCDF program also provides funding to enhance the quality of child care for all children.

As required every three years, DC is currently in the midst of updating this plan for the District. The proposed CCDF Plan explains how the District will use its CCDF dollars to meet the federal requirements. To make sure OSSE knows the full impact of their proposed changes, DCAEYC encourages everyone connected to childcare to submit their input on what works and what is lacking with this plan. There are several ways to do this:

  • Written comments on the draft CCDF Plan may be submitted at the public hearing or throughout the comment period. The hearing will be held virtually from 10 am -11:30 am on Tuesday, May 25, 2021. Register to attend the public hearing at: bit.ly/3edCKMf. 
  • All written comments must be received by 4 p.m. on Tuesday, June 1, 2021. Written comments submitted outside of the public hearing should be emailed to ossecomments.proposedregulations@dc.gov.
  • Parties can also submit comments via this Google form.