At our Fall Institute, we did a photo contest where we challenged our attendees to take selfies with others for a chance to win a FREE one-day registration at our Spring Institute in May – here are the winners! Congratulations to Anna Birkennoltz and Gloria Clark!
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We want to highlight another one of our Fall Institute award winners! Blanca Collins (left) received the Educator of the Year Award at our Fall Institute earlier this month, and she is truly a worthy recipient! Here’s what her nominators had to say about her:
“Blanca goes above and beyond for her students. She constantly adapts to new situations and shows her love for not only her students, but their families and her coworkers. She is always striving to be better for her students and herself. Blanca always puts her students first before anything else. Her passion and joy is something to be so proud of. She has the great gift of being creative in any situation and turning it into a positive opportunity for herself and the children around her. She has a passion for children and gets joy from watching them learn a new skill. She is someone who is actively looking for ways to relate learning with life. Blanca loves to learn new skills and then utilizes them or shares them with families. Blanca’s ability to connect with different people in any environment is admirable. She is a genuine person who has dedicated her life to helping children feel protected, loved, and confident to take on new challenges.”
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We have a lot of awesome staff here at Iowa AEYC, so today, we wanted to highlight Kayla!
Kayla is our T.E.A.C.H. Coordinator, and she’s been with Iowa AEYC since April 2022. She has her Master’s of Education from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and did her undergrad at Iowa State. She’s an incredible addition to our team, and here’s what she has to say about being the T.E.A.C.H. Coordinator:
“What I love about being a T.E.A.C.H. Coordinator is helping early educators reach their education goals debt free. It’s always a joy to see recipients with a CDA goal but then continue on to earn a bachelor’s degree. I also enjoy working with a great team of people who all want to help the early childhood workforce."
If you’re interested in working with Kayla and the rest of the fantastic T.E.A.C.H. team, we have an opening for a T.E.A.C.H. Counselor! Be sure to apply on our website by the end of the day on October 25 to be considered.
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With the end of the calendar year approaching, we are excited to share out the 2024 T.E.A.C.H. and WAGE$ Annual Report!
2024 was a huge year for the T.E.A.C.H., WAGE$, and CDA® Navigator programs, with records broken and countless early care and education professionals supported in their education, workplaces, and lives.
One such story, which is featured in our report, comes from Allie McGannon (pictured), Director at Little Cupcakes Child Care in Cedar Rapids. Allie has been a recipient of T.E.A.C.H., WAGE$, and CDA® Navigator services, and here’s what she has to say about her growth: “Now I feel like I could help someone else who is trying to earn their CDA. It’s a ripple effect; the more people that earn their CDA, the more and more people have that support system to complete theirs.
You can read the full annual report at: iowaaeyc.org/programs/teach/updates-forms/
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We have a new staff member!
Just over a month ago, Annie, our new Administrative Specialist, joined our team! She comes to us with several years’ worth of experience at the YMCA of Greater Des Moines. She started the week of our move, followed by the Fall Institute (two major projects!), and she is settling in wonderfully. We’re so grateful to have her at Iowa AEYC!
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Our Advocacy Professional Engagement Group has a great meeting planned for tomorrow about their trip to the Grassroots Assembly for Child Care! You can send an email to info@iowaaeyc.org if you’re interested in joining, and we’ll gladly send you the Zoom link.
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Are you looking for a position of leadership in the early childhood field? Look no further! Our Leadership Professional Engagement Group is seeking a strong candidate to serve as a Co-Chair. This position would work alongside your fellow Leadership PEG Co-Chair to plan and manage the Leadership PEG and its meetings. If you’re interested in serving, check out our website for the application: iowaaeyc.org/get-involved/pegs/
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After announcing our Fall Institute award winners this week, we wanted to highlight each winner individually for all the work they’ve done! This week, we want to highlight Hollie Allen, recipient of the Influencer Award. Here are some quotes about the work that Hollie has done that makes her deserving of this award:
“Hollie has been an unwavering advocate for competi¬tive pay and benefits for the workforce. In her time at Vine Street Child Care, Hollie developed and refined a competitive salary scale for her staff which comes with a full, employer-paid benefits package. In a field where competitive pay and benefits are woefully lacking, Vine Street has prioritized and robustly funded them – years ahead of their counterparts and competitors. She encourages higher education for staff and works hard to support staff as they take college credits, going above and beyond helping not only foot the bill, but helping with paperwork, remind¬ing staff when things are due, and supporting them to meet deadlines. She has served on the Early Childhood Workforce Advisory Committee since 2021, being invited because she will speak up, loudly if necessary, for what best serves the workforce and programs.”
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Looking to make early childhood a priority at the polls this year? Make sure you vote! If you aren’t sure where you’ll be or what your schedule will be like on November 5 (election day), you can vote early at various early voting and satellite sites!
Additionally, you could fill out an absentee ballot request form. You MUST have this sent by no later than October 21 (Monday) in order to receive your absentee ballot, so if that is your plan, be sure to do it ASAP!
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Absentee Voting
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Are you interested in a position of leadership in the early childhood field? Consider joining our Governing Board!
Our Governing Board is looking for candidates for two open positions, and we’d strongly encourage you to apply. These positions are perfect for those looking for leadership experience, and require attendance at quarterly meetings (July, September, January, March). Applications for the following positions are due November 21:
➡️Vice President
➡️Treasurer
Check out our website for more information and applications.
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You’re invited to join our Leadership Professional Engagement Group for their meeting about professionalism in the early childhood field THIS Thursday! They will be welcoming Dr. Tricia Giovacco Johnson as their guest speaker – you won’t want to miss it! Please email info@iowaaeyc.org for the Zoom link.
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We are hiring!!
If you’re looking for a new role in the early childhood profession, we would encourage you to apply to be a T.E.A.C.H. Counseling Specialist! Our T.E.A.C.H. Counselors work alongside early childhood professionals looking to earn more education in the field. This is a full-time position at our West Des Moines office with great benefits. For more information on the position and the application, please visit our website: iowaaeyc.org/about-us/employment
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