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Episode 26 - School Age Grants Apr 11, 2023

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Important news this week for any Georgia child care program that serves school-age children or has served school-age children in the past year. You may remember receiving an e-mail about DECAL’s School-Age Grants, financial support based on your program’s licensed capacity. Joining us to talk about School-Age Grants is Michelle Garris, School Age and Youth Programs Specialist; Brittany Sams, CCS Director of Administrative Services and Special Operations; and Pam Stevens, Deputy Commissioner of Child Care Services.

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Episode 25 - Georgia Summit on Talent Development Apr 04, 2023

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Last month, the Georgia Chamber hosted its third annual Georgia Summit, this year focused entirely on talent development. The event was held at the Georgia Tech Research Institute and included discussions around talent and workforce development at every stage of the pipeline. Commissioner Jacobs was invited to serve on a panel discussing early childhood education, joined by Mindy Binderman, Executive Director of GEEARS; Kelli Henderson, HR Vice President with AFLAC Total Rewards; and Daniela Perry, Vice President of the Georgia Chamber Foundation.

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Episode 24 - Meet Sheryl Young-Wilhite, our new Director of Human Resources at DECAL Mar 28, 2023

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Sheryl Young-Wilhite has served as a Senior Human Resources Director here at DECAL responsible for recruitment, employee relations, and training. You might remember recently hearing from Robin Stevens here on the podcast as she planned for retirement, beginning March 1, after being our first Human Resources Director and serving 11 years. Also March 1, Sheryl became our new Human Resources Director. Today we learn more about her and finding a career at DECAL and state government.

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Episode 23 - Meet Ellyn Cochran, Quality Care for Children Mar 21, 2023

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Meeting the child care and early education needs of Georgia’s children and their families is a big responsibility for one state agency…that’s why we appreciate so much the early childhood advocates we work with on a daily basis. One of those advocates is Quality Care for Children. They have been operating since 1979 with offices in Atlanta, Athens, and Cartersville…a team of over 100 people and a budget of $15 million. Joining us to talk about the work of Quality Care for Children is Ellyn Cochran, the new president and CEO.

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Episode 22 - Meet Dr. Caitlin McMunn Dooley, Voices for Georgia's Children Mar 14, 2023

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Meeting the child care and early education needs of Georgia’s children and their families is a big responsibility for one state agency…that’s why we appreciate so much the early childhood advocates we work with on a daily basis. One of those advocates that helps us enhance early care and education for children and their families is Voices for Georgia’s Children, a nonprofit child policy and advocacy organization advancing laws, policies, and actions that improve the lives of Georgia’s children. Today we’re talking with the new Voices Executive Director Dr. Caitlin McMunn Dooley.

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Episode 21 - Celebrating 30 years of Georgia's Pre-K Program Mar 07, 2023

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It all started with 750 four year olds in 1992 under then Governor Zell Miller. Now, 30 years later, it serves over 70,000 students across the state under Governor Brian Kemp. It’s Georgia’s Pre-K Program, celebrating a milestone birthday this year and laying a solid foundation for academic excellence and future success in the lives of nearly 2-million children. Joining us to talk about their experience with Georgia’s Pre-K Program and the HOPE scholarship are Pam Stevens, Deputy Commissioner of Child Care Services, Professional Learning Specialist Vicki Watts, and Amy Browder, Pre-K Regional Manager.

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Episode 20 - Updates on POWER and DECAL Scholars Feb 28, 2023

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Since 2021, DECAL has paid out three installments of POWER payments (Providing Our Workforce Essential Recognition) to the tune of close to $115-million from the American Rescue Plan Act. That’s 115,000 individual payments of $1,000 to early learning professionals here in Georgia. Now we are repurposing POWER payments and making some changes to DECAL Scholars to increase access to degrees and credentials for those working in child care. Joining us to talk about POWER and DECAL Scholars is Abby Mozo, Professional Learning Operations Analyst here at DECAL, and Melissa Ross from Care Solutions.

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Episode 19 - Retiring HR Director Robin Stevens Feb 21, 2023

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If things had gone according to plan, our Human Resources Director Robin Stevens would have graduated from law school at the University of Georgia in the late seventies. But plans often change, as they did for Robin, when instead she chose the relatively new field of Human Resources. Robin became DECAL’s first HR director in February, 2012, and now she’s retiring this spring.

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Episode 18 - The Voice of DECAL Feb 14, 2023

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There are many ways to reach us here at DECAL. You can go to our website at decal.ga.gov, you can e-mail us, or more than likely you still pick up the phone and call us on the telephone using 404-656-5957 or 1-888-442-7735. The voice you hear on the other side of the phone is very important to you…and to us. Joining us to talk about customer service here at DECAL is Antonia Mack, Administrative Assistant in the Applicant Services Unit with Child Care Services, Tommeshia Sims is a receptionist at CAPS, Tammy Clark is our Agency Receptionist and Information Specialist, and Quandra Obi is Special Assistant to Commissioner Jacobs.

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Episode 17 - Becoming a Georgia's Pre-K Program Provider Feb 07, 2023

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This year, Georgia’s Pre-K Program celebrates its 30th birthday. Pre-K in Georgia began in 1992 as a pilot program serving 750 at-risk four year olds at 20 locations. Because of the success of the Georgia Lottery, in 1995 the Pre-K program was opened to all four year old children regardless of family income. The program has grown every year since its inception, today serving more than 73,000 students in over 3,700 classrooms across the state. But how do child care providers apply to offer Georgia’s Pre-K Program in their facilities? Joining us to talk about becoming a Georgia’s Pre-K Program provider is Jackie Shivers, Director of Pre-K quality Support, and Meghan McNail, Summer Transition Program and Outreach Manager.

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