WHAT'S NEW

Read all about it!
The South Central Regional Key announces the appointment of Christy Renjilian as Executive Director. Read the full announcement>>

The 2010-2011 South Central Regional Key Annual Report is now available online. Read the Annual Report now >>

REACH & RISK REPORT NOW AVAILABLE: This report provides information about how well the commonwealth is reaching its young children with quality early learning services, with special attention to at-risk children for Fiscal Year 2010-2011.
Read the Report now>>

March is Supervision Awareness Month

Be Proactive in your approach to Supervision! See the enclosed overview of Supervision Awareness Month Activities and contact your STARS Specialist for the full program packet. 

>>See Overview Here

Good, Better, Best (Updated) 2.0
A revised version of GBB (for Centers and Groups) was posted to the PA Key website on September 15, 2011.  The revised version includes changes to some of the supports in PA and better aligns with the Designator Checklist that will be used in the new version of the Designator Database. Please discard any previous copies. If you have any questions on the changes to the document, please contact Michele Black at the PA Key at 717-213-2068 or email her at micbla@berkiu.org >>

FREE OFFER Extended: ECELS On-line Self Learning Modules
Pennsylvania Early Learning and School Age Practitioners... Have you considered using one of ECELS fifteen online modules? These entirely online modules make high quality health and safety professional development easy and efficient. ECELS is extending this special offer so more practitioners can take advantage of this opportunity. ECELS will waive one $10 perSelf-Learning Module registration/review fee for the first 100 practitioners who submit a successfully completed online module by using the materials posted online. In addition, those 100 practitioners will be eligible for a drawing to receive a packet of current health and safety resources, including the 3rd edition of Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards; Guidelines for Early Care and Education Programs (centers, group and family child care homes), a $55 value. This book was released in June 2011.

You will enjoy and learn more by using new, interactive, media-rich materials for Professional Development. Often they have embedded video, case-studies, thought-provoking questions, and attractive graphics. For tips about using online modules, see the article “Using Online Professional Development,” in the Summer 2011 Health Link Online issue at the website, http://www.ecels-healthychildcarepa.org. Choose the section heading “Publications and Media.” Then from the drop-down menu that appears when you roll your cursor over the section heading, choose “Health Link – ECELS Newsletter."  Note that for the best performance of online Professional Development, you should have the most up-to-date versions of Adobe Reader and Adobe Flash Player. Go to the Adobe website at http://www.adobe.com to install these two free, safe-to-use tools. If you already have these tools, use the Adobe website to update earlier versions you might have installed on your computer.

You will find the ECELS online self-learning modules in the section of the ECELS website headed “Child Care Provider Training.” Use the drop-down menu for that section heading to choose “self-learning modules” and then scroll the list of those you find there. The self-learning modules you can use entirely online are:

• Asthma* K7 C2 84 (2 hours)
• Behavior: Managing Challenging Behavior in School Age Children K7 C2 84 (1 hr)
• Breastfeeding Friendly Child Care Center* K7 C2 84 (2 hours)
• Caring for Children with Special Needs* K7 C2 84 (2 hours)
• Environmental Health* K7 C2 84 (2 hours)
• Family Child Care Health and Safety* K7 C2 84 (2 hours)
• Fitness and Nutrition:  Moving and Munching-Supporting Physical Activity and Nutrition in Early Learning Programs* K7 C2 84 or K8 C3 96 (3 hours)
• Head Bumps Matter - Protecting Young Brains* K7 C2 84 (2 hours)
• Immunization* K7 C2 78 (2 hours)
• Keeping Safe While Touching Blood* K7 C3 84 (2 hours)
• Model Child Care Health Policies* K7 C3 76 (3 hours)
• Obesity Audioconference:  Implementing New Caring for Our Children Standards to Reduce Risk of Obesity for Young Children* K7 C2 84 (2 hours)
• Oral Health* K7 C1 77 (2 hours)
• SIDS* K7 C2 84 (1 hour)
• Sun Safety* K7 C2 84 (2 hours)

*Meets STAR Level 2 Performance Standard for Health and Safety