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Office of Early Childhood & Out-of-School Learning |
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Make Plan Now for Holiday Closures
If your child care program accepts CCDF or On My Way Pre-K (OMWPK) vouchers and will be closed during the holidays, make adjustments ahead of time in the Pay by Enrollment portal. You have three options for managing holiday closures:
- If you are expecting payment during your holiday closure days, you may count them as part of the 16 paid closures allotted for the year.
- If your program will be closed for full weeks, you may choose to pause vouchers during that time. If vouchers are paused, these closure days will not count against the 16 paid closures total you are allocated for the year. You will not receive payment for those weeks.
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If you claim these days as non-paid closures, you will still receive payment, but this payment will need to be recouped.
Please check your vouchers before the holidays so your eligibility office can make any necessary adjustments to avoid improper payments. Audit will check all these weeks to make sure they were recorded correctly. Email your questions to paymentquestions@fssa.in.gov.
For more provider support with Pay by Enrollment, call the SPARK Help Desk at 1-800-299-1627. Families can get support by calling Indiana 211 or their local eligibility office.
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Attend Friday's Kindergarten Transition Summit
Join the Kindergarten Transition Summit from 12:30 to 2 p.m. ET this Friday, December 6. Hear from a panel of field specialists and learn more about a new tool to assess your transition-to-kindergarten practices.
This virtual event is hosted by the Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning, Indiana Department of Education's Office of Kindergarten Readiness, and Indiana Head Start Association.
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Join the Go NAPSACC Collaborative
SPARK is excited to offer you a special gift — an exclusive opportunity to participate in the Child Nutrition Go NAPSACC collaborative.
This opportunity begins the week of January 13 and will focus on fostering healthy habits in early childhood education settings.
Through this collaborative you will earn:
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A Lakeshore Materials kit (upon completion)
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Insight to enhance your early childhood education practices
Spaces are limited, register now. Give yourself the gift of growth this season and strengthen your impact on the children and families you serve.
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Explore INAEYC's Events and Opportunities
The Indiana Association for the Education of Young Children (INAEYC) has several upcoming opportunities.
Register for the 2025 Indiana Early Childhood Conference: Early bird registration is open until December 13 for the 2025 Indiana Early Childhood Conference, which will be held March 28 and 29 at the Indiana Convention Center. Group registration is available for up to 30 attendees, and scholarships are available for attending. Register for the conference.
Apply for Indiana AEYC Non-Formal CDA Training: Interested in earning your Child Development Associate (CDA®) credential? The Indiana Non-Formal CDA Project is accepting applications for classes starting in January and February 2025. Classes are provided at no cost to participants through funding by the Child Care and Development Fund and the Department of Workforce Development. You can view eligibility requirements here. To apply or ask questions, email pd@inaeyc.org.
INAEYC is looking for applicants in the following areas:
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Center of Workforce Innovations, Inc.
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South Bend Adult Education Program
- Central Nine Career Center
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Jennings County Adult Education Program
Register for the virtual CDA event from 10 to 11 a.m. ET on December 18. Learn about available resources to help you complete your CDA. You'll walk through the training, learn how to prepare for the visit and how to apply for the credential with T.E.A.C.H. scholarship assistance. You can also connect with a CDA Navigator who will help you organize your portfolio and prepare for the exam.
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Get the Gift of Serenity this Holiday Season
SPARK Learning Lab is offering you a premium Calm subscription to bring you peace and serenity this holiday season. You can improve sleep, mindfulness, anxiety, and more with this subscription.
Eligible individuals must work, own, or volunteer in an Indiana-based early childhood education or out-of-school care program. Fill out a short form and enjoy your subscription until February 2026.
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Register for Upcoming Provider Support Groups
Ring in the New Year with one of three new Provider Support Groups SPARK will launch starting the week of January 10.
These groups offer valuable support and community for early care and education providers. Join a group that meets at one of the following times:
- Tuesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m. ET (English)
- Wednesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m. ET (English)
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Wednesdays from 6 to 7 p.m. ET (Spanish)
These groups offer an excellent way to network with peers, share best practices, and gain insights that can help you navigate the challenges of early childhood education.
Mark your calendars for these sessions, registration will open soon.
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Train with SPARK Learning Lab
Explore valuable upcoming training opportunities through SPARK Learning Lab. See a full list of upcoming face-to-face training, live webinars, and live resources, plus read training descriptions and find registration instructions at IndianaSpark.com/training.
Review this week's training schedule:
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