Arkansas Early Childhood Association

AECA Pajama Drive 🛏

Did you know that AECA's immediate Past President's role is to lead a service project benefiting young children during the annual conference following their tenure?

Shaneil "PJ" Yarbrough hopes you won't sleep on this opportunity to help children across Arkansas.

Currently, there are 3,544 children in foster care as of July 2024. Donated pajamas will benefit foster children served by The CALL of Arkansas.

Foster care enrollment statistically increases around the holidays, right after the AECA conference.

Brand new pajamas, sizes Newborn – Adult XL, are needed for boys and girls. THE CALL serves all 75 counties, and the pajamas will be distributed accordingly.

AECA invites YOU to donate pajamas at this year's conference.

You can find out more about the work The Call does over on their website:

🔗thecallinarkansas.org

And more info about our upcoming conference here:

🔗 bit.ly/aecaconference

AECA thanks you in advance for your help in supporting this project.

Held this year on September 17, National Voter Registration Day is a nonpartisan civic holiday that’s dedicated to getting every eligible American registered to vote ahead of the various state deadlines.

Since 2012, it has helped more than 5 million Americans register to vote! With the help of thousands of organizations and volunteers working together across the country, the holiday serves as a pre-election-season springboard that gets communities of every stripe to hit the polls in their next election.

No matter what party you support or what issues matter most to you, National Voter Registration Day is the perfect time to contribute to our shared American democracy.

Visit the links below to go to the Arkansas state Elections page for more information - including how to check if you are registered to vote:

🔗 nationalvoterregistrationday.org

🔗 sos.arkansas.gov/elections

Our AECA Conference Program is now available! 🤩

Plan your conference visit and find answers to all your questions.

Find the program and register for the conference via our website:

🔗 bit.ly/aecaconference

We can't wait to see you there! 🥳

Arkansas Child Development Early Learning Standards (CDELS) is the guiding document for early childhood educators, providing a set of common milestones for what children know and can do from birth through 60 months.

The CDELS are being revised, and the workgroup is interested in hearing your feedback.

Your responses to these survey items will help inform how the CDELS could be enhanced to better meet the needs of Arkansas’ children and educators.

This survey will take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete and closes on Friday, September 13th.

Thank you for taking the time to share your opinions.

🔗 https://uark.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5u0Beysk0RMQwd0

River Valley have their September affiliate meeting TONIGHT!

🗓Tuesday September 10th 6:00-8:00pm
🔊How to Include Preschool Children in Small Group Activities
✅ PDR 68486
📍In-person at Echols Building at UAFS

Everybody welcome! Visit the page on our website for more info including how to register:

🔗 bit.ly/aecarivervalley

What are you doing to foster social-emotional development with infants and toddlers? Discover new strategies for enriching routines through responding, reflecting, and recording. Gain an understanding of the importance of your role and responsibilities as an infant toddler educator in the Infant Toddler Social-Emotional Learning training.

ITSEL meets from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm on 9/24, 10/1, 10/8, and 10/15. Registration for this course closes September 17th at 9:00 am or when all seats are full.

This course requires virtual meeting attendance on the dates/times listed.

To register for this course, go to http://ecep.uark.edu/online and select the red button that says "Register Now! LIVE Course".

We would LOVE for you to join us for a 6-week in-depth look at preschool child observation, including portfolios, documentation and reflective teaching practices! Register here (or scan the QR code)!: https://bit.ly/CBAFall24

This unique training provides opportunities for infant-toddler educators to observe, understand, and reflect on critical interactions with infants and toddlers that support and nurture their social-emotional development. Discover teaching m**hods and practices with easily understood guidance and examples. Join this interactive Critical Competencies for Infant Toddler Educators training.

CCITE Area 1 will meet in Fayetteville, AR on 9/21 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, 9/28, 10/5, 1019, and 11/2 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, and 11/9 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.

Learn more about this course on PDR (pdregistry.arkansas.gov), Course ID # 70580.

"The classroom environment is one of the most influential factors that impact how children think, are engaged, feel connected, and take risks."

hub.exchangepress.com/articles-on-demand/37148

💙 One way children contribute to helping to keep the classroom safe is with School Family Jobs. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/3Mlx03f

🚨 Final Reminder: Last Chance to Register! 🚨

TOMORROW is the final day to register for our 9-day Family Service Credential Direct Service Provider Training! Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to enhance your skills, connect with fellow professionals, and make a lasting impact in family services.

Last day to register is September 10, 2024!

This training is NO COST for participants and designed to empower you with the knowledge and tools needed to provide a more family-centered approach in your work.

