June/July
What’s New?
Wow! July is here and we are doing our best to enjoy every bit of it. Great things have been in the works, so let’s do a quick recap. I’ve updated our parent handbook. I am re-evaluating our emergency plan. I’ve completed and been accepted into the Keystone Stars program. I even got my first star in the mail yesterday (insert smiley face here). More information about Keystone Stars will be located at the end of this article. I have revamped our daily schedule for a more cohesive summer routine. And courtesy of the rain, rain, rain we had for weeks, our playground looks an awful lot like a jungle that I’ve been trying to tame ever since. Our poor little garden drowned (insert sad face here). Our babies aren’t babies anymore, but young toddlers as of this month. I’m so proud of how they are growing and changing with our big kids. The biggest changes have been the shift from two naps to one, and that both boys are walking!!!!
Our school age kids have been wonderfully busy with our summer list. We have been focusing on science projects, art, and movement activities. At this point we have already covered several including: painting rocks to add to the Susquehanna Rocks community, creating and following a treasure map which led us to chalk up the local playground as part of an art day, melting ice cube excavation, a superhero photo shoot, testing un-poppable bubble recipes, dodgeball, a colored sugar ant experiment, bike riding, neighborhood walks, water balloon piñata, painting fireworks on the stone steps out front, and building a birdhouse which collapsed once already. We are actually working on fixing the birdhouse today. So far our young toddlers have played with bubbles, splashed in water, explored ice, enjoyed all sorts of ball play (soccer, basketball, a squishy baseball, and more), continued their sign language enrichment, listened to daily stories, and continued all manner of shape and color play. They are now learning how to use riding toys too.
Shout-outs!
Thank you to my understanding parents who were happy to let my family and I enjoy our vacation.
Thank you to Aubryn, who stayed with me constantly helping me through the training and application process for the Keystone Stars program.
Important Information
Kimberly’s Child Care will be closed on Tuesday, July 4th in observance of the holiday.
Happy Birthday’s
Happy late birthday to Will.
Happy late birthday to Malachi.
Happy late birthday to Christina.
Happy early birthday to Kolbie.
Expectations
I am currently enrolled in four new trainings to be completed by December. These include:
Continuous Quality Improvement: Building Change that Lasts
Infants and Toddlers: Tips for Providing Quality Care Self Learning Module
Making Friends, Building Social Skills
Support School-Age Growth and Development
Now that I have attained a Star 1 level, you may be assured that I will be actively working to reach a Star 2 by 2018.
Reflections
In this section I just want to give a little more information regarding Keystone Stars. As always, Kimberly’s Child Care expects to continue to look for the best possible ways to improve the quality of care provided to each and every child.
About KEYSTONE STARS https://www.pakeys.org/pages/get.aspx?page=Programs_STARS
Keystone STARS – Improving the quality through:
Standards,
Training/Professional Development,
Assistance,
Resources and
Support
Keystone STARS is an initiative of the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) to improve, support, and recognize the continuous quality improvement efforts of early learning programs in Pennsylvania.
The Keystone STARS Performance Standards provide the foundation for the program. The Performance Standards are grouped into four levels:
STAR 1, STAR 2, STAR 3, and STAR 4.
Each level builds on the previous level and utilizes research-based best practices to promote quality early learning environments and positive child outcomes. The standards address staff qualifications and professional development, the early learning program, partnerships with family and community, and leadership and management.
Keystone STARS is managed through a partnership of the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) and the Pennsylvania and Regional Keys.
As a certified, Keystone STARS provider you can:
Serve more children (family providers can serve up to six children).
Show families that you have a safe and healthy space for their children because you meet Pennsylvania child care health and safety regulations.
Receive a higher reimbursement rate through Child Care Works.
Apply for other grant programs, such as the Pennsylvania Child AND Adult Care Food Program
Obtain liability insurance that protects your business and your home.
You may be able to deduct more on your taxes, increasing your net profit.
About the Rising STARS
Keystone STARS is one of the largest and most mature quality rating and improvement systems in the nation.
Since 2012 and the 10th anniversary of Keystone STARS, the program began to reach new heights in continuous quality improvement, just as it expects of the participating child care providers.
The Rising STARS initiative focuses on access to the highest quality services for hard to reach / hard to serve children and families by providing supports to providers as they move up the quality scale to STAR 3 and 4 levels. Rising STARS is a two-pronged approach which redesigns: 1) the STARS grants and awards structure; and 2) the STARS subsidy add-on or tiered reimbursement rate. Current add-on or tiered reimbursement rates went into effect 8/1/15.
Rising STARS Support Grants For Eligible Providers
All active Keystone STAR 1 child care certified early care providers who are actively working on a Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) plan that includes moving up to a STAR 2 in a reasonable amount of time. Also eligible are active STAR 2 providers who received the Rising STARS Support Grant and successfully moved from STAR 1 to STAR 2 as well as STAR 2 providers who have received the maximum amount of Merit Awards (five) but who now are positioned to move to a STAR 3 or 4. Finally, SACC only certified providers WILL also be included as an eligible program. To be eligible, providers may not receive more than two previous support grants (including the 14-15 Rising STARS Support Grant) unless they successfully moved from STAR 1 to STAR 2 using the Rising STARS Support Grant. Eligibility exclusions include STARS Head Start, PA Pre-K Counts, Private Academic Schools (PDE licensed preschool) and School District Pre-K.
