March 2026 Professional Learning
Below is information on upcoming virtual and in-person professional development opportunities. Detailed descriptions and registration information can be found at: fairfaxcounty.gov/EarlyChildhood. Monthly emails, including registration links, will be sent when registration opens.
To receive a certificate for in-person or webinar courses, please be sure to review the following requirements:
- To receive credit for a series with two meetings, you must attend both sessions.
- For series requiring three or four meetings, you must attend all sessions to receive credit.
- A 15-minute grace period is allowed; however, certificates will not be issued if you miss more than 15 minutes of the session.
- Certificates will be issued within 2-4 business days.
- If you can no longer attend a training you have registered for, please email NCSchildcareclasses@fairfaxcounty.gov before the scheduled date and time.
You can find references to the CDA Subject Areas, Virginia Early Learning Development Standards (VELDS), and CLASS under each Professional Learning course. Additionally, a reference to the CDA Subject Area is included at the bottom of this email.
As part of the Power of Leadership Series, this four-session learning experience examines the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct as a practical, living framework for early childhood leaders. Grounded in research on leadership, neuroscience, equity, and psychological safety, participants will explore real-world ethical dilemmas involving staff, families, and organizational systems.
Through reflection, discussion, and applied learning, leaders will strengthen ethical decision-making skills and develop tools for navigating professional tension with integrity, accountability, and relational leadership. This series supports leaders in fostering ethical program cultures that prioritize trust, responsibility, and care in daily practice.
CDA Areas: 5 & 6
VELDS: Approaches to Play and Learning Social and Emotional Development
CLASS Support
Domain(s):
Infant: Responsive Caregiving
Toddler: Emotional and Behavioral Support
PreK: Emotional Support
Dimension(s):
Infant: Relational Climate
Toddler: Positive Climate
PreK: Positive Climate
Instructor: Bernice Mayfield and Debbie Weigand
Dates: Wednesdays, 3/4, 3/11, 3/18, & 3/25
Time: 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Extended Learning: One additional credit hour per session earned through Canvas extended learning activities.
Course 4 is the final course in the Social-Emotional Competencies Series, and all educators are warmly welcome to attend—whether they participated in Courses 1, 2, or 3, or are joining the series for the first time. This six-session course stands on its own while also deepening the full learning journey. Participants may earn 12 total credit hours, including six hours of live virtual Teams learning and six additional hours of extended learning to support reflection, application, and growth.
CDA Area: 7
VELDS: Approaches to Play and Learning, Social and Emotional Development
CLASS Support
Domain(s):
Infant: Responsive Caregiving
Toddler: Emotional and Behavioral Support
PreK: Emotional Support
Dimension(s):
Infant: Relational Climate
Toddler: Positive Climate
PreK: Positive Climate
Instructor: Bernice Mayfield and Debbie Weigand
Dates: Thursdays, 3/5, 312, 3/19, 3/26, 4/9, & 4/16
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Extended Learning: One additional credit hour per session earned through Canvas extended learning activities.
Being responsible for talking with young children about such a nuanced and complex topic as death can be incredibly challenging. No two people process grief and death in the exact same way; the same goes for children. In this session, we will share what needs to be considered before talking with children about death and explore techniques and possible language that can be used to approach these critical conversations.
CDA Areas: 3, 4, & 8
VELDS: Social & Emotional Development
CLASS Support
Domain(s):
Toddler: Emotional and Behavioral Support
PreK: Emotional Support
Dimension(s):
Toddler: Teacher Sensitivity, Regard for Child Perspectives
PreK: Teacher Sensitivity, Regard for Child Perspectives
Instructor: Melody Passemante Powell
Date: Tuesday, 3/10
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Family Child Care Business Workshops
Experts agree that children’s early food experiences affect their lifelong eating habits. In this webinar, learn about infant development and best evidence-based feeding practices to support infant nutrition and cultivate positive eating behaviors in the first year of life.
This training is offered in English and Spanish. Since both sessions cover the same material, participants may only register for and receive credit for one class.
CDA Area: 5
Instructor: Tracey Medley Brown
Date: Thursday, 3/5
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Los expertos están de acuerdo que las experiencias alimentarias tempranas en los niños afectan sus hábitos alimenticios de por vida. En este seminario web, aprenderá sobre el desarrollo infantil y las mejores evidencias en las prácticas de alimentación basadas en el apoyo de la nutrición infantil. Y como cultivar comportamientos alimenticios positivos en los primeros años de vida.
Esta capacitación se ofrece en inglés y español. Dado que ambas sesiones cubren el mismo contenido, los participantes solo pueden inscribirse y recibir crédito por una sola clase.
Área de CDA: 5
Instructora: Nancy Hackett
Fecha: jueves, 5 de marzo
Hora: 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
In this webinar, participants will explore best practices in promoting health and reducing the spread of illness in family child care homes by learning how to conduct daily observations, clean and sanitize, wash hands, and exclude children when they are sick. Participants must attend both sessions to receive training credit.
CDA Area: 1 & 2
Instructor: Claire Wood
Date: Tuesday, 3/10
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
In this two-part course, (2 hours per course, 4 hours total) participants will focus on programming, environment, and social interactions for school-age children. Through play, children learn about the world, themselves, and develop skills for life-long success. The environment provides a safe space for them to relax, the ability to explore and create and a place for a child's creativity, social interactions allow children to build relationships, create a sense of belonging and solve problems. Join us and explore your childcare center through the eyes of a school ager. Providers must attend both sessions to receive training credit.
CDA Area: 5
Instructors: Nathan Dally and Latisha Robinson
Date: Wednesdays, 3/11 & 3/25
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
In the SIDS and Shaken Baby Syndrome webinar, child care providers will focus on understanding SIDS, providing safe sleep environments and having policies that support healthy sleep environments. We will also review strategies to support caregivers and families to recognize signs and symptoms of shaken baby syndrome, how to manage stress and prevent abuse. participate in the discussion and share their experiences!
CDA Area: 5
Instructor: Claire Wood
Date: Thursday, 3/12
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Tax filing for a daycare business can be complex. Here is your opportunity to take a deeper look at IRS Tax Forms! In this training, we will do a quick overview of IRS form 1040 and then do a deeper review of Schedule C - Profit or Loss From a Business form.
CDA Area: 5
Instructor: Women’s Business Center
Date: Wednesday, 3/18
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Invite will be sent via email.
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