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Episode 6 - Georgia's Pre-K Program Teachers of the Year 2024-2025 Nov 19, 2024

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DECAL has named its Georgia’s Pre-K Teachers of the Year for the 2024-2025 school year and it was just in time for our 14th annual Georgia’s Pre-K Week. We name a winner from a public school and private school, and this year’s winners are from Lincolnton and Watkinsville. Joining us on the podcast this week is public-school winner Elizabeth Arthur from Lincoln County Elementary School, and private child care center winner Rachel Robertson from Oconee Preschool Academy. Also joining us is Meghan McNail, Director of Georgia’s Pre-K Instruction and Regional Operations.

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Episode 5 - Find Help Georgia Forum Nov 12, 2024

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If you’re looking for financial assistance, food pantries, medical care, child care and more, there is a one-stop shop for community resources near you! It’s called Find Help Georgia, a comprehensive online directory to help strengthen families. And we're coming up soon on our second annual Find Help Georgia Forum. Joining us to talk about Find Help Georgia is Amy Roys, CAPS Director for Development and Partnerships, and Melinda Knowles, CAPS Development and Partnerships Project Manager.

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Episode 4 - Chat with the Commissioner Nov 05, 2024

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Last month more than 800 DECAL employees gathered at the Cobb Galleria Center for our All Staff Meeting. This event officially celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, as well as the 10th anniversary of our longest serving Commissioner, Amy Jacobs. That seemed like a great time for another Chat with the Commissioner.

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Episode 3 - Open Enrollment Oct 29, 2024

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Open Enrollment for the State Health Benefits Plan runs now through November 8. It’s a very important time of the year, as many employees are re-evaluating their health needs and seeking to protect their financial well-being. Joining us to talk about Open Enrollment is Sabrina Henry, Senior Manager of Human Resources.

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Episode 2 - CAPS & Quality Rated Policy Changes Oct 22, 2024

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From Calhoun to Savannah, our Quality Rated and CAPS teams have been holding stakeholder meetings all across Georgia to highlight policy revisions happening with both programs beginning this month. With pandemic relief funding ending, DECAL has faced some difficult choices focused on ensuring that the needs of families, providers, and the child care workforce are considered. Joining us to talk about policy revisions at CAPS and Quality Rated is Elisabetta Kasfir, Deputy Commissioner of Federal Programs and Eligibility, and Dr. Bentley Ponder, Deputy Commissioner of Quality Innovations and Partnerships.

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Episode 1 - Workforce Task Force Update Oct 15, 2024

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As the foundation of a child’s educational journey, early childhood education is pivotal, yet the professionals who dedicate their lives to this field often face unique challenges that require our attention. Recently DECAL’s Workforce Supports and Learning Division formed a Workforce Task Force aimed at understanding the needs, struggles, and aspirations of early childhood educators across the state. Joining us this week to talk about their findings is Dr. Christi Moore, DECAL Director of Workforce Supports and Learning,

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Episode 50 - The State of Child Care Oct 09, 2024

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Today we’re unpacking a critical issue that touches nearly every family in Georgia: the State of Child Care. Recently our Child Care Services Division completed a comprehensive study on the current state of child care across the state, especially after a worldwide pandemic...and there were some surprises. Joining us this week to talk about the State of Child Care in Georgia is Pam Stevens, Deputy Commissioner of Child Care Services, and Shayna Funke, Director of Research Partnerships and Business Supports in our Quality Innovations and Partnerships Division.

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Episode 49 - Georgia Pre-K Week Sep 26, 2024

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Voices for Georgia’s Children and DECAL are proud to announce that the 14th annual Georgia Pre-K Week is set to take place from October 7th to 11th, 2024. This event celebrates the 32nd year of Georgia’s Pre-K Program and highlights the importance of early childhood education across the state. Joining us to talk about Georgia Pre-K Week 2024 is Susan Adams, Deputy Commissioner for Georgia’s Pre-K Program and Instructional Supports, Judy Fitzgerald is Executive Director at Voices for Georgia’s Children, and we’re honored to have State Representative Jan Jones, who serves as Speaker Pro Tem for the Georgia House of Representatives.

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Episode 48 - SEEDS Helpline Sep 24, 2024

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When you think about DECAL, you think about CAPS, Child Care Services, Georgia’s Pre-K Program, Nutrition…but we also hope you think about our support services like SEEDS which stands for Social Emotional Early Development Strategies. This is a program designed to increase social and emotional development among our youngest learners and decrease challenging behaviors in early childhood settings. Joining us to talk more about SEEDS is Fachelle Garner and Emily Graham are Inclusion and Behavioral Support Specialists.

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Episode 47 - Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Training and Workforce Support Sep 17, 2024

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This week we’re highlighting early childhood workforce development opportunities in the Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health space. Joining us is DECAL’s Laura Lucas, Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Director, Dr. Bentley Ponder, Deputy Commissioner of Quality Innovations and Partnerships, and our guests from Georgia State University’s Georgia Association for Infant Mental Health (also known as “Georgia AIM”), Raynell Washington, Dr. Jordan Murphy from the Center for Interrelational Science and Pediatrics, and Audrey Idaikkadar, from Resilient Georgia.

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