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April is Autism Acceptance Month
With 1 in 36 children identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder, it is 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.
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Child Care Centers and Family Day Homes
Early Childhood Educators May Apply for College Scholarships through the Virginia Child Care Provider Scholarship Program through April 28
Child care educators taking Early Childhood Development courses at Virginia’s Community Colleges and accredited Montessori Certification Programs may apply for summer 2025 scholarships through April 28. To be sure selected courses are offered during the applicable semester, students need to register for courses prior to submitting a scholarship application. Students may request scholarships for up to two APPROVED COURSES per semester.
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.
New Mailing Address for the Northern Office of Child Care Health and Safety (OCCHS)
The mailing address for the Northern Office of Child Care Health and Safety has changed. The new mailing address is PO Box 1160, Warrenton, Virginia 20186. Effective April 1, the Northern Office no longer has a physical address; drop off deliveries are no longer available. The Northern Office can still be reached at 540-430-2526 or northern.cclicensing@doe.virginia.gov. To determine which office works with child care providers in your locality, refer to the VDOE’s child care website.
OCCHS Child Care Provider Seasonal Updates Webinar will be Released April 8
The Office of Child Care Health and Safety will be releasing the Child Care Provider Seasonal Updates webinar on April 8 on the child care website. The webinar will provide updated information about the vision, goals and current events of the OCCHS as it relates to child day programs and family day systems, and is relevant for licensees, owners, and directors who represent licensed programs, subsidy vendors, voluntarily registered homes, religious exempt centers, certified preschools, and license-exempt programs.
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Virginia Preschool Initiative
Save the Date: Introduction to VAConnects for School Based PreK Programs - April 22 at 10 a.m.
This webinar will provide school-based early childhood programs with more information about the migration of LinkB5, VALLSS, and VKRP into VAConnects. VAConnects is a modern, secure integrated data system that connects LinkB5, the Virginia Language and Literacy Screening System (VALLSS), and the Virginia Kindergarten Readiness Program (VKRP). VAConnects will be the data system in use for the 2025-2026 school year. Registration is required. School Based Pre-K program administrators will receive an email with registration link.
Spring Webinar Series
VDOE hosted a three-part webinar series to prepare school divisions for the 2025-2026 school year. VPI Coordinators and VPI Enrollment staff were encouraged to attend. Topics and recordings are listed below.
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March 11 at 9 a.m. – Best Practices for Eligibility Determination: Review of determining primary vs secondary eligibility and needed documentation. Discussion of points systems and local criteria. Recording now available
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March 18 at 9 a.m. – Program Data and the Interconnected System: Review of all VPI and ECSE data sources and how this information interacts with other early childhood and K-12 data systems. Recording now available
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March 25 at 9 a.m. – Blended Programming: Overview of all publicly funded ECCE programs and how they may work together with VPI programs. Discussions on how program requirements overlap and differ will be included. As well as how funding can be blended to maximize funds. Recording now available
Early Childhood Special Education
Save the Date: Introduction to VAConnects for School Based PreK Programs April 22 at 10 a.m.
Please see more information in the VPI section.
Spring Webinar Series
New Resources Added to the LEADS Website: Inclusive Classroom Profile (ICP)
The Inclusive Classroom Profile (ICP), authored by Dr. Elena Soukakou, is a structured observation rating scale designed to assess the quality of classroom practices that support the developmental needs of children 2½ - 5 years of age with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) in inclusive early childhood settings. These new resources provide more information about the 12 evidence-based practices, and explain how interested divisions and programs might use the ICP and may participate in Virginia ICP Reliability Training.
Recording and Materials: Considerations for a Smooth and Timely Transition from Part C to Part B
On March 19, the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and the VDOE provided information about the transition from Early Intervention Services (Part C) to Early Childhood Special Education (Part B). The recording and materials are available below.
Head Start
VQB5 - Virginia's Unified Measurement and Improvement System
Overview of Proposed 2025-2026 VQB5 Guidelines – Webinar Recording
On March 21, VDOE hosted a webinar for early childhood stakeholders in Virginia. This webinar covered information about fall 2024 VQB5 successes, VQB5 Quality Profiles and proposed changes to the VQB5 2025-2026 Guidelines for clarity and impact.
Early Learning Support
Join STREAMin3 for Free Trainings in April
Join STREAMin3 for free training in April focused on Language and Literacy. Hear from an expert about effective strategies, tools, and resources available to support all preschool-aged children in your care. Contact STREAMin3 at streamin3@virginia.edu for questions about either event.
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Webinar: Preschool Language & Literacy
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Date: April 9 at 1 p.m. (30 mins)
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Registration
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Live Online: Preschool Language & Literacy
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Date: April 22 at 6 p.m. (90 mins)
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Registration (English/Español)
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STREAMin3 Office Hours every Tuesday!
Join STREAMin3 coaches live on Zoom, Tuesdays between 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. to ask a coach your questions. Spanish-speaking coach available.
New to STREAMin3?
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The Ready B5 Recap Spring Edition is HERE!
Click to view the spring edition of Ready B5 Recap, the Quarterly Newsletter for Early Childhood Care and Education in Virginia.
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