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Episode 8 - A Chat with Coy Bowles from the Zac Brown Band Oct 30, 2019

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A chat with Coy Bowles, lead guitarist for the Grammy Award winning Zac Brown Band, author of children’s books, and a member of the Board of Directors for the Georgia Foundation for Early Care and Learning. Coy joins us on the podcast after speaking to more than 700 DECAL employees at an All Staff Meeting held at the Georgia International Convention Center in College Park.

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Episode 7 - Meet Chief Legal Officer Ira Sudman Oct 23, 2019

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From Criminal Background Checks to Open Records Requests, the DECAL Legal Unit stays busy supporting our departments as well as working with other state and federal agencies, and the general public. Leading that team of 27 staff members is Chief Legal Officer Ira Sudman. We are also joined by Greg Brown, Legal Services Officer with DECAL.

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Episode 6 - 2020 Open Enrollment Oct 16, 2019

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It's almost time for Open Enrollment for State of Georgia employees, including all of us here at DECAL. This year Open Enrollment is October 21 through November 8. Our guest this week is Sabrina Henry, Human Resources Operations Supervisor.

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Episode 5 - Celebrating 15 Years of Bright from the Start Oct 09, 2019

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In 1996, the Georgia General Assembly created the Office of School Readiness to administer Georgia’s Pre-K Program, license child care centers participating in the Pre-K Program, administer federal nutrition programs and provide early intervention services. Eight years later, in 2004, Governor Sonny Perdue and the Georgia General Assembly created Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning to further streamline the state’s services to Georgia’s children from birth to age five and their families. The department was formed by merging the Office of School Readiness with units from the Department of Human Resources, the Department of Education, and the Georgia Child Care Council. We’re using this episode of DECAL Download to wish ourselves a Happy 15th anniversary and take a look back.

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Episode 4 - Meet Deputy Commissioner of Finance and Administration Rian Ringsrud Oct 02, 2019

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With an annual budget of over $847 million, DECAL’s Finance and Administration Divisions play an important role in the success of our agency. Supervising these important areas, as well as the Nutrition Division, is Rian Ringsrud, Deputy Commissioner for Finance and Administration. Today we chat with Rian and then check in on our new 2019-2020 Georgia's Pre-K Program Teachers of the Year Heather Williams of the Central Georgia Technical College Child Development Center in Warner Robins/Houston County, and Johnathon Hines of Barack H. Obama Elementary School in DeKalb County.

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Episode 3 - Celebrating the Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge Grant Sep 25, 2019

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It was December, 2013, when the US Department of Education and the US Department of Health and Human Services awarded Georgia the Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge Grant, totaling $51.7 million over four years. This week, we look back at all that was accomplished in Georgia as a result of the grant. Joining us are three key people in the project: Susan Adams, Deputy Commissioner for Georgia’s Pre-K Program and Instructional Supports; Dr. Bentley Ponder, Deputy Commissioner for Quality Innovations and Partnerships; and from Chicago, former Deputy Commissioner for System Reform and now Senior Vice President of Advocacy and Policy with the Ounce of Prevention Fund Kristin Bernhard.

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Episode 2 - Nutrition Health Educator Diana Myers Sep 18, 2019

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As we’re teaching Georgia’s youngest learners the importance of language, literacy, math, and social skills, it’s also important to help them develop healthy habits in eating and physical activity early on. Joining us to talk about developing and maintaining healthy habits is Diana Myers, our new Nutrition Health Educator here at DECAL.

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Episode 1 - Georgia Pre-K Week Sep 11, 2019

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Community members and leaders from around the state are going back to school as part of Georgia Pre-K Week, an annual event to celebrate Georgia’s nationally recognized Pre-K program and other quality early learning centers. This is our ninth year partnering with Voices for Georgia’s Children and the dates are October 7-11. Joining us to talk about Georgia Pre-K Week and how your program can get involved is Dr. Erica Fener-Sitkoff, Executive Director at Voices for Georgia’s Children, and Liz Young, DECAL's Director of Government Relations and Special Projects.

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Episode 52 - Longitudinal Study of Georgia's Pre-K Program Sep 04, 2019

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In 2011, the Georgia General Assembly authorized a longitudinal study of Georgia’s Pre-K Program to examine children’s learning outcomes and the quality of their classroom experiences. This study is currently following over 1,100 children from Pre-K through the fifth grade. Here to talk about the latest results is Susan Adams, Deputy Commissioner for Georgia’s Pre-K Program and Instructional Supports, and Dr. Bentley Ponder, Deputy Commissioner for Quality Innovations and Partnerships.

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Episode 51 - GEEARS: Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students Aug 28, 2019

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One of our strongest supporters and child advocates is GEEARS, the Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students. On this episode of DECAL Download, we take a closer look at GEEARS and its work here in Georgia with Executive Director Mindy Binderman.

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