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Episode 4 - Ten Years of GEEARS Oct 12, 2021

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The Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students, that most people know as GEEARS, celebrates ten years of community impact this year, although due to COVID the milestone was celebrated virtually. Joining us to talk about Ten Years of GEEARS and its relationship with DECAL is Stephanie Blank, GEEARS founder and chair of the Board of Directors, and Mindy Binderman, Executive Director.

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Episode 2 - Meet our DECAL Scholars of the Year 2021-2022 Oct 05, 2021

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DECAL and the Georgia Foundation for Early Care and Learning have announced the recipients of the 2021-2022 DECAL Scholars of the Year. This year’s program celebrates the 20th Anniversary of DECAL Scholars which supports early care and educational professionals in Georgia in gaining more education and skills and earning financial awards. Joining us to talk about this very special recognition are our DECAL Scholars of the Year…the four-year college/university winner is Edelina Lane of Ellenwood, a Family Child Care Provider who is a student at Point University; Technical College winner is Quinecia Styles Smith of Newnan, a lead teacher at Parker Chase Preschool North in Peachtree City and student at West Georgia Technical College; Carla Rogg is President of CARE Solutions that manages DECAL Scholars; and Carrie Ashbee, executive director of the Georgia Foundation for Early Care and Learning.

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Episode 3 - Special: WGAU Interview with Deputy Commissioner Susan Adams Oct 05, 2021

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WGAU Radio's Tim Bryant interviews Susan Adams, Deputy Commissioner for Georgia's Pre-K Program and Instructional Supports, about Georgia Pre-K Week and other topics.

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Episode 1 - Meet Rebecca Ellis, Director of Practice and Support Services Sep 28, 2021

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There’s a new face in DECAL’s Pre-K and Instructional Supports Division overseeing our Infant and Toddler, Inclusion and Behavior Supports, and Child and Family Development teams. Director of Practice and Support Services Rebecca Ellis joins DECAL from the Technical College System of Georgia where she served as Director of Accountability in the Office of Adult Education. She’s also been Director of Innovation for the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement and has a background in social work with a Masters of Social Work from the University of Alabama and after grad school worked as a foster care worker and child protective services in Birmingham.

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Episode 56 - New COVID-19 Guidance for Child Care in Georgia Sep 21, 2021

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DECAL has joined the Georgia Department of Public Health in updating COVID-19 Guidance specifically for Georgia child care facilities. The guidance, first released in August 2020, covers everything from COVID-19 prevention strategies, promoting vaccinations, and consistent and correct use of masks. Joining us to talk about COVID-19 guidance for child care in Georgia is Pam Stevens, Deputy Commissioner of Child Care Services, and Dr. Jenna Gettings is an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer with the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta currently assigned as a school team lead with the Georgia Department of Public Health.

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Episode 55 - Georgia's Pre-K Week 2021 Sep 14, 2021

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This year DECAL and Voices for Georgia’s Children will celebrate the 11th Annual Georgia’s Pre-K Week, October 4-8, 2021. In 1992, Governor Zell Miller launched a pilot program called Georgia’s Pre-K. Pre-K Week is an opportunity for us to tell this great success story of Georgia’s Pre-K…a voluntary, free program available to all of Georgia’s four-year-olds, regardless of parental income...and it continues to be nationally recognized for its success. Joining us to talk about Georgia Pre-K Week is Dr. Erica Fener-Sitkoff, Executive Director at Voices for Georgia’s Children and Susan Adams, Deputy Commissioner for Georgia’s Pre-K Program and Instructional Supports, and Joseph Lillyblad, Manager of Education and Workforce Development with Georgia Power, our corporate sponsor.

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Episode 54 - Contracts at DECAL Sep 07, 2021

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DECAL recently developed a new process to ensure that all contracts with the agency are clear, achieve your objectives, and protect the department’s best interests. The process also helps us with grant agreements. Today we’re discussing this new process but listeners who might be interested in doing business with the state should stay tuned too because we will be discussing that as well. Joining us to talk about the new contract process is Ira Sudman, DECAL’s Chief Legal Officer, David Ginsburg is our Contract and Procurement Attorney, and Michael Rodgers is Director of Finance.

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Episode 53 - New DECAL Authors Aug 31, 2021

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You probably know Jennifer Bridgman as the Process and Quality Improvement Manager in Child Care Services and Sha-de’ Thomas as our CAPS Quality Assurance and Training Consultant, but did you know they are both published authors writing about the COVID-19 impact on young children and children’s mental health? The books are “When the People Stayed Home” and “Today at School."

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Episode 52 - Georgia’s Early Childhood Educators of the Year Aug 24, 2021

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You’ve probably heard about the Georgia’s Pre-K Program Teachers of the Year, something we’ve done since the 2016-2017 school year. Now thanks to the Georgia Foundation for Early Care and Learning, we are also recognizing early education teachers of children birth to preschool through the inaugural Georgia’s Early Childhood Educators of the Year Program. Joining us to talk about Georgia’s Early Childhood Educators of the Year is Thea Stevens, Supervisor of the Infant Toddler Program here at DECAL, and Carrie Ashbee, Executive Director of the Georgia Foundation for Early Care and Learning.

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Episode 51 - COVID-19 Update Aug 17, 2021

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With the number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations on the rise…and the number of Georgians fully vaccinated at less than fifty percent…there are many questions from families and parents about what to do with child care. Joining us to talk about COVID-19 and child care in Georgia is Pam Stevens, Deputy Commissioner for Child Care Services, and Dr. Amber Schmidtke, an expert in microbiology and immunology who is following the COVID-19 trends in Georgia very closely.

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