Do you know of any toddler teachers who have attended a training focused primarily on school age children? Do you know any school age teachers who have attended a training that was really for preschoolers? It can be so frustrating to sit through a training that was not really designed to meet your needs, just so you can meet some training requirement.

Are you worried that you won't be able to get all your required training hours in for the year? Most all programs serving young children have requirements for training. Child care centers, Head Start programs, public school preschool staff, and others are involved with meeting training requirements. Even when all required training is completed, some programs continue to attend training to help meet program or individual goals. Sometimes it is very hard to make training decisions that both meet all the requirements and really address interests and needs. In an effort to meet requirements, decisions are sometimes made that don't meet the true needs of the staff!

The Child Care Resource and Referral agency understands the need for meeting the training regulations, and the real needs of classroom and management staff. We have planned ahead so that you can plan ahead! We are excited to announce a new training framework with a calendar for the 2001-2002 year. (See pages 6-7.)

We are hoping that this calendar with dates and tracks will help you plan and make more meaningful training decisions that will meet your regulations and the needs and interests of staff. We are delighted to offer a variety of workshops with more options to choose from. On the framework you will find the information you need to PLAN AHEAD for your training needs more effectively!

Professional development for child care directors and staff is very important to increase knowledge and meet the child care licensing regulations. The Division of Licensed Child Care regulations for Type I child care centers and Type II licensed family child care homes requires that directors and staff have a minimum of 12 clock hours of annual training. Certification regulations for family child care homes require that persons have a minimum of six (6) clock hours each year.

Although both licensing and certification regulations set the standard for the number of clock hours of training required, the topics can be and should be chosen based upon the person's needs, interests, and age of children he/she is working with.

For new child care directors and staff, six (6) hours of new employee orientation are required to be attended and documented within the first three months of employment. This orientation consists of:

• Health, Safety, and Sanitation (2 hours),
• Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse (1 hour), and
• Developmentally Appropriate Child Care Practices (3 hours).

This training is a mandatory requirement set forth by the state.

Training for directors and staff is available on a monthly basis from the CCR&R and we hope you will join us.

Information about specific training can be gathered from the CCR&R web site at www.ttas.org or you can call the CCR&R office and ask for Lesley.

Emergencies occur every day to young children. Hopefully, they will not occur while the children are in our care, but it is possible. Do you know what to do if an emergency should arise for the children you are caring for? What do you do for a neck injury? What do you do for a bleeding wound? What do you do for a suspected broken bone? What do you do if a child stops breathing? If you have not had the opportunity to be trained in Infant and Child Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) or Infant and Child First Aid, you might want to consider this training. It can help to save a life!

In addition to the 12 clock hours of training that licensed child care providers are required to obtain each year, one staff person on duty, at all times, must be currently certified in Infant and Child CPR and Infant and Child First Aid. For certified in-home providers the CPR and First Aid training is in addition to the six (6) hours of required training for each year.

According to regulations, Infant and Child CPR training has to be received from The American Red Cross, The American Safety Council, or The American Heart Association. Infant and Child First Aid training has to be received from The American Red Cross or The American Safety Council.

For available classes, contact your local American Red Cross, local ambulance services, or the Healthy Start Consultants serving your county.

STARS FOR KIDS NOW is a voluntary, quality-based, graduated child care rating system with monetary incentives for participating Type 1 licensed child care centers (922 KAR 2:170). The STARS FOR KIDS NOW Quality Rating System has officially rolled out statewide.

Overview of STARS FOR KIDS NOW, a free workshop designed for directors and owners only will be offered each month by the CCR&R. This training is mandatory for any center to participate in STARS FOR KIDS NOW. Training hours for this session will not count toward licensing regulations; therefore, the CCR&R cannot offer credit.

Many of you want to know how this will affect training for your staff. The Quality Rating System Standards state that for Level One, your staff must have current licensing requirements (12 hours annually). For Level Two, your staff must have 3 additional clock hours of training for a total of 15. To reach Level Three, 50% of all teaching staff must have an entry-level credential or higher (after 7-1-03) or nine (9) additional clock hours of training annually (before 7-1-03) for a total of 21 hours. For Level Four, you must meet all the requirements of Level Three and have a minimum of one staff member with a Child Development Associate (CDA) or higher in each classroom during all hours of operation. Monthly workshops will be provided to present an overview of the Quality Rating System Standards.

For more information on the Quality Rating System please call Taylor Tucker, Quality Coordinator. You can also email Taylor at taylor.tucker@wku.edu.

To review the professional development statutes for Kentucky public schools consult the following web page:
www.kde.state.ky.us/olsi/profdev/pdstats.asp

Each school and local district is responsible for creating a professional development plan to meet their needs. Four days of professional development within the minimum school term is required under KRS 158.070. The professional development should be available to increase teacher's understanding of curriculum content and methods of instruction based on individual school plans. Although Kentucky kindergarten and preschool teachers in public school have no specific state requirements for inservice training, they must adhere to the local school district requirements.

According to state requirements, Instructional Aids in public school kindergarten and preschool classrooms must obtain 18 clock hours of professional development in early childhood education. According to KRS 156.101, Preschool Directors and other leaders must participate in professional development and in 42 clock hours of instructional leadership every two years. Public school employees are welcome at all CCR&R training events.