🗓 Training Dates:
October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
November 5, 12, 19, 26
🕰 8:30am - 4:30pm

Don’t wait—register now and take the next step in your professional journey! Click the link below to secure your spot. ⏳

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe5vMILX9hLyG4qtin8R4d7_4T-4JB4ciXhJz8QQJnEsjdFrQ/viewform

Southeast Arkansas Early Childhood Association has its next affiliate meeting TONIGHT!

🗓 Monday September 9th 6:00-8:00pm
🔊 Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
📍 U. A. M. College of Technology - McGehee
✅ Register by searching for course number 70270

Everybody welcome! Visit the Southeast page on our website for more details:

🔗 bit.ly/aecasoutheast

At the AECA Conference we are giving away an iPad Pro and Pencil Pro! 🤩

Attendees will receive a bingo card on check in. If you visit all of the vendors in our vendor hall and get your bingo card completely stamped, you will be eligible to participate in the drawing on Friday afternoon.

What would you use your iPad for if you win? 🤔

Register for the conference via our website:

🔗 bit.ly/aecaconference

We can't wait to see you there! 🥳

Our AECA Conference is back in North Little Rock this year! We are returning to the Wyndham Riverfront Hotel from October 9th through the 12th 🎉

Our keynote speaker on Friday is Hilary Trudell! 🔊

Hilary is a non-profit executive with a background in team building, executive education, and storytelling. After teaching at the Clinton School of Public Service for seven years, Trudell became CEO of Just Communities of Arkansas where she develops strategic vision, executes diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, and promotes JCA's brand. She also teaches leadership development workshops at Sam M. Walton College of Business, co-teaches the Group Facilitation Certificate program at Arkansas Public Administration Consortium, and produces theme-based storytelling shows through The Yarn Storytelling. Trudell has expertise in building community relationships, training volunteer and student leaders, designing diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, and creating spaces for human connection. In 2022, Truths We Tell, a compilation of stories curated through The Yarn Storytelling won national recognition for a work of non-fiction. To date, Trudell has coached over 300 Arkansans on how to deliver their unique narratives with impact and facilitated hundreds of workshops using structures that level power dynamics, enable all participant voices to be heard, and create space for genuine and results-based collaboration.

Trudell’s collaboration with Arkansas Early Childhood Education began in 2021 when she began working with a cohort of early childhood educators to craft and deliver their stories with impact via the Storytelling initiative. She has worked with two more AECA cohorts since then and is excited to support many more early childhood educators as they discover and delivery their stories about the essential work they provide in our state.

Visit the dedicated conference page on the AECA website to find answers to all your questions, including how to register:

🔗 bit.ly/aecaconference

We hope to see you in North Little Rock in October!

Our AECA Conference is back in North Little Rock this year! We are returning to the Wyndham Riverfront Hotel from October 9th through the 12th 🎉

Our keynote speaker on Thursday is DJ Pryor! 🔊

DJ's global impact recently soared to new heights with a heartwarming video that captured a candid moment between him and his youngest son. This touching video went viral, amassing an estimated half a billion views across various web and social media platforms. Through this viral sensation, DJ has become one of the world's most influential voices on early childhood development. His story is a testament to his ability to turn personal challenges into opportunities for growth and change.

You can find out more about DJ on his website:

🔗 www.officialdjpryor.com

Visit the dedicated conference page on the AECA website to find answers to all your questions, including how to register:

🔗 bit.ly/aecaconference

We hope to see you in North Little Rock in October!

We hope to see you at our 62nd Annual AECA Conference in October - but did you know about our pre-conference?

For those who want more in-depth, intensive training on various ECE topics, AECA will offer pre-conference sessions led by our state's early childhood experts on Wednesday, October 9th for an extra charge.

Three-hour sessions are $30 and six-hour sessions are $60. Registration includes a buffet lunch at the hotel from 12:00-1:00pm.

You can find detailed descriptions of the sessions, as well as more information about the conference overall on our website:

🔗 bit.ly/aecaconference

Which sessions sound interesting to you? We can't wait to see you there!

🥳️ Did you hear the news? Registration for our 62nd Annual AECA Conference is now OPEN! 🥳️

🗓 IMPORTANT DATES
𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐔𝐋𝐀𝐑 𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍
𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝟕/𝟏𝟔/𝟐𝟒 𝐭𝐨 𝟗/𝟑𝟎/𝟐𝟒

LATE/ONSITE REGISTRATION
From 10/1/24 to 10/12/24

💙🧠 This year's theme is Linking Hearts & Minds: Early Childhood Connections. We know the neural, social, and emotional connections that are made during the early years are some of the most meaningful and consequential for lifelong learning and success. This year we will focus on how we in the early childhood workforce have the responsibility to help ensure young children build healthy connections.

📍 The 2024 conference will again be held at the Wyndham Riverfront Hotel in North Little Rock, AR. Wednesday, October 9 will be a pre-conference session day with the regular conference beginning on Thursday and continuing through Saturday morning.

