DPP Enroll Launch
In partnership with Denver’s Early Childhood Council, MetrixIQ, and BridgeCare, DPP staff are preparing to launch a new advertising tool that will support providers in marketing their open enrollment slots to the community.
Before the new child care finder tool is released to families, we will be providing demo sessions to assist you in setting up your profile. For more information email info@dpp.org.
Colorado’s Universal Preschool (UPK ) Updates
Lisa Roy, who previously served as executive director for early childhood education in Colorado’s largest school district and has held leadership roles in several philanthropic organizations, is the sole finalist to lead the state’s new Department of Early Childhood.
The new department, in existence since March 1st, will oversee a host of early childhood programs now housed in the state’s Department of Human Services and the Department of Education. It will also manage Colorado’s new universal preschool program, an ambitious effort to provide ten hours of tuition-free preschool per week to 4-year-olds statewide starting in the summer of 2023.
DPP Updates
DPP launched the 2022-2023 Provider Agreement renewal process, encouraging all community sites to complete the process by June 3rd. If you have any questions about the renewal process, please contact Nayely Avila, Program Specialist, at Nayley@dpp.org or 720-287-5055 ext. 130.
DPP distributed 2022-2023 Preschool for 3s Pilot information to community providers, asking them to encourage all eligible Tier 1 and Tier 2 families who will have a 3-year-old by October 1, 2022, to apply. If you have any questions about the 2022-2023 Preschool for 3s Pilot, please contact DPP’s Enrollment team at info@dpp.org or 303-595-4377.
Exciting Opportunity: Early Childhood Care and Education Provider Request for Proposals
Executives Partnering to Invest in Children (EPIC) is proud to serve as a facilitator to support the Request for Proposals (RFP) process for an early childhood care and education provider to operate a proposed early childhood center in the Mile High United Way headquarters building at 711 Park Ave West. EPIC is pleased to release a request for proposals seeking an experienced and innovative partner to operate the proposed early childhood care and education program on-site at 711 Park Avenue West, in 5 ground floor classrooms serving up to 58 children.
To learn more and access the full RFP document and detailed information on the timeline and inquiries, please visit unitedwaydenver.org/ece-rfp/. EPIC supports Mile High United Way with the RFP and applicant evaluation to enable an impartial and equitable process. We encourage you to share this with your network, and if you have any questions, please send them to childcare.operator.rfp@unitedwaydenver.org.
Buffet Early Childhood Institute – Community of Practice
Facilitated by local early childhood educators Carol Burk and Jennifer Hofsommer, Amy Schmidtke, and Cama Charlet from the Buffett Early Childhood Institute, this four-part online experience will focus on funds of knowledge in children’s learning, integrating the community into the classroom, and helping children connect to the curriculum through personal relevance. Communities of practice allow educators to share ideas and learn from one another about how to implement high-quality classroom practices. Educators can deepen their understanding of the funds of knowledge approach and support one another as they bring this learning to life in their classroom practices for the children in their care.
Learn more and register here.
Early Milestones Colorado
Early Milestones Colorado and its partners want to hear about your experience with child care during the pandemic. If you are a parent/guardian with a child under six living in Colorado, you are eligible for their survey. Please also consider forwarding the survey to your enrolled families.
Take this 10-minute survey now, and you could win a $100 gift card.
EQUITY CORNER
Are you unsure how to discuss Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with your students?
Defending The Early Years (DEY) offers guidelines for implementing an age-appropriate, meaningful, and caring way for adults (parents, caregivers, educators) to talk with children about these events to help them process the information in a way that allows them to maintain this vital sense of safety and the resulting sense of emotional well-being.
DEY offers guidelines for implementing an age-appropriate, meaningful, and caring
approach to help young children deal with this shocking event: The world has watched the Russian invasion of Ukraine unfold on television, social media, and other outlets for the past several weeks.
Despite adults’ best efforts to shield young children from this reality, they may have been exposed to this war, whether through the media, siblings, friends, or overhearing adults’ conversations.
This can undermine children’s sense of safety and social and emotional well-being.
While young children are not able to comprehend complicated concepts like Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine or the threats to democracy, they will undoubtedly be frightened and confused by the violent images of bombed buildings, tanks, or other weapons of war and of fleeing or injured children, as well as the deep and apparent concerns of the adults around them.
We fully recognize that wars impacting communities of color, such as the war in Syria or conflicts in Central America or Africa, have not been covered as heavily by the American press.
These guidelines apply to helping children with all wars and conflicts.
- Protect young children from exposure to news on TV, radio, social media, or hearing adults talk about it as much as possible. The more they see and hear, the more dangerous they think the world is.
- Children need to know you will be there to help them and keep them safe. Trusted adults can help children sort out what they see and hear and help them feel secure. How you react plays a significant role in determining how children think, feel, and learn.
- Start by finding out what children know. This gives you more information about their real concerns, which might differ from yours. Ask open-ended questions like, “What have you heard about that?” or “What do you know about….?” Base your responses on the child’s age and specific needs. Keep your explanations developmentally appropriate.
- When young children see or hear about something scary, they often relate it to themselves and worry about their safety. Younger children tend to focus on one thing at a time. Because they don’t yet have logical, causal thinking, it’s hard for them to figure out the logic of what happened and why or sort out what is real and what is not.
- Let children know that you are happy to talk with them if they have any questions about this or anything else.
- Answer children’s specific questions, but don’t elaborate. You don’t need to provide the whole story. Just tell children what they want to know. Continue to reassure them about their safety.
- Support children’s efforts to use play, art, and writing to work out an understanding of what they have seen and heard. Although some adults are uncomfortable when children bring violence into their play, this helps them work out ideas and feelings and shows adults what they are worried about. Provide open-ended play materials such as blocks, emergency vehicles, miniature people, a medical kit, and art materials like markers and paper.
- Be on the lookout for signs of stress. Changes in behavior such as increased aggression or withdrawal, difficulty sleeping, changes in appetite, regression in toileting, frequent crying, or trouble with transitions are all signs that additional support may be needed. Protecting children from the media, maintaining routines, providing reassurance, and even extra hugs can help children regain their equilibrium.
- Help children experience the power of solving their conflicts without violence. Children are often confused when we tell them to “use their words” to solve conflicts, but they see adults using violence to solve theirs. Show them how to deal with issues differently in their own lives. Help children learn by your example and interact with them to resolve conflicts in constructive ways.
DEY adapted this resource from Teaching Young Children in Violent Times: Building a Peaceable Classroom (2nd Edition). E. Levin, Ph.D.