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Episode 46 - Preparing for Your CCS Inspection Aug 26, 2025

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Today, we’re shining a spotlight on a vital aspect of child care—preparing for provider inspections. Whether you’re new to the field or a seasoned pro, the inspection process can feel daunting, but knowledge is the key to confidence. That’s why CCS has been offering a series of Lunch & Learn webinars breaking down what providers need to know before, during, and after inspection day. Joining us this week to talk about CCS inspections is Kaycee Purvis, CCS Central East Region Coordinator, Rebekah Mullinax, Southeast Region Coordinator, and Kajora McCoy, Central East Region Lead Consultant.

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Episode 45 - New DECAL Homepage Aug 19, 2025

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Today we’re talking about the recent digital transformation of the DECAL Homepage at decal.ga.gov, freshly updated as of June 30. The new Homepage is more intuitive than ever, streamlining the user experience and putting information right at your fingertips. Plus, with the addition of the innovative Ask CALI chatbot, finding answers and navigating resources has never been easier. Joining us to talk about the new DECAL homepage and AskCALi Chatbot is Dermaine Smith, Director of Enterprise Technology and Innovation; Aparna Sikha, Director of Developmental Operations and Engineering; Robin Reid, Senior Web Developer; and Barbara Sanders, Senior Business Analyst.

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Episode 44 - Prepping for Pre-K Aug 09, 2025

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This week we’re turning our attention to one of the most important milestones in early childhood education: preparing for Georgia’s Pre-K Program. We have assembled a panel of experts to explore what families, educators, and communities can do to ensure children are ready for a successful year of learning and growth. Joining us this week are Georgia’s Pre-K Program Specialists Alice Lasseter, Rokeya Stone, and Perri Walden. Meghan McNail is Director of Georgia’s Pre-K Program Instructional and Regional Operations, and Devon Porter is Manager of Outreach and the Summer Transition Program.

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Episode 43 - Community Impact Grants Aug 05, 2025

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For the second time, DECAL has awarded Community Impact Grants—a bold step aimed at closing opportunity gaps and fostering long-term positive outcomes for children birth to eight and their families. Designed to encourage collaboration across sectors, Community Impact Grants challenge non-profits, school systems, and government entities to come together and craft community-specific solutions. Joining us this week to talk about Community Impact Grants is Jill Taylor, DECAL Director of Community Partnerships and 2Gen Outreach; and grant recipients Tatjyana Elmore, President of the Black Child Development Institute-Atlanta, and Allison Garefino, Clinical Director of Children and Family Programs at Kennesaw State University.

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Episode 42 - Prevent Child Abuse Georgia Rebrand Jul 29, 2025

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Prevent Child Abuse Georgia has rebranded to Positive Childhood Alliance Georgia. This shift marks a change in the organization’s evolving commitment to creating safe and nurturing environments for children. In this episode we speak with Jennifer Stein, Executive Director at PCA Georgia to understand what inspired this change and what the future looks like for the organization.

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Episode 41 - Adaptive Learning Mini-Grants Jul 22, 2025

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Today we’re talking about building learning environments where every child, regardless of ability, can thrive. DECAL has introduced an exciting initiative, the Adaptive Learning Mini-Grant Opportunity! Joining us this week is Peggy Sutton, Jenn Dover, Esther Whitaker, plus Shaheen Ehani, Director at Kids Galaxy of Marietta, and Abby Brooke, Assistant Director of Doodlebugs Childcare. Both are recipients of the mini-grant.

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Episode 40 - We Care Child Care Sweepstakes Jul 15, 2025

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This week we’re talking about a great partnership between DECAL and Georgia’s Path2College 529 Plan: the annual We Care, Child Care Sweepstakes. Now open for entries, this initiative will award four Georgia families—each from different regions—a $1,529 college scholarship for their child. At the same time, the child care program each winner attends will receive $1,529 cash to bolster early learning efforts. Joining us this week to talk more about the We Care Child Care Sweepstakes is Bethany Whetzel, Treasury Program Director for the Georgia Office of the State Treasurer.

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Episode 39 - Taste of DECAL: Best Places to Eat in Georgia Jul 08, 2025

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With a workforce of 800 employees spanning Georgia, the DECAL team travels extensively between cities to visit child care programs and engage with community partners and advocates. Through their experiences, they have accumulated valuable insights regarding the best dining establishments in Georgia…from sit-down meals to sweet treats to enjoy along the highways and byways. Joining us to talk about the Best Places to Eat in Georgia is Brittany Marks and Clayton Adams with our Early Education Community Partnerships team, Kimberly Stoy with Child Care Services in Southeast Georgia, and Ira Sudman, General Counsel for DECAL.

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Episode 38 - New Officers for Board of Early Care and Learning Jul 01, 2025

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At their May 15 quarterly meeting, members of the Board of Early Care and Learning elected new officers. The 14-member body is an advisory board to Commissioner Amy M. Jacobs and the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, all appointed by Governor Brian Kemp to seat representing their congressional districts. Joining us to talk about their new roles on the Board of Early Care and Learning is Kristy Beam who is from Atlanta representing the Fourth Congressional District, who now serves as Chair; Kristin Morrisey is from Cumming and represents the Seventh Congressional District, who now serves as Vice Chair; and Cristina Washell, from Cleveland, representing the Ninth Congressional District who was elected secretary.

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Episode 37 - CAPS Advisory Councils Jun 24, 2025

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This week we're diving into the new CAPS Advisory Councils…one for parents and one for providers. These groups are here to share insights and feedback on the Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) program to help make it better and easier to access. Joining us is Elisabetta Kasfir, Deputy Commissioner for Federal Programs, Amy Roys, CAPS Director for Development and Partnerships, and Melinda Knowles, CAPS Manager for Development and Partnerships.

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