Alliance Equity Discussion – “Welcoming and Supporting Families from Diverse Cultures in the Classroom” – 9/19 Join a group of peers and colleagues from the early childhood community to engage in sustained learning about anti-racism, equity, and inclusion. The Alliance hosts a monthly, salon-style Equity Discussion Group via Zoom, and the next session is coming up on Friday, September 19, at 1:00 pm. This month’s session, “Welcoming and Supporting Families from Diverse Cultures in the Classroom,” will be led by Honor Bishop Merrill, the Program Director of the Early Learning Center (ELC) at the Winston Prouty Center for Child and Family Development in Brattleboro. Honor was a classroom teacher in a variety of settings prior to becoming a mentor teacher at Winston Prouty. She has been Program Director for three years. Inclusion is one of the five core values of The Winston Prouty Center and the ELC is a place where they put this value into action. With five classrooms, serving 53 children from infancy to preschool age, the ELC represents the diversity in the surrounding Brattleboro community. Currently the program has families enrolled from a whole range of family compositions, cultural backgrounds, and diverse socio-economic circumstances. This Salon will consider the varied experiences of families with young children and invite us to consider what practices we can adopt, and what questions might be worth asking as we try to figure out how to support all families in feeling welcome and included in early childhood program and service delivery settings. Click to register on Zoom and receive the meeting link. | |
BBF State Advisory Council Meeting – 9/22 The Building Bright Futures (BBF) State Advisory Council will be meeting virtually on Monday, September 22, from 1:30 to 3:00 pm. This meeting will focus on reviewing the latest draft of Vermont’s new Early Childhood Strategic Plan 2030. The Plan provides a shared vision and roadmap to ensure every child in Vermont, from the prenatal period through age 8, has the resources, opportunities, and support to thrive. Register on Zoom and receive the meeting link. | |
More Flexibility with WIC Purchases Starts Oct. 1 Effective October 1, WIC families will have even more flexibility in how they use their benefits — and more options for the foods that work best for them. These changes will allow families to access more fresh cuts herbs and vegetables, have flexibility to purchase a greater variety of dairy products, buy food in a way that is more responsive to allergy needs, and access more whole grain products As reported by Hunger Free Vermont, this change is a great expansion of the opportunities for families to access the foods that work best for them. For a listing of the changes, see the chart starting on page two of this summary put out by the National WIC Association. | |
CDD Now Accepting Special Accommodation Grant Applications The Request for Grant Applications for Special Accommodation Grant (SAG) funds is now available through the Child Development Division (CDD). SAG grants can be a vital resource to support the safe and successful inclusion, access, and participation of children who require additional support to thrive in child care programs. Specialized child care programs may apply for funding to help ensure that children with additional needs can access or remain enrolled in high-quality early childhood settings. The next round of applications are due on October 6. For more information, visit the CDD website. | |
