Fall - Iowa AEYC

T.E.A.C.H. News
Fall 2015
for participants and their programs
Step Up for Kids Video
Every Child Matters has been working hard on their “Step Up for Kids” initiative.
They recently released this video, which encourages voters to speak up for children’s
health, education, and well-being during the upcoming election. The video features
Iowa AEYC members, as well as educators from around the state! If you missed the
filming of the video, that’s okay. There are many ways for you to get involved and
start advocating. Be sure to plan to Caucus for Kids on February 1.
T.E.A.C.H. Graduates Recognized at
United Way Event
On October 14 the United Way of Central Iowa
Women’s Leadership Connection (WLC) hosted an
evening reception to honor local T.E.A.C.H. graduates.
The WLC has been one of T.E.A.C.H.’s longest standing
funders and over their 10+ years of support has
contributed over 1 million dollars to T.E.A.C.H. At the
event, past recipients who earned a CDA or degree on
T.E.A.C.H. were honored and one recipient even shared
her story with the group of over fifty attendees.
Information was given about the outcomes achieved
through T.E.A.C.H. and WAGE$ with this financial
support, including 250 CDAs earned and 43 associate or
bachelor degrees earned.
Congrats to all our T.E.A.C.H. graduates around the state!
Apply Today! 2016 National Child
Care Teacher Awards
The Terri Lynne Lokoff Child Care Foundation (TLLCFF)
hosts the annual Terri Lynne Lokoff/Children’s TYLENOL®
National Child Care Teacher Awards. The awards program
is open to all child care teachers. The Terri Lynne Lokoff
National Child Care Teacher Awards is presented each year
to 50 child care teachers throughout the 50 states, the
District of Columbia, and on U.S. Military bases and
installations around the world.
The Awards program acknowledges the critical role of
child care teachers in providing high-quality early care and
education. Award recipients will receive $500 - $1,000 to
implement their award-winning classroom enhancement
project and $500 as a stipend to acknowledge each child
care teacher’s special dedication.
The top ten qualifiers become finalists for the Helene
Marks Award to become the National Child Care Teacher
of the Year. The teacher chosen as the Helene Marks
Award Recipient receives an additional $1,000. The
application deadline is January 4, 2016. The application
may be downloaded here.
Contact the TLLCCF at 610-992-1140 or pr@tllccf.org
to request a single page flyer to distribute and post, or
talk to knowledgeable staff about the National Child
Care Teacher Awards.
CDA Renewal
WAGE$ is Still Growing!
Effective October 1, 2015 the
Council for Professional
Recognition implemented a
new process for renewing the
CDA Credential and made a
cost increase. Check out the details here.
In the past month, the Child Care WAGE$® IOWA
program has received increased funding in multiple
areas of the state due to increased demand from child
care providers. Polk County Early Childhood Iowa and
Siouxland Human Investment Partnership are now
supporting additional WAGE$ recipients in their
communities. This is good news for child care
providers located in Polk, Ida, or Woodbury County!
Remember that CDA Credentials are valid for three
years from the date issued. The Council will not remind
you when it is time to renew, so don’t hesitate to contact
T.E.A.C.H. (if we helped you with a CDA scholarship) to
check when your CDA needs to be renewed! We’re happy
to walk you through the renewal process.
We also have a CDA Renewal Scholarship that helps
cover the cost of the 3-credit class that fulfills the
education requirement for renewal. This scholarship also
awards a $100 bonus, which helps cover the application
cost for renewal.
POLK COUNTY
EARLY CHILDHOOD IOWA
Want to learn more about the WAGE$ program?
Contact Dara Madigan, WAGE$ Program Coordinator.
or dara@iowaaeyc.org or 515-331-8000 x14
Contact Pam Mahoney,
T.E.A.C.H. Counseling Specialist
pmahoney@iowaaeyc.org or 515-331-8000 x25
Iowa AEYC Staff Attend 2015
NAEYC Conference and Expo
Barb Merrill and Pam
Mahoney from our
staff will be attending
the 2015 NAEYC
Conference and
Expo in Orlando on
November 18-21, 2015.
They will present with
a panel on Succession
Planning for AEYC Affiliates. Board members Mary
Airy; Brenda O’Halloran; Nancy Merryman; Julee
Albers; Brandy Smith; and Past President, Leann
Andre, will also attend.
The Conference is a great opportunity to network
with other early childhood professionals from
across the United States and receive training on
current and relevant topics. Building professional
relationships is one of the great benefits of being a
member of this organization. Click here to find out
more about being a member of Iowa AEYC.
Congratulations
Please join us in congratulating
Ashley Otte, T.E.A.C.H. Program
Coordinator, and her husband, Joel,
on the birth of their second child
Theodore Lee Otte
Theo arrived on September 17
and weighed 8 pounds. He
joins big brother, Henry.
New Staff Members Join Our Team
Jocee Kelly
WAGE$ Counseling Specialist
Part-time Office Manager
Jocee has a BA in Elementary Special Education and has five years' experience as a Program
Manager/Supervisor in Head Start. She also worked for 12 years as a special education
teacher in the public schools and the AEA and 12 years as a business owner/consultant. She
comes to us from Tri-County Head Start in Waterloo. She began with us on September 15.
