Orleans and Northern Essex
Building Bright Futures
Children’s Integrated Services
January 5th, 2015
1:00 PM
Regional Council Meeting
Emory Hebard State Building
MINUTES
Attendance:Sylvie Corriveau,Lisa Daigle-Farney NEKLS, Dawn Powers NEKLS/CIS, Amy Lanoue ECP/NCSU, Julie Lavine OCSU, Meredith Morgan COFEC, Colleen Moore De Ortiz VHD, Bryanne Marquis CMCC, Mark McMillen Promise Community, Carole Pomeroy Economic Services, Karen Hack NKHS/CIS, Liza Fleischer CIS, Jennifer Johansson VHD
CIS Business:
The Newport CIS Coordinator has been hired. Betsy Daly comes to us from Massachusetts with a wealth of knowledge and experience. Her first day is February 2nd, 2015, which is our next Regional Council meeting so the hope is that she will attend. In the future, the Council will be asked to consider Betsy as a new member of the Steering Committee based on Dawn’s recommendation.
Dawn gave us an update on the transportation grant held by Creative Minds Children Center. The grant requires that an average of 7 1/2 kids/week who meet eligibility criteria use the bus, and at this point none of the 12 kids who use the bus meet criteria. The grant ends in June, and unless the community is able to find children who meet eligibility standards, there is a great possibility that the $80,000 grant will be lost.
CIS is in the process of putting together their report and are looking for feedback on what works and the barriers around services.
Scope of Work:
The goal was to share the Scope of Work for the Building Bright Futures Regional Coordinator however, the Scope is not yet available for review. Sylvie & Linda Michniewicz will be attending the Leadership Retreat in Woodstock on January 20th, 2015, where the Scope will be shared along with other Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Grant work.
Potential New Member:
Betsy Daly, the new CIS Coordinator for the Newport Region will be considered when she comes on in February.
Mini Grants:
Mini grant opportunities have been emailed and advertised in local newspapers, and they are due Monday January 12th, 2015. Only one application has been received from a childcare provider and none from local Librarians who were also given the opportunity to apply for grants.
Playgroup Questions:
Sylvie had questions on how to manage the funding around the Playgroups, more especially if there are any requirements that need to be met for the second and final check to be given to playgroups. Playgroups are required to give a mid-year report based on a form usually sent to them from the Regional Coordinator. Sylvie will be in touch with Jennifer Phillips for information around what form has been used in the past to support this process, and then send it to the playgroups.
The Derby Playgroup has had difficulty getting off the ground, and the Council brainstormed around what could be done to support that project. Gas stipends will be offered to families for the next Playgroups, which will be held Friday January 16th, 2015, in hopes of having a sort of Grand Opening and get people to attend. The other playgroups are held on a regular basis, and some Council members wondered if that may impact the lack of attendance in Derby, since the Playgroup is not held on a weekly or consistent basis. Dates for the rest of the year, however have been released for Derby. Encouraged home visitors to support their families to attend.
Action Plan Retreat:
The Retreat will be held in the Community National Bank Community Room on January 26th, 2015 9am-4pm. Council members and other community members will receive a survey developed to start the conversation as far as unmet needsin the community, which will then be used to help format the Retreat and our Regional Action Plan.
Raising of America Screening:
There will a screening of a Raising of America documentary called Are we Crazy about Our Kids? On January 29th, 2015 at the North Country Career Center. This documentary focuses on how investments in high quality early care and preschool yield huge personal and social benefits, and pay for themselves many times over. A Survey Monkey will be sent to community members to RSVP for the event.
Dabble Day:
Dabble Day will be held March 28th, 2015 from 9-noon. An ad will be sent to local newspaper to find a co-coordinator for the event.
Transition Summit/Kindergarten Bags:
Transition Summit will be held March 20th, 2015. BBF will collaborate with the ECP of each SU to gather kindergarten registration numbers for the bags, which in recent past have be given at registration.
Act 166:
Universal pre-K is a regular item on the Council agenda. It was asked which Supervisory Unions were moving forward, and it was reported that Orleans Central will hold off and prepare for 2016-2017, North Country SU is moving ahead however, it’s unclear which school districts will move forward and implement their own pre-school program. There were no Northern Essex SU representation at the Council meeting.
Forms to apply to be a Pre-Qualified provider are supposed to be available by January 7th, 2015.
Announcements:
1)Medical Social Worker position through NKHS at Newport Pediatrics
2)Masters level Clinician position through NKHS at Turning Points
3)Creative Minds will be hosting a Golds Teaching Strategies training 3/27/15-3/28/15
4)Child Development Division Regional Collaborative Grant application deadline 03/01/2015
for professional development. Dave Melnick from NFI was suggested as someone who could do a training on the impact of Trauma and so was Joelle VanLent.
Next meeting – February 2nd, 2015 1:00 at the Emory Hebard State Bldg. conference room 250