Monday Must Know — May 1

Do you have questions about applying for the Child Care Expansion Grant? SPARK Learning Lab is hosting virtual office hours for interested applicants in both the New Program Creation and Existing Program Expansion grant tracks. Office hours offer an opportunity for applicants to receive one-on-one support as they apply for a grant.

Schedule Office Hours

It is critically important to review all of the Child Care Expansion Grant information, including the FAQs and Allowable Expense Guide before applying for the grant. Scroll to the bottom of the Child Care Expansion Grant webpage to find all grant FAQs. Applications will be accepted until May 12.

The application for School-Age Child Care Grants is now open! Supported by the Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning (OECOSL), the School-Age Child Care Project provides grants to public school corporations and non-profit organizations serving school-age children. The grant aims to increase the availability and affordability of high-quality child care for Indiana families.  

Public school corporations and non-profit organizations are eligible to apply if they offer care to children before or after school or when school is not in session, and if they care for children 5-14 years of age.

To apply, log in to I-LEAD and click "Launch the Grant Portal" to start the School-Age Child Care Grant application for your program. Keep in mind you must be designated as a program administrator in I-LEAD to complete an application. Grant applications are due by May 19.

Apply for SACC Grant

SPARK Learning Lab presented a live walkthrough of the application. If you would like to revisit the information or if you were unable to attend, you can view the recording here. 

Contact the SPARK Learning Lab Help Desk with any questions by calling 1-800-299-1627 or emailing SchoolAge@indianaspark.com. Live chat is also available in My SPARK Learning Lab or on indianaspark.com.

About 25 million Americans live with asthma, and five million of them are children. To learn more about this condition from an educator's perspective, take the computer-based training found in Indiana Learning Paths, Breathe Easy: Asthma Information for Early Educators. 

Join InJAC for a free virtual summit from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET on Asthma Awareness Day, May 4. Learn from speakers and panelists about holistic approaches to asthma management, including how social determinants of health impact asthma treatment. 

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Mental Health Advocacy is one of the most powerful tools to reduce mental health stigma and raise awareness. To learn more about mental health advocacy, check out the Advocacy Network from Mental Health America. 

You can also check the Calm Calendar using your Free Calm subscription to start promoting mental health and wellness in your workplace. 

SPARK Learning Lab's new collaborative learning opportunity offers Early Childhood Education program leaders an opportunity to learn about and implement new health-focused strategies in their programs through Go NAPSACC. Go NAPSACC is an online tool that helps ECE programs do more to support children's healthy eating and physical activity habits.  

These Better Together Collaboratives will include learning sessions followed by action periods where program leaders can use Go NAPSACC's online tool to assess current program activities, educate fellow staff on their learning, and lead staff through a process of change to increase healthy habits.  

The Child Nutrition collaborative begins May 9 and includes eight virtual live sessions on Tuesdays from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. ET. Participants will also receive virtual one-on-one technical assistance from a SPARK Coach between live sessions. Participants will have the opportunity to earn training clock hours and receive a Lakeshore materials kit upon completion of the collaborative's required components. Space is limited. For more information and to register, visit the Indiana Spark Go NAPSACC webpage.

Submit Interest Form

The upcoming 'Ask a Nurse' series offers a chance for providers to ask questions and get answers from a trusted source. Chief Nurse Consultant, Nancy M. Ward, BSN, RN-BC, CDDN, will answer your questions in real time during these live sessions. Register for one of the upcoming webinars below:  

Register through Indiana Learning Paths. Once logged in, search for the sessions using the date and a keyword. For example: "SPARK 5/4/2023" to search for the Nutrition and Health Program review. 

Register Now