Professional Preparation and Development Committee

MINUTES: March 25, 2016

Meeting Roles / Meeting Goals
Facilitators: Jen Knauer
Note-taker: Becky Raymond / Everyone has an opportunity to speak and be heard
Participants feel comfortable and safe
Participants are more informed; their attendance was relevant and it was a good use of time
The purposes of the meeting are met
Next steps and who will do them are clearly identified

9:00-9:30 Arrival and Networking

9:30-9:45In Attendance: Amy Bolger, Julie Cadwallader-Staub, Phil Crossman, Cindy Daniels, Bethany Hale, Deb Hathaway, Laurie Hayford-Saborowski, Linda January, Christina Maddocks, Tierney O’Meara, Betsy Rathbun-Gunn, Becky Raymond, Melissa Reigel-Garrett, Lynne Robbins, Sue Ryan, Amelia Struthers, Nancy Sugarman, MichellTrayah, Lorraine Vernet, Jan Walker, Natalie Whitfield.

9:45-12:15 Big Think of the PPD Work Plan (Jen facilitates)

The 14/15/16 PPD Work Plan (status updated 11 2015) was printed on easel-sized sheets and put up on the wall next to blank easel paper. Participants were invited to mingle and discuss at will, recording responses to the questions below.

  • Q: What topics would you like PPD to provide guidance / take action on?
  • Q: What are you interested in being updated/briefed on?

Participants visually signaled items for discussion/clarification within the large group. Discussion ensued, refinements were made, and next steps for updating the PPD Work Plan were discussed and outlined as follows. Easel sheets when home with Becky to inform the work group’s work – if you would like photos, please e-mail Jen.

  • Becky, Bethany, Nancy, Betsy (by phone), Melissa?: this small group will incorporate notes from this meeting, incorporate and propose updates for the next three years. Draft will be ready by the June meeting.
  • put all the notes into one sheet, then put it into a proposal back to the PPD; PPD will look at the concrete document
  • high priorities: licensing
  • consider adding back a column for who else is doing this work (other committees);
  • future step: deciding what data points to track related to effectiveness of the PPD committee; might be something to hold at the Think Tank committee. Send Lynne any data you have that might be relevant data for PPD to consider
  • maybe in June - ask people what's missing or what items we might want to add to the plan
  • look at this plan and map how it links to the ECAP, CCDF plan (Lynne will send to Becky); maybe add column on the work plan and add the crosswalk

12:15Lunch

12:45-1:35Vermont Birth to Five (Becky Gonyea)

Becky Gonyea, Director of Vermont Birth To Five, briefly reviewed the VB5 Deep Dive process, initial results and next steps. PPD participants were invited to discuss and offer feedback on the two focus questions below. Additional opportunities for feedback will be available via survey monkey link: please participate in the survey if interested and available – there is additional information there regarding the VB5 projects: (survey available until April 22).

  • Q: What strategies should VB5 utilize to achieve its mission (be creative)?
  • Q: What current VB5 projects are critical to achieving this mission and why?
  • Becky talking about new teachers receiving a mentor for the first 2 years they teach in the public school system; we don't have anything like that in EC
  • Melissa said there are some significant supports needed for licensed teachers working in prequlified partner programs
  • Nancy says hopefully this year we'll start having regional trainings for MATCH professionals; developing cadres of mentors in each region; could be a support for the VB5 mentoring work and also extending it after the end of VB5
  • Becky mentioned supports for programs and providers and schools trying to navigate implementation Act 166
  • They're taking a deep look at the mentoring program; will be some level of required dosage, a PD goal required for mentees, and a requirement of work within STARS (likely a requirement to move up in STARS)