Please check with your local public school Professional Development Coordinator to see what Child Care Resource and Referral training can meet the requirements. The CCR&R at WKU will be glad to work with local school districts to plan and present training to meet your needs.

Head Start has always valued training for staff, but the Performance Standards do not specify a certain specific number of annual training hours required for each position. Although the Performance Standards include information about training and development in section 1304.52, the guidance section references many examples of training throughout. Each local program is responsible for creating their own training plan based on the Performance Standards and local needs and interests identified.

Head Start employees are welcome at all CCR&R training events. Please check with your local Head Start administrators to see what Child Care Resource and Referral training can meet the local expectations for training. The CCR&R at WKU will be glad to work with local Head Start programs to plan and present training to meet your needs.

To explore additional training options for public school or Head Start personnel, contact Connie Jo Smith by e-mail at connie.smith@wku.edu.

We learn what we care about.--Elizabeth Jones

Designing high quality training requires time and expertise.--Dick & Carey

I am convinced that we must train not only the head, but the heart and hands as well.--Madame Chiang Kai-shek

I hear and I forget.
I see and I remember.
I do and I understand.
--Confucious

The ultimate responsibility for learning rests with the learner.--T. Goad

Learning and Loving It!
Beth Schaeffer, CCR&R Consultant

One year ago, the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority administered the first Early Childhood Development Scholarships as a part of the KIDS NOW early childhood initiative. Many early childhood professionals took advantage of this opportunity and began work on their Associate of Arts (AA) degree, Bachelor of Science (BS) degree, or Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential.

As these scholars complete their first year, they have shared many positive comments. Linda Bohannon, a Western Kentucky University scholar from LaPetite Academy said, "I believe it has helped enhance the quality of care to our children by providing education to our teachers. Personally, it has made me feel more confident and worthy as I learn more about children and development. I know that I am doing a better job. I am providing the very best for children and the community."

Other scholars echoed Linda's thoughts about the positive impact of continuing education on quality care for children and on the knowledge and confidence they have gained personally.

Early childhood professionals working at least 20 hours in an early childhood facility (including child care, Head Start and public preschool) may be eligible for this scholarship, up to $1,400 per year. The deadline for applying for the Spring, 2002 semester is November 15, 2001. Call now to find our more about this opportunity to provide the very best care for young children by providing early childhood professionals with continuing education!

To learn more about this opportunity, please call Kim McIntyre, Professional Development Coordinator or email her at kim.mcintyre@wku.edu.

Child Development Associate
Connie Jo Smith, CCR&R Specialist

The Child Development Associate (CDA) is a National Credentialing Program initiated in 1971, to improve the quality of child care. A Child Development Associate (CDA) is an individual who has successfully completed a CDA assessment and has been awarded the national CDA Credential. S/he is able to meet the specific needs of children and works with parents and other adults to nurture children's physical, social, emotional, and intellectual growth in a child development framework.

A CDA requires 120 clock hours of training from an approved agency and CCR&R is an approved agency. The cost for the CDA application packet is $15.00 (plus $3.50 shipping and handling), and the fee for the assessment is $325.00. For more information or to purchase an application packet contact:

The Council For Professional Recognition
2460 16th Street, NW
Washington DC 20009-3575

You may call the Council at 800-424-4310 or 202-265-9090; the fax number is 202-265-9161. You may also visit their web page at http://www.cdacouncil.org/

For more information about CDA or the Kentucky scholarships to help pay for CDA, call Kim Mcintyre, CCR&R Professional Development Coordinator or email her at kim.mcintyre@wku.edu

Learning Options
Michael Gramling, Human Development Specialist Training and Technical Assistance Services

As more and more child care staff consider distance learning as an avenue through which to pursue college credit, associate degrees, and professional development, a user friendly resource worth further explorations is Learning Options, a virtual campus developed by NACCRRA (National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies) which offers college credit and an associate's degree through Jefferson Community and Technical College at a cost comparable to attending a brick and mortar institution.

Distance learning is not for everybody. It requires self-discipline and lends itself most readily to folks whose learning styles are not too dependent upon auditory learning, lectures, and human interaction. Still, for those of us who cannot find the time or energy to drive to school and sit three hours in class after working all day, it's a great way to pursue an education from home at times that are most convenient

If that sounds interesting, visit the Learning Options web site at www.learningoptions.org/ You can click on links to see what courses are offered, to learn how to enroll and register, and to find answers to frequently asked questions. (Individual assistance is also readily available via email by clicking on the link which offers additional information.)

The staff of the Child Care Resource and Referral at Western Kentucky University includes:

Connie Jo Smith, CCR&R Specialist
Sherri Meyer, CCR&R Coordinator
Taylor Tucker, Quality Coordinator
Kim McIntyre, Professional Development Coordinator
Lesley Montgomery, Office Coordinator
Amy Hood, Special Projects Consultant

For More Information:
Phone us at (270) 745-2216 or (800) 621-5908
Fax us at (270) 745-7089
E-Mail us at ccrr@wku.edu
Visit our website at www.ttas.org

One's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions. --Oliver Wendell Holmes

PEOPLE GENERALLY REMEMBER:
10% of what they read
20% of what they hear
30% of what they see
50% of what they hear and see
70% of what they say or write
90% of what they say as they do it