 Caring for the Whole Child: Infant and Toddler Conference
It’s back to school time for our children and ourselves. Please join us for a half-day training focusing on nurturing infants and toddlers.
 Professional Training Calendar
Learn about the many opportunities for training and professional development offered through the Council this fall. Some of the trainings are highlighted below, but the complete listing can be viewed here
Staff Training and Born Learning Materials for Your Program
 In partnership with United Way of Westchester and Putnam, the Council continues to promote Born Learning, a public engagement campaign dedicated to helping parents and caregivers create early, fun learning opportunities for young children, to ensure school readiness and continued success throughout their lives. Born Learning helps parents, grandparents and caregivers explore ways to turn everyday moments into fun learning experiences.
The Child Care Subsidy Saga Continues
 As recently as 2010, Westchester’s child care subsidy program offered genuine access to child care for our county’s working families. It evolved over a number of years of progressive investment, following a 2006 report commissioned by the Department of Social Services which indicated that Westchester families found child care unaffordable and the public child care program difficult to access.
Join the Quality for Kids Campaign
 The Early Care and Learning Council (ECLC) recently launched the Quality for Kids Campaign to build support for increased investments in a strong early learning system in NY. The ECLC is the coordinating agency for the state’s child care resource and referral network, of which the Child Care Council of Westchester is a proud member. To tell your state elected officials that quality child care is a priority, go to http://www.capwiz.com/naccrra. Visit Quality for Kids on Facebook.
Speak Up for Early Learning
 While New York spends the most money per student in the country, our state ranks 37th in high school graduation rates. Only 73% finish high school. The New NY Education Commission has been charged by Governor Andrew Cuomo to examine our current educational system and make recommendations to improve its performance. To ensure that the Commission hears about the pivotal role a stronger and more accessible early learning system could play in any redesign of our educational system, send your comments to http://www.governor.ny.gov/
For more information on the Commission and to follow its activities, go to http://www.governor.ny.gov
 Business Breakfast Raises Awareness Of Child Care
To raise awareness of the importance of early childhood education on the workforce and businesses in the community, the Council partnered with Child Care Resources of Rockland, United Way of Rockland, United Way of Westchester and Putnam, JP Morgan Chase and Provident Bank to host a business forum on June 15, 2012, at the Doubletree Hotel in Tarrytown.
Science is Cool in After School Program
 The Council has been awarded $5,000 from TD Bank to implement Science is Cool, a new initiative for after school programs. The Council has been supporting Westchester’s after school sector for decades, helping new programs to open with a focus on improving the richness of the educational and social experiences delivered by programs to the children they serve. This project’s objective is to increase the frequency and diversity of science activities in the curriculum of the participating after school programs as well as to increase the participating students’ interest in science.
The Council Promotes the Importance of Early Literacy Development
Sexauer Foundation and Edith Glick Shoolman Children’s Foundation continue to fund
themed-book bag kit project
 Through generous funding from the Sexauer Foundation and the Edith Glick Shoolman Children’s Foundation, the Council has been able to support child care programs serving subsidized children and their parents in providing the essential early literacy experiences recommended by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Professional Development Department staff worked with programs to establish home-lending libraries that offer theme-based book bag “kits” that enable parents to enjoy simple, stress-free and appropriate reading/learning experiences with their children.
 New Round of Scholarships
The Child Care Council of Westchester is delighted to offer the Future Leader Award and the Lanza Investment in Kid’s Early Education Awards again this year. These programs provide scholarships of varying amounts to families needing help in paying child care. Applications and information will be available on the website by October 1, 2012.
 Child Care Time and Attendance Users
In the Phase IIA rollout of CCTA, there are new sections that may be very helpful to programs and providers. On the CCTA site on the left hand side of the page there is a section that says “providers.” Under this section there are several different choices, two of the screens that can be very helpful are:
 CACFP
The Council administers the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) for family and group family child care providers. Legally exempt providers may also participate. CACFP provides nutritious meals and snacks to infants and children as a regular part of their child care experience.
2012 Special Council Membership Offer
 At the Council we count on our members as much as our members count on us. Membership contributions fund our public education and advocacy activities, which are key to the success of all our Westchester child care businesses. Take advantage of our special mid-year rates:
 Want Referrals? Please Update Your Profile Online
We want to know if you have open spaces in your program so we can refer parents! Keep us up-to-date on your program’s needs by updating your profile online. It only takes 10 minutes.
CLICK HERE to update your profile.
Children's Resource Corner - New Member Benefit
Want to offer your children new materials and experiences to encourage learning?
 Many Westchester child care programs cannot afford to update and replenish their educational materials and equipment, so the Council launched the “Communities Helping Kids” campaign to secure donations for our new Children’s Resource Corner. Scheduled to open in early October, the Children’s Resource Corner will offer a wide variety of learning materials and toys for all ages and stages (birth-12) for member programs and providers to borrow.
 Quality Assurance Update
The Council is in the final months of the Quality Assurance process with all required documents to be submitted to Child Care Aware of America (formerly NACCRRA) by 12/31/12.
 Annual Joey Awards And Champion for Children Awards Presented
On Friday, June 8, 2012, the Child Care Council of Westchester held its Annual Awards Breakfast at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in White Plains to recognize exceptional individuals who help us “Build a Better Future for Westchester” through their outstanding contributions to and support of early care and education in Westchester County. The event achieved a record number of 230 in attendance. Jason Chapin, President of Council Board of Directors, stated “We were so pleased that the community demonstrated their support for the Council by turning out for this event in record numbers. It is a testament to the importance of child care to the residents of Westchester County.”
 4th Annual Council Book Drive
The Council and the Westchester Association for the Education of Young Children (WAEYC) successfully collaborated in the 4th Annual Children’s Book Drive last spring in a celebration of the Week of the Young Child. There was a high degree of participation as 9 child care programs served as drop-off sites for books as well as the Council Office. We thank the following centers for collecting donations:
 Council Welcomes Idie Benjamin as new Director of Professional Development
We are delighted to announce the appointment of Idie Benjamin as the new Director of Professional Development. As a dynamic workshop leader and teacher trainer, Ms. Benjamin brings to her position vast experience as an early childhood educator.
 Council Staff Achieve New York State Early Learning Trainer Credential
The Council is pleased to announce that Miriam Kerness, Infant/Toddler Regional Coordinator and Mary Ann Brendler, Quality Improvement Specialist, have successfully completed all the requirements and have been awarded the New York State Early Learning Trainer Credential.
Council Congratulates Renette Bayne Issaka on her MBA
 Renette Bayne Issaka will soon receive her M.B.A. from Long Island University, Westchester Graduate Campus in Purchase, New York. She previously had received her B.B.A. from Baruch College. Ms. Issaka has served as Controller for the Council since 2005, providing solid accounting and internal control procedures for all areas of the accounting cycle which has resulted in improved department productivity.
New Board Appointment
 The Child Care Council Board of Directors is delighted to announce that Michelle Beltrano has joined the Board. Ms. Beltrano has an impressive compliance and nursing background. She currently serves as Principal, Regulatory Compliance Lead at the Hedgestone Consulting Group, LLC, providing operational oversight of a complete regulatory and compliance service line for health care and other heavily regulated businesses in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.
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