ECEAP Reminders & Links - December 2021

Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families sent this bulletin at 12/06/2021 02:30 PM PST

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ECEAP is Washington’s pre-kindergarten program that prepares
3- and 4-year-old children furthest from opportunity for success in school and life.

December 2021 Issue

young child outside in snow

New or Updated COVID-19 Resources

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its COVID-19 Guidance for Operating Early Care and Education/Child Care Programs. 

Updates to the guidance emphasize:

  • The importance of universal masking.
  • Information on screening testing.
  • Recommendations for those who are fully vaccinated.
  • Recommendations for individuals with COVID-19 in the last 90 days.

In This Issue:

Important Dates:

Within 90 Days from Class Start Date: Enter health screenings, well-child exams, and dental screenings in ELMS.

Questions?

Email questions about newsletter topics to eceap@dcyf.wa.gov or your Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Specialist.

For additional information about ECEAP or the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), please visit our Contractor webpages.

ECEAP Updates

ECEAP Request for Applications (RFA) 

DCYF released the ECEAP RFA)for the 2022-23 contract year on Friday, Nov. 5. Current and potential ECEAP providers are strongly encouraged to apply. 

Please email questions to the RFA Coordinator at dcyf.eceap@dcyf.wa.gov.

ELMS

DCYF IT is experiencing staff shortages. As a result, we should expect addressing ELMS defects and building new features to take longer than usual. We will share updates as we have them.

Changes to ELMS Released on Nov. 9:

  • The Mobility Mentoring Reports now include 2021-22 data.
  • The Monitoring Dashboard Report has been separated into two reports. One for ECEAP and the other for Early ECEAP.

See the ELMS News page for additional details.

MERIT

MERIT is experiencing a high volume of traffic. Because of this, they want to let you know the following information:

  • MERIT users are experiencing occasional error messages. They are aware of this issue and are actively working to resolve it. If you receive an error message, it is likely due to the number of people visiting MERIT at once. The MERIT Support Team apologizes for the inconvenience and advise you to access your MERIT account at a later time.
  • The MERIT Support Team is receiving an increased amount of inquiries. Due to this, their response time is slower than usual. They are working to respond to all inquiries as soon as possible.

The Professional Development Team appreciates your patience as they work through these challenges.

DCYF Training Opportunities, Events, and Support

Offered by the DCYF ECEAP Office.

Preschool Development Grant 2021: Family Voice

Entering preschool or kindergarten is a big milestone for children and their families. We know that when children arrive in a new setting feeling welcomed and excited, they are more likely to find success. Effective transitions are a product of thoughtful, authentic collaboration among early learning programs, schools, communities, families, and children.

Family voice is critical to strengthening early learning transitions. Hearing from families about their own experiences allows us to learn what’s working and discover what’s missing to support effective transitions for all children – particularly those furthest from educational justice.

The Preschool Development Grant (PDG) Transitions Team is seeking families to share their stories through a series of listening sessions. The following prompts guide our conversation:

  1. What are your hopes and dreams for your child as they go to preschool or kindergarten?
  2. What are your fears and challenges?
  3. What does success look like for your child?

Please contact Mari Taylor at eceap@dcyf.wa.gov to schedule a listening session or with questions or recommendations for engaging families in this conversation.

Government-to-Government Training

Government to Government training explores tribal sovereignty, tribal governments, and local tribes. This training is for all ECEAP contractors and contractors who subcontract with tribes. It is especially helpful for programs that serve tribal children or partner with local tribes. Join Dec. 10 from 12-4 p.m. Register here.

Other Training Opportunities, Events, and Support

Offered by external partners.

Early Achievers Practice-Based Coaching Training

Previously Coach Framework

Individuals only need to register once and they will be provided with a Zoom link for all the sessions. If someone is unable to attend one of the modules, a third series this year will be offered starting in April 2022. Register here.

  • Jan. 21: Module 1: Collaborative Partnerships

  • Jan. 28: Module 2: Collaborative Partnerships

  • Feb. 4: Module 3: Shared Goals and Action Plans, Part 1: Data Literacy

  • Feb. 11: Module 4: Shared Goals and Action Plans, Part 2: Collaborative Goal Setting

  • Feb. 18: Module 5: Focused Observation

  • Feb. 25: Module 6: Reflection and Feedback, Part 1

  • March 4: Module 7: Reflection and Feedback, Part 2

Learning Series: Improving the Lives of Boys and Men of Color, Presented by the Washington Interagency Fatherhood Council

  • Thursday Dec. 9, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. There is no cost to attend. Register here.

ECEAP MyTeachingStrategies® Training Resource

There is a new streamlined process for Creative Curriculum® and GOLD® Teaching Strategies Online Professional Development courses. These are now available for in-service (STARS) credit for ECEAP staff with MERIT accounts. The trainings meet requirements in ECEAP Performance Standard PDTR-10. Learn more here.

Online Resources

Education