If you are interested in learning more about this professional development opportunity please don t hesitate to contact me.

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2 Dear Students, The Eager-to-Learn Director Credential Learning Community is a high quality, convenient and affordable learning option offered completely online through facilitated courses with peer networking and personalized instructor interaction. Cohort membership is open to childcare directors and assistant directors from throughout the U.S. The Director s Credential is offered in collaboration with the Minnesota Association for the Education of Young Children (MNAEYC), is recognized by NAEYC and meets all the director training requirements for NAEYC Accreditation as well as many state and national director administrative training requirements. Applications will be accepted beginning in August, 2013 for entry into Eager-to-Learn s learning community with coursework beginning in January Participants in the Director Credential Learning Community attend nine online classes together, giving them a supportive learning community for the duration of the program. Students also receive coaching as they complete an individual practicum project of interest and benefit to them and their childcare program. If you are interested in learning more about this professional development opportunity please don t hesitate to contact me. Sincerely, Rozalyn Zuest Director Credential Coordinator rozalynz@childcareawaremn.org I would definitely recommend this credential cohort to all directors. Both experienced and brand new directors and their programs will benefit greatly from the experience. All the instructors were great and so helpful in the director cohort. They all had very effective teaching styles and were helpful if questions came up. I d do it again in a heartbeat! Having the peer support was very important. Knowing that others are out there going through the same things that I am and being able to share our knowledge with each other was a very important part of the courses.

3 Eager-to-Learn Directors Credential Cohort Timeline Application Submission Open...August 2013 Enrollment Closed...December 20, 2013 Coursework Begins...January 9, 2014 Practicum Projects Due...October 10, 2014 Cohort Ends...November 24, 2014 Eager-to-Learn Director Credential Cohort Fees Program Fee (includes Directors Online, coaching and administrative support)...$200 Eager-to-Learn Course Fees for 9 classes (156+ training hours)...$700 MNAEYC Credential Application Fee and Assessment...$100 Total Cost for Directors Credential Program and MNAEYC Credential...$1000 The $200 Program Fee holds your place in the Cohort and is due within 7 days of acceptance. Course and Credential fees may be paid in full at least 10 days prior to the start of the Cohort or arrangements may be made, if needed, to pay for each course at least 10 days prior to its start. The Program Fee is due prior to the start of the Cohort. Eager-to-Learn Directors Credential Cohort Coursework Online chats are on Mondays at 8:00-8:45 p.m. CST/CDT* Welcome to the Credential/ETL Welcome/Etc. Chat Session: 1/6/14 Essential Management Skills for Child Care - 16 hours Chat Sessions: 1/13/14-2/3/14 Explore nine important management competencies to strive for in your skill development and director training. Each student will develop an individualized management-training plan based on her/his own needs assessment and interests. Instructor: Karen Foster-Jorgensen Code of Ethics for Administrators - 16 hours Chat Sessions: 2/10/14-3/3/14 You make hundreds of decisions every day; some are easy, but some can seem overwhelming. The NAEYC code of ethics offers us core values, ideals and principles to help guide our decision-making process. Join us as we explore what it truly means to be an Early Childhood Administrator and how the Code of Ethics can help make the tough decisions easier! Special focus will be given to the supplement for administrators which includes using the code as a guide in both education and business. Instructor: Katie Hoffman Practicum Project Introduction and Topic Research - 16 hours total Chat Session: 3/10/14 Each director will conduct research and design a project that demonstrates personal skill development and program quality enhancement. The project and timeline will be individualized. Each director will have a project adviser for communication and coaching during the project development. Projects are due by October 10, 2014.