EASEL SHEET TRANSCRIPTIONS

  • How can current mentoring efforts be sustained…parallel to MATCH structure
  • Who else can access the support that VB5 does for licensed teachers exam?
  • STARS not at expense of interactions with children: balance between focus on boanus/work. Ensure quality mentoring
  • Have doror open – providers accept VB5 help! So EXPAND # of mentors to deepen individual practice/reflection/apprenticeship model to move them up to level 3 etc. Increase onsite observations.
  • Keep doing as much embedding as possible ---VB5 in partnership with…
  • Increase collaboration/alignment with Think Tank re director
  • How to increase/recruit home-based providers (Wondering WHO we are losing? Ie. tension of professionalizing the field? Kids go to school, retire, STARS, other? Is market driving this? Or…?) See as a continuum /career. Talk about transition and 5year provider to center
  • Mentoring program is PHENOMENAL. Effective. Any lesson here for how to bend the curve in increasing providers/home providers? Met current folks where they are – retention.
  • How to receive increased administrative pressure for licensed teachers? (private providers) (didn’t sign up for these administrative components. Some pressure is structural)
  • What supports as ACT 166 is implemented? Professionally licensed teachers need support
  • Where can VB5 / Headstart reach out/align/collaborate?
  • TS GOLD – revamp and work with AOE
  • VCPC work – important and hope it grows
  • Will VB5 plan indicate the succession plan(s)? (Answer – where possible!)
  • Losing VB5 PD funds – can be made up by the CDD collaborative grants?

1:45-2:15 Connecting the Dots: Using Best Practices to Support Young Children and Their Families: Questions to Guide Discussion of the Proposed Plan (Manuela Fonseca)

Manuela Fonseca presented on behalf of the Vermont Higher Education Collaborative, seeking feedback on the proposed plan for the two-year series of workshops directed towards deepening the knowledge and skills of early childhood professionals. This plan was developed with the support of an advisory group that includes: Jan Walker, Janice Stockman, Karen Burnell, Lynne Robbins, Nancy Sugarman, Sherry Carlson and Heather Duhamel. Electronic copies were sent out with the PPD Committee Agenda; paper copies were available at the meeting.

E-mail with additional input, if interested and available.

EASEL SHEET TRANSCRIPTIONS

  • Suggestion: be clear on topics/deliverables. Clarify what providers will get
  • Appealing for folks who have a base but want/need refresher on new trends
  • Is health/wellness in content? Nutrition?
  • Suggestions for scheduling: move around the State; Fridays are good but benefit from midweek too b/c allows for participant to bring immediately to work; Switch days? Food for thought.

2:15-2:50“Envisioning a Better System of Workforce Development for Early Childhood Education” – Overview and update on the process for this work. (Jan Walker and Lynne Robbins)

  • Transforming the Workforce book; chapter 12 has lots of recommendations for how to improve the workforce (use for CCDF, use for changing the delivery system for PD)
  • auditor report - need to be more diligent about developing and implementing grants and contracts; RFPs need to happen more often
  • Reeva's idea - work to transform the delivery system for PD for the EC workforce
  • Jen facilitating the group; this group looking at what types of elements they'd like to see in the delivery system;
  • visioning group; a thinking out of the box group; effort by CDD to try to be inclusive and take advantage of the wisdom throughout the state; they own the formal responsibility of managing the resources; folks sitting around the table are not writing the RFP - they're helping CDD identify the core elements moving forward; effort to think in a facilitated way about some the issues and aspects of the PD delivery system
  • After the 4 meetings, CDD will look at what they say and then CDD will write the RFP
  • RFP will ideally be released at the end of May; will be due in September
  • Folks are invited to talk to members of the workgroup and share their thoughts about the delivery system
  • Melissa would like to hear from people in the field to inform her work on this group; help make the process transparent

2:50-3:00Closing Activities. Adjourn by 3PM.

The Mission of the Professional Preparation and Development Committee is to develop, coordinate and promote a comprehensive system of quality learning opportunities for current and prospective early childhood and after school professionals.

Our Purpose is to build a professional community that:

-Identifies and builds on assets, and prioritizes needs for professional opportunities

-Aligns professional development initiatives into a coordinated system

-Advocates for resources and improvements to the system

-Fosters respect, collegiality and collaboration

-Facilitates external and internal communication strategies that promote the value of professional development to stakeholders including: consumers, practitioners and the general public

-Uses the Vermont Professional Development Guiding Principles