NRV Childcare Summit Series Update - August 2023
You are invited! Join us for breakfast with Early Childhood Champions
Virginia Tech, in partnership with First Steps, is excited to host the annual Igniting Connections Symposium. This event will take place at the Inn at VT on September 22, 2023 and offers the opportunity for early childhood educators to engage in a full day of FREE professional development.
During the opening breakfast, First Steps will recognize the 2023 Early Childhood Champion nominees and recipients. All NRV Childcare Summit Series participants are invited to join for breakfast to celebrate their accomplishments. Please join us from 8:00-9:30am at the Inn at Virginia Tech on September 22 to show your support for early childhood education in the NRV. The registration deadline is September 11.
Click here to RSVP for the Early Childhood Champions Breakfast
Blacksburg ARPA Funding in Support of Childcare Providers
The First Steps Initiative of Community Foundation of the New River Valley secured $1.15 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding from the Town of Blacksburg to stabilize and expand the early education workforce. Over the next four years, the program will provide stipends to support early educators, grow the profession by strengthening pathways of professional development and education for high school and college students entering the profession, and engage business and government leaders in investing in high-quality, affordable early education. The initial months have been dedicated to researching and developing a strategic plan to determine intentional use of funding for the various licensed, full-time programs providing care to our youngest children in Blacksburg. The plan and initial timeline include a 6-month pilot for the first round of funds to be disbursed in October 2023. The pilot will allow participating programs to provide both financial incentives for staff that do not qualify for other state incentives, such as Recognize B5, as well as an opportunity to develop an individualized strategic plan to address one of the following challenges: recruitment, retention, or professional development of staff.
The timing of the incentive program comes at a critical time for local providers balancing workforce shortages with the need for access and enrollment. First Steps, is hopeful that the incentive programs offer flexible opportunities to test strategies to recruit new workforce as well as nurture, develop and retain current educators caring for our youngest children.
Local support and funding is essential to sustaining our early educator workforce that ultimately is foundational to the entire workforce in Blacksburg. It will take all of us. How can you support Early Educators in the New River Valley? Click on the guide below for local data and opportunities to partner.
Partner Spotlight: VCOM
NRV Child Care Summit Coffee Talks Series
After participating in the NRV Childcare Summit Series, Drs. Bhagtani and Abraham-Hardee from VCOM reached out to be a resource for local providers:
“We know you are busy taking care of the community’s most prized possession (our children). We would like to offer the opportunity for caretakers to hear about a topic of your choice at a frequency to be determined based on your needs. We also would like to allow time for questions that you might have.”
The virtual series will be informal with time for Q&A. Please contact Kim Thomason if you have ideas about ways you can partner.
Do you or someone you know need help paying for childcare? If child care is needed due to work, job search, work-related training or education the Child Care Subsidy Program(CCSP) may be able to help! Program eligibility has expanded to offer financial assistance to more families than ever before. Click here to learn more.
More child care resources from Virginia Department of Education