North Central Region | March 2022

Resource & Referral North Central Region March 2022 Happy March! Have you heard about the Wage Supplement Program being offered through CECPD? For those of you who have been around a while, this is similar to what used to be REWARD. You can go to this link: https://www.cecpd.org/en/provider-programs/oklahoma-child-care-wage-supplement-program/oklahoma-child-care-wage-supplement-program-general-requirements/ for specific information. If you qualify, you could earn between $400 and $2000 extra per year! For help with filling out the application form, you can contact any of us at your North Central Resource & Referral, and we will be glad to help! . . . Click Here Read It Again! Benefits of Reading to Young Children Story time is important for brain development, even for babies who do not talk yet. When you read with children, they are connecting the words you say to the pictures on the page, to the things in their world. All of those connections are brain connections! THE TAKE HOME: 1. Even before they can talk, children need to hear language to support brain development. 2. Reading and telling stories with children is a great way to expose them to a rich variety of words. 3. With language, both quantity and quality matter. Click Here How to Introduce Toddlers and Babies to Books This resource provides research-based tips on how to share books with babies and toddlers to maximize the joy and learning of book reading and to nurture a lifelong love of books. The first—and best—tip for sharing books with young children is to have fun together! If children are engaged and enjoying themselves, they are learning. When children have positive interactions with books, they are developing good feelings about reading, which will motivate them to continue seeking out books and other literacy materials as they grow. . . Click Here Growing Healthy A Guide for Health Managers and Families about Healthy Active Living for Young Children START TODAY—HELP YOUR YOUNG CHILDREN STAY AT A HEALTHY WEIGHT FOR LIFE Why Is This Important? • Many people are not aware that developing a healthy weight for life begins when children are infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. • The way young children eat, move and sleep affects their weight now and in the future. . . Click Here Here’s to Healthy Eating: Habits to Start and Habits to Avoid Habits to Start

• Offer three to four healthy choices at mealtimes. Make sure that at least one of the choices is something the child likes to eat.

• Providing two to three healthy snacks per day. If children don’t eat a lot at a meal, they will have a healthy option for a snack. . .

Click Here The Reading Corner! Each month there will be three books that your Resource & Referral Team recommend. The books will be based on age groups: Infant/Toddler; Pre-School; and School-Age. We hope you enjoy our book choices and read many books to the children this month and all year around! . . Click Here QRIS TEAM I’m happy to introduce to you our Quality Rating Improvement System Team, Stars Outreach Specialists (SOS), Misti Denton, Tiffany McPherson, Amanda Rietz, and Bree Dies! We have developed four SOS regions to serve all licensed child care providers in the state. The regions include Northeast-Misti Denton, Northwest-Bree Dies, Southeast-Tiffany McPherson, and Southwest-Amanda Rietz. Attached you will find contact information for each SOS, including a breakdown of the counties that each of them cover. Click on the picture below to find out more. We are here to serve you! Ivy Learning Resource & Referral serves the North Central Region of Oklahoma, which includes nine counties. For more information, contact your Resource and Referral Specialist: NC Resource & Referral Specialist Heather Cruz 918-766-6254 HCruz@delawarechild.org (Osage, Payne, Pawnee, Lincoln, Logan, Washington, Nowata, Kay, Noble) NC Infant & Toddler Specialist: Renae Barnett 918-332-8651 RBarnett@delawarechild.org NC Business Consultant Tracy Hinton 918-766-2577 THinton@delawarechild.org QRIS Regional R&R: The Pyramid Model

What is the Pyramid Model, and why are so many early childhood professionals in Oklahoma (and across the country) talking about it? It is a proven way to teach and support young children in understanding and managing their emotions, which helps children handle life’s tough situations with greater resiliency and hope. . . Click Here Scholars for Excellence in Child Care What Is the Scholars Program? The Scholars program awards scholarships to eligible child care professionals to complete coursework in the area of child development or early childhood education, as well as the Child Development Associate (CDA) and Certified Childcare Professional (CCP) Credential Assessment. These scholarships enable child care providers in Oklahoma to improve their skills through education, receive an educational stipend and continue the availability of quality child care in local communities. . . Click Here Technical Assistance from our Resource and Referral Specialists! Ivy Learning Resource and Referral can provide technical assistance to child care providers. Click below to find out more! Click Here More Resources for Information and Webinars

• Early Childhood Investigations Webinars - Early Childhood Investigations is a ongoing series of conference-quality free webinars for early childhood educators.

• Baby Talk: Resources to Support the People Who Work With Infants and Toddlers - Baby Talk is free and distributed monthly. Each issue features resources that are high quality and readily available at no cost. Click Here for archived issues that contain a wealth of information.

Additional Resources Ivy Learning & Ivy Academies 918.977.3600 Scholars for Excellence in Child Care Program 866.343.3881 Insurance Assistance Insure Oklahoma/OEPIC 888.365.3742 Oklahoma Child Care Warmline FREE phone support and consultation for child care providers regarding behavior, development, health, andsafety issues. Mon - Fri 8am - 5pm Automated system available 24/7. Questions? Email: warmline@health.ok.gov Follow us on Facebook: Delaware Child Development Facebook Centers for Early Childhood Professional Development (CECPD) 888.446.7608 Licensing OK Child Care Services Oklahoma Registry Child Nutrition Program Child and Adult Care Food Programs(CACFP) Information, Resources &Trainings Oklahoma Child Care Resource & Referral (OCCRRA) 888.962.2772 Multicultural Environments, Email Keila Garcia Fingerprinting: Delaware Child Development Fingerprinting Services OKDHS Information on fingerprinting Identogo to schedule an appointment. 2419 Nowata Pl, Ste 103 Bartlesville, OK 74006, USA Ph:918-977-3600 Share on social Check out our website