You are receiving this email because you are enrolled in the Wisconsin Early Education Shared Services Network. | |
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Introducing the All New WEESSN Wrap-Up!
Along with the changes to WEESSN this month, we also have updated the WEESSN Wrap-Up. We want to make our newsletter easier to read, with more interactive sections, including Ask WEESSN and WEESSN Wins. Be sure to check out The Scoop, which has news from the early childhood world. In addition, we’ve added a Good to Know section with fun, interesting tidbits chosen especially for you. The final item in each month’s newsletter will be a quote. If you have a great quote you’d like to share, please email us at WEESSN@wisconsinearlychildhood.org. We are excited to share this new issue with you!
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WEESSN Leadership Change
As WEESSN prepares to open its next chapter, we have an update on leadership. Our founders, Kelly Matthews and Paula Drew, spent the last five years working with WECA and countless community partners, funders, and government agencies to create and grow WEESSN into a nationally respected shared services network with nearly 2,400 programs enrolled. Now they are focusing their passions on new challenges at WECA: Kelly is the Director of Family Child Care Strategy and Advancement, which allows her to concentrate on strategy and new initiatives to elevate the importance of the family child care field, including financial and tax education and family child care policy. Paula is the Director of ECE Policy and Research, designed to increase WECA’s ability to influence and publicize research for and about ECE, shape policy, and drive engagement initiatives, including advocacy efforts. Their leadership and vision have made WEESSN what it is today. Thank you, Kelly and Paula!
Introducing WEESSN’s New Director – Chanel Clark!
WEESSN’s new Director, Chanel Clark, is a familiar face to many of you, as she has worn many hats at WEESSN over the past five years. With 17 years of experience ranging from infant classroom teacher to director of a midsize nature-based program, Chanel holds degrees in Leadership Studies and Early Childhood Education, and has a passion for policy, procedure, and nature-based design and curriculum. Now she is leading the transition to the new coaching model, WEESSN Plus Coaching, as well as managing all of WEESSN’s projects..
And here’s a welcome message from Chanel.
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WEESSN Plus Coaching
WEESSN Business Coaches are in summer school! They started intensive training July 15 to learn all about the new coaching protocol for WEESSN Plus Coaching so they can be fully prepared to welcome programs this fall. The WEESSN Plus Coaching Interest Form is ready! If you are in at least one of the eligibility categories – licensed less than one year, new leadership less than one year, 2-star or not participating in YoungStar – please fill out the form. The WEESSN team will connect about next steps in August/September.
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What questions do you have about business practices in your program? Are you facing some tricky conversations with parents about policies or rates? Fill out this form and ask your question – we’ll select one each month to share with our readers. Share your name or remain anonymous. It’s up to you.
All WEESSN coaches have been child care program directors/owners or family child care owners and have years of experience. Plus, we learn from providers every day! We are here to support you and are looking forward to answering any questions you have about business practices in your program – think budgets, raising rates, hiring staff, insurance, taxes, recordkeeping, and other questions about how to better manage your child care business.
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“I would like a better way to track expenses without having to make my own. Is there an excel sheet out there? Monthly or weekly maybe?” -Tammie LaCount, Country Kids Family Day Care, Pulaski, WI | | | |
WEESSN’s Birthday Celebration | |
Last month we asked What is one thing you've obtained or purchased for your program that you can't live without?
See what great ideas providers had here.
This month, we are giving away two Bluetooth speakers so you can fill your program with music! Complete this form to enter and answer this question: What types of outdoor activities do your kids enjoy in the summer?
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The entry deadline is 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 2. Two names will be randomly drawn, and the winners will be sent Bluetooth speakers in mid-August. Stay tuned for a full year of fun gifts – and make sure your friends get signed up for WEESSN, too! | |
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Congratulations to June's Winners!
Wenit Montero, Mís Tesoritos Child Care
Donna Cisse, Kids at Work Academy
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When the Unthinkable Happens, Turn to the EAP
The WEESSN Educator Assistance Program (EAP) offers Critical Incident Response (CIR) Services 24/7 when you are faced with a crisis situation, such as when a child is injured in your program, a staff member passes away, or a family member has a medical emergency. Call SupportLinc at 866-255-WECA (9322) anytime, day or night.
- All CIR’s begin with a consultation so the SupportLinc clinical consultant understands the scope of the situation
- Responses can range from targeted outreach to the affected individual, to supportive materials shared with directors/owners, to onsite sessions to help staff/family debrief and cope with the traumatic event or situation.
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Introducing Mindstream! A fitness studio for your mind
Explore a new service in the WEESSN Educator Assistance Program (EAP) that offers live and on-demand sessions to build your life skills and emotional health as part of your ongoing emotional fitness routine. Return often to gain knowledge, improve resilience, and boost productivity.
Mindstream platform provides:
- Unlimited access to sessions that vary in length to fit into your daily life.
- Expert instructors covering topics, such as sleep fitness, stress reduction, life balance, parenting, career growth, and more.
- New sessions are added weekly to continually enhance your emotional fitness.
Get started in a few simple steps:
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Visit your web or mobile platform at www.Supportlinc.com. If this is your first time accessing the EAP, you will need to create a profile. Use the group code: weca to register.
- Access the Mindstream app tile on the home page.
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Read the FAQs for more info.
- Begin your journey today!
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WECA Conference
Registration is now open for the 2024 WECA Conference! The event returns Oct. 10-12 in-person at the Madison Marriott West in Middleton with virtual options available as well. Check out the conference website for all the details, including session and hotel information and other special add-on activities. Keep watching your inbox for more updates and follow us on social media. We’re looking forward to seeing you this fall!
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Solving the ECE Compensation Crisis Using the Affordable Care Act
Generous tax credits available through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace make it possible for every ECE educator to access good health insurance plans. Unfortunately, this resource is vastly underutilized. Review this important brief, Health Insurance for the Early Childhood Workforce. WEESSN is mentioned – look for us! Join the Opportunities Exchange for a webinar to learn more on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 11 a.m. to noon.
Additional information about insurance options in Wisconsin is available from Covering Wisconsin. You can explore their website or speak with a Health Insurance Navigator.
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We know how hard you work, and your wins deserve to be celebrated! Each month, we will feature a picture, a story, or a quote from a provider in Wisconsin. We want to hear from you about your business, what’s working well with parents, new organization tips, and more!
Send us:
- a picture of something that is working well in your program with a short description
- if there are children in the picture, please be sure to have parent’s permission to use it in our newsletter (or provide pictures without children’s faces)
- stories/summaries of business, program, parent, child wins
Send pictures or summaries to WEESSN@wisconsinearlychildhood.org with your name and program name. Your win may be featured in a future issue of the WEESSN Wrap-Up!
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Free Trainings from YoungStar Connect
YoungStar Connect offers free live virtual trainings for providers. Check out their training calendar here.
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Children’s Vision Health: Birth to 5 Years
How can early childhood education providers recognize early signs of vision problems and help promote vision health for the children in their care? Join this training at 1 p.m. on Aug. 1 to learn strategies on how to keep children's eyes healthy and safe, including the importance of children's vision screening. Training only available in English.
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WEESSN Trainings
If you have staff members on your team, they can sign up for these sessions, too – please share the information with them! Click on a title to register – more details are available in the latest training email.
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