April 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.
This four-part series, "The AI Advantage," empowers childcare leaders and family child care educators to harness Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a digital administrative assistant. Across four Wednesdays, participants will move from curiosity to action: Weeks 1 and 3 focus on "Watch & Reflect" sessions using expert insights from Adrienne Bradley to explore why and how AI transforms leadership. Weeks 2 and 4 transitions into "Action Planning," where participants apply these tools to their specific needs—from drafting menus to creating social media captions. Whether you are "AI-curious" or looking to level up your existing digital skills, this series provides a tiered approach to maximizing efficiency and professionalism in your program.
CDA Areas: 4, 5 & 6
CLASS Support
Domain(s):
PreK: Classroom Organization
Dimension(s):
PreK: Productivity
Instructor: Bernice Mayfield and Debbie Weigand
Dates: Wednesdays, 4/1, 4/8, 4/15 & 4/22
Time: 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Extended Learning: One additional credit hour per session earned through Canvas extended learning activities.
This is a 4-part series designed specifically for educators working with infants, toddlers, and/or preschool-aged children. We will explore what language learning looks like for young children and what the practices measured by the CLASS tool look like in practice. The science of how our brains work and brain development in the first 5 years will be explored, along with current research on ways to intentionally support children’s language and communication development.
CDA Areas: 2 & 5
VELDS: Communication, Language, and Literacy Development
CLASS Support
Domain(s):
Infant: Responsive Caregiving
Toddler: Engaged Support for Learning
PreK: Instructional Support
Dimension(s):
Infant: Early Language Support
Toddler: Language Modeling
PreK: Language Modeling
Instructor: Joanna Parker
Date: Starts Monday, 4/6
Time: Online, asynchronous and self-paced
Registration for this class closes Friday, March 20, 2026
This April series is a dedicated space for center leaders to pause, breathe, and focus on their own well-being. Using the TeacherWISE framework and the NIH Wellness Toolkits, we will embark on a gentle exploration of self-assessment—identifying where we are thriving and where we are depleted. Unlike traditional training, this PLC is designed as a "soft entry" into wellness, focusing on micro-habits and high-impact/low-effort tools that support the director first. By reclaiming your own resilience on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, center leaders build the capacity to lead their teams with more clarity and heart.
CDA Areas: 6
CLASS Support
Domain(s):
PreK: Classroom Organization
Dimension(s):
PreK: Productivity
Instructor: Bernice Mayfield and Debbie Weigand
Dates: Tuesdays, 4/7 & 4/21
Time: 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Extended Learning: One additional credit hour per session earned through Canvas extended learning activities.
Registration for this class closes Friday, March 20, 2026
Navigating the world socially, both with adults and peers, is a large part of development in the early years. Young children have complex thoughts and often specific ideas about what they want and do not want. So often, we hear the phrase “Use your words” from educators when children are having an interaction, but exactly which words should they be using? Modeling communication tools and language helps children learn how to express their boundaries and needs effectively and socially appropriately. In this training we will discuss techniques and tools to offer verbal and preverbal children to help them effectively advocate for themselves in social situations.
CDA Areas: 2 & 3
VELDS: Communication, Language & Literacy Development
CLASS Support
Domain(s):
Toddler: Emotional and Behavioral Support, Engaged Support for Learning
PreK: Classroom Organization, Instructional Support
Dimension(s):
Toddler: Behavior Guidance, Language Modeling
PreK: Behavior Management, Language Modeling
Instructor: Melody Passemante Powell
Date: Tuesday, 4/7
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Esta clase de dos sesiones explorara el desarrollo de la visión durante el primer año de los bebés. Los participantes analizarán cómo evoluciona la percepción visual de 0 a 12 meses y cómo el diseño intencional del ambiente impacta el aprendizaje temprano. Se ofrecerán estrategias concretas para implementar en aulas de la infancia temprana con bebes. Los participantes reflexionarán con mayor conciencia sobre espacios que no solo estimulan la visión, sino que apoyan el desarrollo integral del bebé.
CDA Áreas: 2
VELDS: Cognición, Salud y Desarrollo Físico
Apoyo de CLASS
Dominio(s):
Bebé: Cuidado Sensible
Dimensión(es):
Bebé: Exploración Facilitada
Instructora: Lisseth Palacios
Fechas: martes, 14 y 21 de abril
Hora: 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Esta serie de dos sesiones explorará cómo los educadores pueden fomentar la curiosidad natural de los niños durante el juego y las experiencias diarias. Los participantes aprenderán estrategias prácticas para apoyar el aprendizaje basado en la indagación, incluyendo cómo modelar la curiosidad, hacer preguntas abiertas y guiar a los niños a pensar en lo que podría suceder a continuación. A través de reflexión y actividades prácticas, los participantes obtendrán herramientas que podrán usar de inmediato para fomentar la curiosidad, el razonamiento y las habilidades tempranas de resolución de problemas en sus aulas.
CDA Áreas: 2 Avance del desarrollo físico e intelectual de los niños
VELDS: Enfoques para el juego y el aprendizaje
Apoyo de CLASS
Dominio(s):
Bebé: Cuidado Sensible
Niño Pequeño: Apoyo Emocional y Conductual
PreK: Apoyo Instruccional
Dimensión(es):
Bebé: Exploración Facilitada & Apoyo al lenguaje temprano
Niño Pequeño: Consideración de la perspectiva del niño, Facilitación del aprendizaje & Calidad de la retroalimentación
PreK: Calidad de la retroalimentación & Modelado del lenguaje
Instructora: Lisseth Palacios
Fechas: jueves, 16 y 23 de abril
Hora: 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Family Child Care Business Workshops
In the Healthy Eating for Children Ages 1-12 Years webinar, you will learn about the nutritional needs of children from ages 1-12 years, mealtime responsibilities, food safety, and menu planning based on Child Meal Pattern requirements to support healthy eating habits.
CDA Area: 2 & 5
Instructor: Gene Anderson
Date: Wednesday, 4/8
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
En el seminario web Alimentación Saludable para Niños de 1 a 12 Años, aprenderá sobre las necesidades nutricionales de los niños de 1 a 12 años, las responsabilidades a la hora de comer, la seguridad alimentaria, y la planificación de menús según los requisitos del Patrón de Comidas para apoyar hábitos alimenticios saludables.
CDA Area: 2 & 5
Instructora: Emily Vivian
Date: Thursday, 4/9
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Turn the most challenging parts of your day into opportunities for learning and connection with strategies to stop the mid-transition meltdowns and circle time wiggles with research-backed strategies designed for even your most spirited toddlers.
CDA Area: 2
Instructor: ITC
Date: Wednesday, 4/29
Time: 7: 00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
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