4 Having Difficult Conversations - 16 hours Chat Sessions: 3/17/14-4/7/14 This course sheds light on why our most challenging dialogs are so tricky by identifying the three stories within each difficult conversation. Participants will learn to transform difficult conversations into learning conversations and how to talk about what matters most including ethical discussions, parent communication, and advocacy. Instructor: Joshua Koepp Spring Break: Time to work on Practicum Projects Don t Be Scared, Don t Be Scary - 32 hours Chat Sessions: 4/28/14-6/2/14* Supervising center staff can be extremely rewarding and also extremely challenging. This course offers opportunities to explore outcomes-based supervision techniques that take recent research into account. Topics addressed include performance reviews, new staff induction programs, strength-based approaches to leadership, coaching, mentoring and communication strategies. Be prepared to look at ways you and your staff can make improvements through assessment, prevail during times of change and serve as advocates and models within the early childhood community. Instructor: Sharon Bergen *This course may hold chat sessions at an alternate time. Practicum Project Check-in Chat Chat Session: 6/9/14 Summer Break: Time to work on Practicum Projects Financial Forecasting: Taming the Crystal Ball & Personnel Budgeting: Mastering the Juggling Act - 32 hours Chat Sessions: 8/18/14-9/22/14 Gain control over your child care center s financial future. Study includes developing departmentalized line item budgets and managing income and expense with a practical cash flow tool. Study and create personnel procedures and staffing patterns to assure quality child care while controlling personnel expenses. Instructor: Karen Foster- Jorgensen Creating Cultural Connections in Child Care - 16 hours Chat Sessions: 9/29/14-10/20/14 Families, caregivers and communities provide the foundations children need to be successful. This course will offer the resources and reflective skills professionals need to work successfully with diverse families. Methods to find and promote the strengths of center staff members and families as a way to promote quality and child development will also be discussed. Instructor: Ann DIllard Marketing and Customer Care Beyond the Yellow Pages & Classifieds: Marketing Child Care - 12 hours Chat Sessions: 10/27/14-11/10/14 Learn the importance and usefulness of a marketing plan in reaching and maintaining your enrollment goals. The course provides a thorough overview of basic marketing principles and concepts, and practical application of these concepts to the child care field. Instructor: Kristi Smythe Practicum Projects Due on or before October 10 th, 2014; Presentation Chat on Chat Session: 11/17/14 Cohort Wrap-Up & Celebration Chat Session: 11/24/14

5 Eager-to-Learn Director Cohort Application To become a member of the Eager-to-Learn Director s Credential cohort, follow the link below to submit your application. All applications will be reviewed and considered for participation in the program. You will be contacted by Brian Wray, Eager-to-Learn Operations Administrator, to make your initial $200 payment and to complete your enrollment in the program. Contact Information: Brian Wray ( ext. 105): Application, registration and payment Rozalyn Zuest (rozalynz@childcareawaremn.org ): Questions about the program To Apply Click Here Eager-to-Learn Director's Credential Payment Plan Total fees for the Community will be $ Students may take advantage of the payment plan option outlined below: Installment Due Date Amount Due Pay with application By Dec. 20, 2013 $ of 4 March 3, 2014 $ of 4 May 12, 2014 $ of 4 July 7, 2014 $ of 4 Sept. 2, 2014 $ Payment and Cancellation Registration and payment for the Director Credential Learning Community must be completed by contacting Brian Wray at brianw@childcareawaremn.org or call ext. 105 Payment must be made by Visa, MasterCard or Discover credit or debit card. Checks are not accepted. A student is not successfully registered for a course until payment is received. Any unpaid student attending a course will be automatically removed. Eager-to-Learn will cancel courses with fewer than five students. In the event that a course is canceled students will be notified no later than one week prior to the start of the course and will receive a full refund. Students may withdraw and receive a full refund up until two weeks prior to the start of a course. A student who withdraws from a course after the two week deadline will not receive a refund. Late payments will result in a administration fee New this year in Minnesota: Parent Aware rated programs may use Quality Improvement Support dollars toward payments for the ETL Director s Credential.