☑️ You can choose from many interest sessions and tracks. We will have our exhibit hall with all our vendor friends. And plan to pick up some awesome items at our silent auction. Proceeds help us award scholarships to the SECA conference.

👤 If you need to join or renew your membership, please do that BEFORE registering. (If your membership has expired, the system will not allow you to register for conference at the member rate.) We have made it less expensive to join and attend the conference as a member than to register as a non-member. For $39, you will receive a year’s membership in AECA and the Southern Early Childhood Association.

ℹ️ For more information about our conference, visit our dedicated conference page on the AECA website:

🔗 bit.ly/aecaconference

Share this post with all your ECE friends! We can't wait to see you in October!

AECA Pajama Drive 🛏

Shaneil "PJ" Yarbrough, immediate Past President of AECA, is hoping you won't sleep on this opportunity to help children across Arkansas.

Currently, there are 3,544 children in foster care as of July 2024. Donated pajamas will benefit foster children served by The CALL of Arkansas.

Foster care enrollment statistically increases around the holidays, right after the AECA conference.

Brand new pajamas, sizes Newborn – Adult XL, are needed for boys and girls. THE CALL serves all 75 counties, and the pajamas will be distributed accordingly.

AECA invites YOU to donate pajamas at this year's conference.

You can find out more about the work The Call does over on their website:

🔗thecallinarkansas.org

And more info about our upcoming conference here:

🔗 bit.ly/aecaconference

AECA thanks you in advance for your help supporting this project.

River Valley have their September affiliate meeting next week!

🗓Tuesday September 10th 6:00-8:00pm
🔊How to Include Preschool Children in Small Group Activities
✅ PDR 68486
📍In-person at Echols Building at UAFS

Everybody welcome! Visit the page on our website for more info including how to register:

🔗 bit.ly/aecarivervalley

🔊 This meeting is today!

To provide you with information and to answer questions about child care, join the informational Zoom meetings occurring on the first Tuesday of every month at 12pm.

🔗 bit.ly/provider-calls

Southeast Arkansas Early Childhood Association has its next affiliate meeting next week!

🗓 Monday September 9th 6:00-8:00pm
🔊 Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
📍 U. A. M. College of Technology - McGehee
✅ Register by searching for course number 70270

Everybody welcome! Visit the Southeast page on our website for more details:

🔗 bit.ly/aecasoutheast

Hey y’all! Can you believe it is September already? We here at AECA are so excited that our conference is next month. We hope you will join us. Here is a sneak peek of what you have to look forward to!

The theme of this year's conference is Linking Hearts & Minds: Early Childhood Connections. This theme will focus our energies and attention on all the critical interactions that take place between providers, families and children. Those of us in the early childhood profession know that the connections forged within our community are some of the strongest that you will find! The neural, social, and emotional connections that are made during the early years are some of the most meaningful and consequential for lifelong learning and success. By participating in this year’s conference, you will play a key role in these connections that make linking hearts and minds possible!

You can find out more about our keynote speakers, pre-conference sessions, where to stay, how to update your membership and register for the conference itself all on our dedicated conference page on the AECA website:

🔗 bit.ly/aecaconference

I would love to hear what you are looking forward to - whether at the conference or in this back-to-school season. Email me at [email protected] and let’s connect!

Natasha Kile
President of AECA

Happy September! 🗓

Members of AECA will find this month's issue of the AECA Update in your email inbox. You can also find this document inside the membership site via our website: 🔗 bit.ly/AECAMembership

If you are not a member or need to renew your membership, you can do so via the link above. If you have any questions about membership please do not hesitate to ask by sending an email to misty[@]arkansasearlychildhood.org

We would love to hear your feedback! Email communications[@]arkansasearlychildhood.org for any comments, questions or inquiries to be featured in future editions.

The Arkansas Early Childhood Association office will be closed for Labor Day on Monday, Sept. 2. Any calls or messages will be returned on Tuesday, Sept. 3.

Enjoy your holiday, everybody! Be safe!

🔊 This meeting is next week!

To provide you with information and to answer questions about child care, join the informational Zoom meetings occurring on the first Tuesday of every month at 12pm.

🔗 bit.ly/provider-calls

🔊 Sign-up or spread the word 🔊

Arkansas Advocates is currently recruiting Arkansans between the ages of 18-24 for focus groups. They want to hear from young adults to find out what they see as the biggest issues impacting the well-being of Arkansans and potential policy solutions they'd like to see. The focus groups are on Zoom, and each participant will receive a $25 gift card.

If you are between the ages 18-24 and are interested in participating in a focus group, please complete the form via the QR code/link below, by September 12.

If you know anyone who might be interested in participating, please share this post.

Questions? Email Rebecca Zimmermann at [email protected]

🔗 https://qrco.de/YAFocus24