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Episode 20 - Georgia ECE Health and Wellness Collaboration Project Jan 05, 2021

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Recently our Georgia Head Start Collaboration Office joined the American Academy of Pediatrics and child care advocates GEEARS and Voices for Georgia’s Children to study the impact of COVID-19 on Head Start programs across the state and the children and families they serve. Joining us to talk about this collaborative effort and what they learned is Dr. Terri McFadden, professor in the Department of Pediatrics of the Emory University School of Medicine and immediate past president of the Georgia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics; Fozia Khan Eskew is director of child health with the Georgia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics; Britney Newton is policy analyst with Voices for Georgia’s Children; Callan Wells is Health Policy Manager for GEEARS; and Allison Setterlind is director of the Georgia Head Start Collaboration Office.

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Episode 19 - Year End Chat with Commissioner Jacobs Dec 29, 2020

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It’s almost time to ring in the New Year, as we count down the final hours of a most unusual 2020…unprecedented even…and prepare for brighter days ahead in 2021. It seemed like a good time for one of our sit-down chats with Commissioner Jacobs featuring questions from our DECAL team and social media.

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Episode 18 - Foundation for Early Care and Learning Update Dec 22, 2020

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, our Georgia Foundation for Early Care and Learning has been busy providing free child care scholarships to essential workers with children birth to five. They have also been helping Santa with gifts for Georgia’s Foster Children through DFCS and Clark’s Christmas Kids. Joining us from the Georgia Foundation for Early Care and Learning is Executive Director Carrie Ashbee, along with DECAL Director of Government Relations and Special Projects Liz Young.

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Episode 17 - SOLVE Expansion Dec 15, 2020

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In August, DECAL received over $17 million from the Governors Emergency Education Relief funding, set aside by the CARES Act, for our new SOLVE scholarships, which stands for Supporting Onsite Learning for Virtual Education. This provides additional childcare options for students ages 5-12 whose school systems have opted primarily for virtual learning. In addition, it will allow parents who need to return to work to have a secure option for their child, ensuring they are under professional care in a safe environment. Today we’re getting an update on this program and details around expanding the scholarships later this month.
Joining us to talk about SOLVE is Elisabetta Kasfir, Deputy Commissioner for the CAPS Program, and Kay Mayfield, Scholarship Administration Director for CAPS.

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Episode 16 - Holiday Episode Dec 08, 2020

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Our Pandemic Thanksgiving is behind us…now straight ahead is our COVID Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanza just a few weeks away. Seems like a good time for a special holiday episode of DECAL Download to celebrate those age-old traditions that keep our spirits merry and bright, no matter what the circumstances.

And as is our tradition, we are featuring comments from several of our DECAL team asking them what’s your favorite holiday tradition and what’s your New Year’s Resolution for 2020? We’re also joined by DECAL Nutrition Health Educator Diana Meyers who is going to help us survive all the holiday parties and office treats that seem to be coming at us constantly this time of year. And LaToya Longshore, CCS NW Region Consultant, and Jennifer McCreary, Regional Manager for Georgia’s Pre-K Program join us to talk about great gift ideas for children birth to five since that’s our specialty.

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Episode 15 - Child Care: Open for Business Dec 01, 2020

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Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, Governor Brian Kemp has allowed licensed child care in Georgia to remain open to serve children and families. However, with more families staying at home, child care attendance significantly declined except for children of first responders and essential workers. At one point, only thirty percent of the licensed programs in Georgia remained open. Joining us to talk about Georgia child care open for business in a pandemic are Jennifer Paschal with Endeavor Schools in Atlanta, Michelle Smith-Lank with Kids World Learning Center in Statesboro, and our own April Rogers, Director of Policy and Enforcement with Child Care Services.

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Episode 14 - Online Learning Library Initiative (OLLI) Update Nov 24, 2020

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Here at DECAL, we’re committed to ensuring that Georgia's youngest learners receive the best services possible to prepare them for school and life. To help meet this commitment, we’ve developed the Georgia Professional Development System (GaPDS) where early childhood educators can create and maintain a profile and search and register for the latest training. This year, the Professional Development Unit has been hard at work revamping OLLI, the Online Learning Library Initiative. Joining us to talk about improvements to OLLI and what you can find through GaPDS is Christi Moore, Director of Professional Development, along with Barbara McWethy, Workforce Support Manager.

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Episode 13- Clark's Christmas Kids Nov 17, 2020

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For 30 years, WSB Radio’s Clark Howard and the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services has had the mission of ensuring that every child in the Georgia foster care system has at least one gift on Christmas day. Traditionally, shoppers attended live events in Walmart locations in the metro Atlanta area to purchase gifts from a child’s wish list. But due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s campaign is going all virtual. Joining us to talk about this year’s Clark’s Christmas Kids is Tom Rawlings, director of the State Division of Family and Children Services, and our very special guest, a legend in Georgia broadcasting, consumer expert and popular TV and radio personality Clark Howard.

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Episode 12 - STABLE Round 2 Nov 10, 2020

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In May, all licensed child care providers in Georgia were invited to apply for STABLE: Short Term Assistance Benefit for Licensed Entities. This was the first round of payments from the $144 million Georgia received under the federal CARES Act and 3,789 providers received more than $38.8 million in financial support. Now, it’s time for Round 2. How do you apply and what can the money pay for? Joining us to talk about STABLE Round 2 is Woody Dover, Enterprise Project Management Director here at DECAL.

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Episode 11 - Quality Rated Update Nov 03, 2020

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Quality Rated is Georgia’s system to determine, improve, and communicate the quality of programs that provide child care. Like rating systems for restaurants and hotels, Quality Rated assigns one, two or three stars to early education and school-age care programs that meet or exceed the minimum state requirements. This year, COVID-19 had an impact on the program, especially the deadline of December 31, 2020, for all providers receiving CAPS funding. Our guests are Dr. Bentley Ponder, Deputy Commissioner for Quality Innovations and Partnerships, and Denise Jenson, Quality Rated Operations Director.

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