6 To set up a payment plan contact Brian Wray: brianw@childcareawaremn.org Phone: ex.t 105 Eager-to-Learn Director's Credential Faculty Ann Dillard owns K.I.P. Consulting Services Ann has worked in school-age care for many years developing programs such as parent involvement, special events, before and after school care, and cross cultural competency. Her training concentration is in the areas of cultural diversity, poverty and classism, parent involvement and team building. Ann's goal is to empower adult learners and have the opportunity to establish new relationships. She sees impacting children and families in the community as the most important aspect of teaching: With knowledge as power, the possibilities are endless. Karen A. Foster-Jorgensen is a consultant, trainer and author specializing in management and organizational development for early childhood businesses. She founded and directed two child care centers serving 200 families, served 12 years as a validator for National Association for the Education of Young Children Accreditation, leads not for profit boards, is a frequent trainer/workshop facilitator at business conferences and has written "Financial Management for the Childcare Executive Officer (CEO)". Karen holds a bachelor of science in Elementary and Early Childhood Education from the University of Minnesota and has completed coursework for a master of business administration. After teaching in public and Montessori schools, Karen enjoyed a 10-year management career as an executive director in the YMCA. Combining education and management, Karen owned child care and retail businesses prior to consulting full time for 18 years as co-owner, with her husband Rolf, of Management Results, Inc. Karen designs and facilitates online management courses for Eager-to-Learn and its early childhood directors virtual networking group, Directors Online. Whether consulting, training or developing new programs, Karen is a strong believer in the consultative process helping others discover and develop their own gifts and talents through meaningful questions, creative thinking and innovative solutions. Joshua Koepp has 17 years of professional experience serving children, youth and families in School Age Care programs, YMCA family camps and faith communities, and 10 years of experience as a trainer. He is a certified parent coach and an adjunct professor at Concordia University. He is a Minnesota School Age Care Alliance certified trainer and has achieved the master trainer level with the Minnesota Center for Professional Development. Joshua has a bachelor's degree in school age care, a master's in education (school age child development emphasis) and is working on his master's in psychology. Mastery and professionalism are his personal goals as well as his goals for students in his Eager-to-Learn classes. Caring for children requires a constant commitment to observation and reflection and the application of research and theory to practice. It demands selfevaluation, a willingness to try new ideas and openness to change and growth. As caring professionals grow in these areas, they are more fulfilled in their lives and work, and they facilitate positive development for the children they serve. Joshua uses case studies, hands-on application, exploration of theory and research, personal reflection, group discussion, critical thinking, and collegial relationships. Kristi L. Smythe has been involved with the care and education of young children as long as she can remember. When she was in fourth grade she decided that when she grew up she was going to attend Moorhead State University and become a teacher, which is exactly what she did. She also earned her kindergarten, early childhood and coaching certificates. She opened and ran a child care center for seven years after which she accepted a position teaching at Minnesota State Community and Technical College in Wadena, MN as an early childhood and paraprofessional instructor. She is also a contracted trainer for the Public Broadcasting System's Ready to Learn programs, the Building Excellence and Success Trainings. Katie Hoffman Katie Hoffman is the assistant director of Fraser School., an inclusive early childhood program in Richfield, MN. She has worked in the field of early childhood education for over twenty years and has recently obtained a master's degree in Early Childhood Studies with a concentration in teaching adults. In her career, she has held many positions including infant and toddler teacher, director, and education coordinator. Her passion lies in

7 teaching and coaching new professionals in the field of early education in an effort to improve quality in programs in the metro area and throughout the state of Minnesota. She lives in Minneapolis and spends time in her garden and with friends and family. Sharon Bergen With more than 25 years of professional work, Sharon has wide experience in early care and education settings. She has a master's degree in early childhood education and her doctorate in education with a specialization in training and performance improvement. Sharon's work experience includes for-profit and not-for-profit settings ranging from teaching in a classroom to managing a large, nationwide training department. Currently Sharon is involved in a variety of consulting and training development projects in addition to serving as the Executive Director for the Minnesota Association of Young Children and the Minnesota School Age Care Association. Sharon is author of "Best Practices for Training Early Childhood Professionals" published in 2009 by Redleaf Press.