February 22 Child Care Provider Updates During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) Division of Early Care and Education (DECE) will send updates to everyone who has subscribed to the DCF Child Care listserv. Save the Date: Project Growth Webinars Project Growth Kick-Off Webinar Join DCF and other project partners to hear about Project Growth and its two grant programs: Partner Up! and Dream Up! You’ll learn more about the programs and why child care is so important to Wisconsin’s economy. Monday, February 28 | 12 p.m. CST Attend via Zoom (registration not required) – Use this link to join. Partner Up! Informational Webinars Tuesday, March 8 | 12 p.m. CSTRegister here Thursday, March 10 | 6 p.m. CSTRegister here Dream Up! Informational Webinar Wednesday, March 9 | 1:30 p.m. CSTRegistration coming soon Learn more about these webinars and Project Growth on the Project Growth website. Child Care Counts February Application/Update Period Closed The latest payment program application period is closed. Applications for the February Child Care Counts: Stabilization Payment Program are being reviewed. Providers will be notified of their eligibility for funds by March 11, 2022, via a payment letter uploaded to the Child Care Provider Portal. The March Count Weeks are February 27-March 12. The next application/update period is March 14-18, 2022. See the Child Care Counts Calendar for future Count and Application Weeks. If you need help or have questions about your Payment Program status, please email DCFDECECOVID19CCPayments@wisconsin.gov or call and leave your detailed questions at 608-535-3650. Check out our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and Resources section to get answers to your questions and find helpful videos, application guides, and tools. Child Care Counts Call Center hours are 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. M-F. Child Care Counts Información en español. Registration for PEC 2022 Virtual Conference Now Open The Promoting Early Childhood Conference (PEC) 2022 will be on March 16 and 17, 2022 from 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. This year’s theme is the H.E.A.R.T (Humility~ Empathy~ Acceptance~ Relationships~ Trust) of Early Childhood (EC): The Importance of Nurturing Connections. Registration for the conference is open through March 11, 2022. Register Now! The Promoting Early Childhood Conference (PEC) is an early childhood collaborative event sponsored by our main PDG partner, DPI, and the Wisconsin Early Childhood Collaborating Partners (WECCP). Questions can be directed to sherry.kimball@dpi.wi.gov. Visit the PEC webpage for more information. Please help spread the word about the conference and registration. Reminder: DCF is Hiring – Bureau of Early Care Regulation Director DCF is recruiting to fill a Bureau of Early Care Regulation (BECR) Director position. DCF offers great benefits for all permanent positions, personal growth opportunities, and work-life balance. The deadline to apply is 11:59 p.m. on Monday, February 28, 2022. Reminder: Public Input Requested for the Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards Review Process DPI, in partnership DCF and DHS, has started a review of the Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards (WMELS). DPI has a transparent and comprehensive process for reviewing and revising the WMELS. The process began with a Notice of Intent to Review and a month-long public comment period which began on January 24, 2022, and ends on March 2, 2022. Public input will be captured via an online Public Input Survey. The State Superintendent’s Academic Standards Review Council will examine the comments received from the Public Input Survey on March 23, 2022; and recommend whether to revise or develop those standards. More information can be found on DPI’s Early Childhood WMELS website. Questions about the WMELS review process can be emailed to earlylearning.standards@dpi.wi.gov.
