Letters From the Executive Director
|
July/August, 2010
Letter From The Executive Director, Natalie Avery
State of the Agency Address
We all know that times are difficult right now. The economy is slow and not all Providers have children to care for. Like most other businesses, Neighborhood Child Care is having to “tighten the belt” in order to ensure our longevity also. You will see some changes: when you call in there may be a different voice to greet you; when you come in, all of the same faces may not be here to help you. This means we will be working harder and more creatively to service you better. We will work harder to enhance our environment so it is more conducive to learning when you attend classes. And speaking of attending classes. . . we offer a variety of classes which are scheduled for your convenience: Week nights, Weekends, Super Saturdays, Super Wednesdays, CDA classes and support groups, NAFCC classes and support groups. However, as we enter the third quarter of the year, some Providers have not yet taken advantage of the educational piece that we offer.
As our funders have covered the expense of these classes, most of the classes offered are free and will enhance the quality of your Family Child Care Home Business.
As we move forward in this fiscal year, NCCI is planning to offer classes through the Board of Health, WVIZ, PEP, and DECA. Look for flyers about these classes, call Terri our receptionist about the dates to register, or we will call you to register. We look forward to seeing you here!
Meeting requirements before the deadline It is imperative you stay on top of your compliances. When you call the office at the last minute needing a class or something, we cannot always accommodate you. Planning ahead helps keep you in compliance.
Care For Kids Some Providers have signed up for the Care For Kids Program. This program offers a Quality Enhancement piece to what you already do. It is a good program to be involved in. It is voluntary and it does mean you have to open your doors to people coming into your home. Some Providers have signed up the this program, but will not allow our Field Reps access to their homes and programs. Our funding depends on Providers who have improved and maintained such a quality level of education and care that they have achieved a Gold Seal rating through Invest In Children and Starting Point. The County Commissioners have had so much faith in the quality of early childhood education that they supported legislation that allowed all Providers to participate in improving their child care homes (CFK), their programs (NAFCC), and themselves (CDA). It is up to each person to decide whether they will remain in one place or move forward. I encourage any Provider who Cares For Kids to participate in one of the programs we have available. Here at NCCI, we plan to move forward.
I realize that summer is more than half over. It is almost time to get the children ready to go back to school. Where has the time gone? Neighborhood is planning a Cookout for all Providers and families one evening near the end of September. No date has been chosen yet. Look for our flyers about this event.
June/July, 2010
Letter From The Executive Director
Ola! Alo! Hello! In our mailing in May, I included a story about the day Myrtle The Turtle ran away from day care. I asked for your stories to share from your Child Care Homes. Please submit them by mail, fax, or web to NCCI.
So much is going on I don’t know where to begin. We want to Thank all of the Providers, families, performers, merchants, Union, and Staff who participated in the Open House on May 22, 2010. It was very successful. The food sharing went wonderfully and everyone seemed to really enjoy it as well as receiving an in-service for their participation. Remember to check your schedules as well as the website for additional food sharing classes which have been added. Remember to submit your paperwork on a timely basis. Check your expiration dates for certificates, inspections, and enrollments. These must be current in order to receive your reimbursement. You must inform the Agency of any changes in your phone number and any changes in your parent information. Of course, if you are picnicking away from your home, please call and let us know. You are allowed to “pack and eat” away from your home up to four (4) times per month. If you’d like, a field rep can meet you at the picnic site for your visit. Our new Field Rep, Brenda Sanchez, joined the NCCI Team on May 28. Welcome! Our support team consists of: N. Avery, Executive Director Donna DiPaolo, USDA Coordinator Karen Williams, Office Manager Terri Smith, Receptionist Joanna Rosado, Office Clerk Karen Curlee, Office Assistant Eleanor Rainer, Office Assistant Jennifer Strehle, Business Office Diana Westren, Business Office Chalet Thomas, Training Coordinator Kurt Karis, Warm Line Dennis Smolinski, Systems Administrator Peggy VanHeule, Office Assistant for the Hearing Impaired And … Our Field Rep Staff: Yamaris Cuevas, USDA Field Rep Mary Wynn, USDA Field Rep Michelle White, IIC Field Rep Maribel Guerra, IIC Field Rep Verna Cooper, IIC Field Rep Brenda Sanchez, USDA Field Rep
Do you know any Providers who would like to sign up for food reimbursement on the USDA/CACFP program? Five claiming referrels = one gift basket for you. For more information, call Terri @x124.
Submit your favorite summer outdoor fun activities via our website www.clevelandchildcare.org!!!
Last Updated ( Thursday, 29 July 2010 08:03 ) April/May, 2010
Letter From The Executive Director
It’s allergy season. I know I’m suffering. It’s also Springtime, a most wonderful time of the year. All of the flowers and trees are budding and blooming, and, of course, making me sneeze. But with the sunshine, warm weather, and spring colors, it is beautiful. Ah-h-h. We live in Northeast Ohio where spring, sunshine, cold, rain, and maybe even a little snow are still common at this time of the year. Dressing appropriately means no sweater, a sweater, a jacket, a coat, and sometimes putting our hat and gloves back on all in the same day! Remember, to keep cold and flu germs to a minimum, bleach and water is still one of the cheapest and most effective ways to combat them. Until next month, this is Ms. Avery signing off for now. See you at Our Provider’s Open House and Meeting on May 22, between 11 am and 5pm. Last Updated ( Wednesday, 28 April 2010 07:45 )
March/April 2010 From The Executive Director: Natalie Avery Wow!! A month has come and gone so quickly and so much has been going on. I want to Thank all of You who participated in our USDA CACFP Audit March 16 – March 26. It can be difficult to open your homes to monitors, but it is a necessity to meet the requirements of our contracts. “Thank You!” Well, Spring looks like it really is just around the corner. It is time to think about all of the outdoor activities you can enjoy with your children you care for and your families. I like to enjoy the wonder of new plants sprouting out of the dirt that not so long ago was covered by mounds of snow. As we look into the future, the goal of the organization is to service our Providers the best we can and to be a supportive agency to you. As you know, Penny Wagner-Bauer retired after 25 years of dedicated service, and to match the number of years she serviced the Agency, our goal is to be around at least 25 more years doing what we do for you: training, educating, servicing, and improving the quality levels for all of us. This brings me to another topic I would like to discuss with you. The Care For Kids Program. This is an awesome program that increases the quality, educational piece we hope all of you are incorporating into your business. It is a voluntary program. Many of you have not taken advantage of it, however. When your Field Rep visits you again, ask her to tell you about this program and leave you with some information you can read over later when you have a moment to. I know how difficult it is to have a moment to yourself as you are very busy caring for the children, but please take a moment to consider the advantages The Care For Kids Program has to offer. Do you know what they say about Child Care Providers?
(We ALL Care For Kids)
So why not sign up and make it official.
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 31 March 2010 09:57 ) |
||
|
|
|
