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April is Autism Acceptance Month
With 1 in 36 children identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder, it’s more important than ever to highlight the services, programs, and interventions that can help children reach their fullest potential. During this month, take the time to not only deepen your own knowledge and understanding of ASD, but also share vital resources with families and your communities. Start by checking out the VCU Autism Center for Education (VCU-ACE) website. VCU-ACE offers resources for educators and families alike.
Earn $30 and Help Improve Early Care and Education in Virginia!
Do you work as a teacher or site leader at a center, Head Start, public school, or family day home participating in VQB5? If so, you may be eligible to take an important survey!
Partners from the Study of Early Education through Partnerships at UVA have sent email invitations (from noreply@surveys.virginia.edu) with a unique survey link to all eligible educators. Eligible educators who complete the survey will receive a $30 gift card!
Questions? Go to the FAQ page or contact the UVA team (partnerships@virginia.edu or 434-297-6882).
Child Care Centers and Family Day Homes
Virginia Child Care Provider Scholarship Program – Two More Weeks to Submit College Scholarship Applications for Summer Semester
The Virginia Child Care Provider Scholarship Program is accepting scholarship applications through April 15, 2024, from early educators who would like to take courses during the SUMMER 2024 semester. This scholarship covers in-state tuition for eligible applicants for approved courses at Virginia’s Community Colleges and Montessori Certification Programs. Please note that students must be accepted into one of the three accredited Montessori Certification Programs before a scholarship can be awarded for any Montessori courses.
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month
April is nationally recognized as Child Abuse Prevention Month. This month-long initiative recognizes the importance of families, caregivers, communities and child advocates coming together to prevent abuse. Child abuse is 100% preventable. Learn more about what you can do to prevent child abuse by visiting the Virginia Department of Social Services website and join the VDOE in “Go Blue Day” on Friday, April 5, by wearing blue in honor of your commitment to preventing child abuse and advocating for the well-being of children.
OCCHS Child Care Provider Seasonal Updates Webinar Slide Deck
The slide deck from the Office of Child Care Health and Safety (OCCHS) Child Care Provider Seasonal Updates webinar hosted on March 12 is now available on the VDOE’s child care website. Due to technical difficulties during the webinar, the recording is not available. Instead, the slide deck used during the webinar has been posted under “Videos and Recordings.” Questions about the material presented can be directed to Saretha Williams.
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Virginia Preschool Initiative
Wolf Trap Event: “Springtime Adventures: An Imaginary Journey Through the Neighborhood”
Join Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts for a free, virtual event for families and early childhood classrooms. This springtime adventure with Wolf Trap Teaching Artists Johanna Barbosa and Morgan Sendek will be full of drama, movement, and make-believe! We’ll take a seasonal imaginary journey from one friend’s house to another—interpreting directions and street signs, using problem solving skills, and exploring friendship, sharing and collaboration.
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Webinar: Springtime Adventures: An Imaginary Journey Through the Neighborhood (this webinar is presented twice):
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Date: Wednesday, April 3 at 6:00 p.m. Register
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Date: Friday, April 5 at 9:30 a.m. Register
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Early Childhood Special Education
Early Childhood Special Education Spring Updates Webinar on April 11
The Early Childhood Special Education Spring Updates webinar will provide information to help school divisions prepare for the 2024-2025 school year. The webinar will focus on state-level early childhood updates and will present the December 1, 2023 child count and indicator 6 draft data, as well as the VPI and Head Start inclusion data. Because VDOE will share state- and division-level data, participants are encouraged to attend the virtual presentation. The individual(s) who has primary responsibility for ECSE programs from each division is encouraged to attend.
Evidence-Based Practices Academy (VCU ACE)
The Evidence-Based Practices Academy is designed to provide educators of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with direct training in evidence-based practices designed to increase access to the general education environment and curriculum. This is an in-person, two-day training held regionally this spring and summer.
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Regions 2 and 3, Hampton, April 16 – 17
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Regions 4 and 5, Staunton, May 9 -10
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Regions 6 and 7, Christiansburg, June 3 – 4
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Regions 1 and 8, Chester, July 15 – 16
Head Start
Office of Head Start Comprehensive Overview of Head Start Grant Application Instructions
All Head Start grant recipients are required to submit a baseline or refunding grant application throughout the five-year project period of their grant award. To support grant recipients through this process, the Office of Head Start is offering this great webinar opportunity. Participants will hear from Office of Head Start experts as they provide a comprehensive walk through of the 3.01 version of the application instructions and overall guidance.
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Webinar: Comprehensive Overview of Head Start Grant Application Instructions
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Date: April 4 at 2:00 p.m.
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Register
VQB5 - Virginia's Unified Measurement and Improvement System
VQB5 Quality Profile Feedback Opportunity
Starting in the fall of 2024, all publicly-funded early childhood programs in Virginia will receive an annual VQB5 quality profile which will include information about performance on measurements (i.e., quality rating results) and other topics of interest to families and the general public.
Using feedback gathered during Practice Year 2, VDOE developed draft ‘mock-ups’ of VQB5 quality profiles for review. Feedback will be used to inform the final VQB5 quality profiles, which will be reviewed by the Board of Education in June. Click on the links below to view profile mock-ups and to provide feedback.
Update on Proposed 2024-2025 VQB5 Guidelines Webinar – April 23
VDOE will host a webinar for all Early Childhood Care and Education stakeholders about the proposed updates to the 2024-2025 VQB5 Guidelines on Tuesday, April 23 at 2:00 p.m. (This webinar will be recorded).
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Webinar: VQB5 Update on 2024-2025 Proposed Guidelines
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Date: Tuesday, April 23 at 2 p.m.
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Registration
Early Learning Support
ECMHC Programmatic Consultation Services and Next Group Session “Exclusionary Discipline"
Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation provides FREE virtual Programmatic Consultation for leaders at sites serving children birth-to-five across Virginia, in addition to classroom and child-focused services.
Join ECMHC at their next group session this Thursday, April 18 at 11:00 a.m. to learn how to implement policies and alternative evidence-based strategies for preventing exclusionary discipline.
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STREAMin³ On-Demand is Moving to a New Learning Platform
STREAMin3 users currently taking one or more on-demand course(s) in Canvas need to finish by April 19, 2024. Completion records and certificates will be saved for future use. The new learning platform will have the same courses, as well as new ones, available to you.
Contact streamin3@virginia.edu or (855) 787-6463 with questions
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Ready B5 Recap Spring Edition is Here!
Click to view the latest edition of Ready B5 Recap, the Quarterly Newsletter for Early Childhood Care and Education in Virginia.
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