Professional Development Circle Mission

Supports members with opportunities related to training, accreditation, scholarships and resources relevant to your professional development.

VAAEYC Members are invited to join the Professional Development Circle to help deliver on this mission.

The circle meets once per month in the evenings via Zoom and does email check-ins. This team discusses professional development topics for workshops and blogs, writes a bi-monthly newsletter article, reviews scholarship applications, and researches how to best support members with PD opportunities.

Email us here if you are interested in joining this great team!

Bipartisan Policy Center Webinar: APPRENTICESHIPS: A GROWING STRATEGY FOR THE CHILD CARE WORKFORCE

Tuesday, August 29, 2023 | 1 – 2 p.m.

REGISTER NOW HERE

Meeting our nation’s child care needs depends on the ability to recruit and retain a competent workforce. Registered apprenticeship programs are one way child care and early learning teachers can improve their knowledge and skills while increasing their wages and earning capacity. Apprenticeships support career development and help workers earn credentials, either a state-defined credential, a nationally recognized CDA, or an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. Registered apprenticeship programs are active or in development in most states

Join BPC to learn about innovative models designed for child care teachers, Head Start teachers, and family child care providers. Panelists will share strategies for launching and sustaining child care workforce registered apprenticeships.

SPEAKERS

  • Emily Sharrock | Associate VP, Education Center, Bank Street College of Education
  • Pamm Shaw | Director, Strategic Funding & Partnerships, YMCA of the East Bay
  • Dulari Tahbildar | Director, Rhode Island Child Care Training Program
  • Tara Williams | Associate Director, Early Childhood Initiative, BPC

MODERATOR

Linda K. Smith | Director, Early Childhood Initiative, BPC

Professional Development Online Series: Grant Writing Workshop – Recording now available

Recorded July 25, 2023 – this webinar presented by Kathryn Massie shared information on best practices for writing successful grant applications. Funding is out there and this workshop will help guide you to finding resources and provide you with the knowledge to better your chances for success.

To view the recording CLICK HERE

Presented by the Professional Development Circle of VAAEYC

About the instructor:

Kathryn Massie has been the Director and Education Coordinator for Stafford County Public Schools Head Start for twenty-six years, retiring at the end of June 2023! During that time the program expanded to serve Virginia Preschool Initiative, Early Head Start and Early Childhood Special Education students. She obtained grant funding for nutrition, children’s insurance outreach, mental health services, and infant toddler coaching in child care and family care settings. Mrs. Massie has a B.A. in Psychology and an M. Ed. in Administration and Supervision. Prior to working in Head Start she was an assistant principal at Park Ridge Elementary for six years and taught kindergarten, first and third grades for 13 years. She also owned her own preschool. Mrs. Massie has been president of the Virginia Head Start Association and member of the Virginia’s Early Childhood Development Alignment Project Team in 2006-2008 which produced the Virginia Milestones of Child Development and the Competencies for Early Childhood Professionals. Her passion is giving children, families and staff the tools they need to be highly successful.

VDOE VQB5

VQB5 is a measurement and improvement system that focuses on the quality of all publicly-funded birth-five classrooms and supports families to choose quality programming across different program types. VQB5 sets shared expectations for measuring quality and supporting teachers for all birth to five programs. Through VQB5, teachers and leaders will receive the feedback and support they need to help young children learn.

By fall 2023, all publicly-funded programs will be required to participate with ratings shared publicly in fall 2024. Early childhood programs that do not receive any public funds will have the option to participate.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Child Development Associate® (CDA) Credential™

Are you considering applying for a Child Development Associate® (CDA) Credential™? The CDA® credential has many valuable benefits for all early childhood professionals, including helping early educators meet current state and national professional requirements and serving as a pathway to learning best teaching practices. CDA® recipients are competent practitioners who value vital knowledge, skills and formal education. There have been more than 350,000 CDAs® awarded since the early 70s, and 20,000 new CDAs® and 18,000 renewals in 2013 alone.

Start taking action towards your “Best 1st Step” in early childhood education by reviewing the five necessary steps below that every CDA® candidate must follow in order to successfully prepare and complete the process of obtaining a CDA® credential.

The VAAEYC Annual Conference provides verified CEU that is eligible for CDA credential credit.

Check out the official CDA Website here for more information and look at the videos below.

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