Jocee will do WAGE$ recruitment, counseling, and employment verifications. Contact
information: jocee@iowaaeyc.org, 800-469-2392, ext. 26
Lauren Linnenbrink
T.E.A.C.H. Counseling Specialist
Lauren has a BA from UNI in Family Services, did a year-long internship in counseling, and
has two years' preschool/child care experience. She comes to us from Tri-County Head
Start in Waterloo where she was doing Early Head Start home visitations. She began with
us on September 28. Lauren will recruit and counsel CDA and associates' level T.E.A.C.H.
participants. Contact information: lauren@iowaaeyc.org, 800-469-2392, ext. 20
Rick Roghair
ECI Professional Development Coordinator
Rick has an MA in education and has served as an elementary teacher, principal, child care
center director, grant writer, and a project manager at the Department of Education. He comes
to us from Girl Scouts where he was a grant writer for the past three years. Rick started work
on September 28. Contact information: rick@iowaaeyc.org, 800-469-2392, ext. 24
Fall Institute was a Big Success
Over 800 people joined us at Prairie Meadows
Events & Conference Center in September for four
days of early care and education events. The
Institute began with four full day pre-conference
workshops, featuring topics including Teaching
Strategies GOLD™, New Staff Orientation, and Social
Media Issues and Reducing Risk.
On Friday and Saturday, attendees had the
opportunity to choose from 80 workshops and visit
over 30 exhibit tables. Friday’s keynote speaker was
Susan Neuman who addressed early literacy. Lisa
Murphy joined us on Saturday to speak on multiple
intelligences.
Please join us next year for another exciting Fall
Institute, September 30 - October 1.
SAVE
THE
DATE
Early Care and Education
Fall Institute
September 30 October 1, 2016
Prairie Meadows Events
and Conference Center
Altoona, Iowa
Congratulations
T.E.A.C.H. Staff
CDA Credentials
Barb Merrill
Maria Anderson – Ames
Michelle Coppler – Keokuk
Gabriele Gonzalez – Mount Pleasant
Melissa Kaufman – Kalona
Candice Langworthy – Johnston
Amber Maher – Des Moines
Deborah Mannhard – Davenport
Jake O’Donnell – Wellman
Jennifer Roberts – Iowa City
Executive Director/Program Manager
bmerrill@iowaaeyc.org
Ashley Otte
T.E.A.C.H. Program Coordinator
ashley@iowaaeyc.org
Pat Dautremont
T.E.A.C.H. Administrative
Assistant/Database Support
pat@iowaaeyc.org
Pam Ellis
Associate Degrees
T.E.A.C.H. Counseling Specialist
pam@iowaaeyc.org
Gina Lee-Hammann – Iowa Valley Community College – summer 2015
Brittany Heuer – Hawkeye Community College – fall 2014
Kari Williams – Northeast Iowa Community College – summer 2015
Johnna Haggerty
Bachelor Degrees
Jocee Kelly
Karen Frick – Upper Iowa University – summer 2015
Joleen Schmit – Buena Vista University – June 2015
Teaching Licensure Endorsements
Amanda Marquart – Northwestern College – summer 2015
Elizabeth Ortman – Northwestern College – fall 2015
Iowa QRS Results
T.E.A.C.H. Counseling Specialist
johnna@iowaaeyc.org
WAGE$ Counseling Specialist
jocee@iowaaeyc.org
Lauren Linnenbrink
T.E.A.C.H. Counseling Specialist
lauren@iowaaeyc.org
Dara Madigan
WAGE$ Program Coodinator
dara@iowaaeyc.org
Pam Mahoney
The following programs recently earned a new QRS level.
T.E.A.C.H. Counseling Specialist
pmahoney@iowaaeyc.org
Funding
Homes
Sunshine Huisman – Bondurant –
Reminders
Form B/BC as soon as you have your fall books
Fall release time (Form C) before 1/15/16 deadline
Fall grades as soon as the term is done
Copies of earned credentials, diplomas, degrees, etc.
and pictures of you receiving/holding them
Proof of FAFSA if you are attending school this fall
Updated DHS, QRS, NAEYC, NAFCC license/certificates
Funding for T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® IOWA
comes in part from the Iowa Department of
Human Services through federal funding
from the Child Care Development Fund; Iowa
Department of Management through Early
Childhood Iowa Professional Development;
United Way of Central Iowa, Women’s
Leadership Connection; the Iowa Department
of Public Health through MIECHV funds; Polk
County Early Childhood Iowa Area; and the child
care programs who co-sponsor a T.E.A.C.H.
scholarship recipient. T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood®
IOWA is a successful strategy supporting the result
areas of Early Childhood Iowa.
Iowa AEYC
5525 Meredith Drive, Suite F
Des Moines, IA 50310
www.iowaaeyc.org
teach@iowaaeyc.org
515-331-8000 FAX 515-331-8995
TOLL FREE 800-469-2392
Don't forget to "Like" us on Facebook.
T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® IOWA is a licensed
program of Child Care Services Association.