News
For Educators
- Monterey County Child Care Website has a page just for you! Check out the For Educators page that will help you find the right resources.
- Monterey Peninsula College is now enrolling for their Spring 2023 Early Childhood Education Courses. Please share and visit the course schedule. The first day of the semester is on Monday, January 23. Enroll Now!
- The next Community Care Licensing Webinar will be held on Tuesday, March 28 from 6:00pm – 7:00pm. Additional dates are June 27, September 26 and December 12. Register here in advance.
- Learn how suspensions and expulsions in preschool cause long lasting trauma for children. Listen to this panel of experts as they discuss the impact.
- Do you need a FAQ sheet to share with parents and staff? UCSF has an amazing resource for providers and parents with a variety of topics ranging from Autism to Vaccine Safety. All Fact Sheets are available in English, Spanish, and Chinese!
- The Governor of California has released the preliminary budget for 23-24. Take a look at pages 20 and 66 for CDE info and starting page 64 for Childcare.
- Montereycountychildcare.org has a new HEALTH tab that has all of the resources you need on the flu, RSV and COVID-19. Visit the new page here.
- Major Renovation and Repair Funding is now available for childcare centers and family home providers! This opportunity for funding for facilities is due Tuesday, January 31, 2023 (non-LEA’s only). Contact Laura Keeley-Saldana (510) 996-2361 for more information. Funds can be used for:
- Renovating or building out an existing facility by adding classrooms
- Constructing a brand-new facility
- Replacing a facility lost due to a state or federally declared disaster
- Expanding Small Family Child Care Homes to Large Family Child Care Homes
- MAOF is offering to reimburse ECE providers up to $100 for taking health and safety training. Take advantage of this generous offer by contacting MAOF at 831-757-0775. More information about this opportunity here.
- There are a few spaces for new ECE apprentices at Hartnell College. Get more info by calling Christian at 831-386-7105 or go to svaec.org/ecepathway/ and share this flyer.
- Access MCOE’s Early Care and Education Department virtual magazine for future professional development opportunities available for ECE providers here!
- ECE Community College students: Funds are available to help with tuition & textbooks. The funds will go fast, so share this application with those you know and apply early.
For Families
- The Central Coast Early Childhood Advocacy Network will be hosting their 2023 Parent Power Summit. Please share this opportunity with parents and community members to explore: What is mental health? What do you want to change? What are your strengths & passions? Join on Saturday, February 4 from 9:30am – 2:00pm. Flyers and registration info available here.
- The Early Learning program provides low income children and their families with quality childhood development programs and integrated support services. Register today! Full Day and Part Day Options are available at select sites. Share the flyer here.
- Does your child need more emotional or mental health support than you can provide? The Kinship Center Mobile Response Team provides immediate services to families with a child or youth (ages 0-21) experiencing a mental or emotional health crisis – big or small. Services are available M-F 8:00am – 10:00pm, S-S from 11:00am – 9:00pm and by calling their 24/7 hotline at (831) 687-4379.
- Give your input on childcare and get a $15 gift card. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and the RAPID Survey Project at Stanford University need your perspective! Click here to take the 5-minute survey.
- Looking for childcare? Go to Montereycountychildcare.org or Mychildcareplan.org for help finding the right care for your child.
For All
- First 5 Monterey County has released the Strong Start Partnership grant opportunity for interested agencies. The partnership is designed to provide coordinated care to families with children from prenatal through 5. A mandatory applicant workshop will be held on Wednesday, January 25 from 2:30pm – 4:30pm. Register here.
- Monterey County needs businesses that support families, both behind the scenes with strong family policies and in the public eye as a service to families. Ready to apply to become a Bright Beginnings Family Friendly Employer? It’s easy! Learn more and certify your business here. Child Care businesses are encouraged to apply!
- Are you looking for full or part time employees? Check out the Jobspeaker link at Hartnell College to get your job listed and learn about ways to engage students as they enter the workforce. You can also complete the employer engagement interest form for other ways that employers can connect with Hartnell.
- This Winter season, let’s gather in ways that limit the spread of respiratory viruses like respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), flu, and COVID-19. Check out ways to keep your family healthy by visiting the new HEALTH tab on the montereychildcare.org website.
- Need to find a COVID-19 testing or vaccine clinic in Monterey County? Visit MontereyCountyVaccines.com or find a location in the flyers: Free Testing and Free Vaccination sites.
Monterey County Vaccines By the Numbers
Overall, 81.1% of the eligible population in Monterey County have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. For more details on COVID health data, visit the Health Departments website here. Stay informed on all things COVID-19 on the Monterey County COVID-19 portal.
COVID-19 Information
COVID-19 Vaccine Information ➡️ click here to learn more…
General COVID-19 & Public Health ➡️ click here to learn more…
Resources & Tools
Financial Relief for Families ➡️ click here to learn more…
All Ages Learning & Development Supports ➡️ click here to learn more…
Resilience & Mental Health Resources ➡️ click here to learn more…
Child Care & Education Quality & Business Tools ➡️ click here to learn more…
Policy & Advocacy ➡️ click here to learn more…
Our goal is to ensure that young children have quality, nurturing, and safe child care and education during and post-pandemic. For more information about this effort and the coalition behind it, please visit our web hub here.
News and resources are shared below. Previous Weekly Digests are available here.
If you have information, flyers, or events you would like to share in this publication, please contact or send information to: Laura@BrightBeginningsMC.org.
Want more information from Bright Beginnings? Stay up-to-date and join the mailing list for the BB Weekly Recovery Coalition Digest, Maternal Mental Health Task Force, and the BB Quarterly Update.
It Takes a Coalition
The emergency response providing coordinated solutions for child care and education is led by a coalition of early childhood champions, united under the Bright Beginnings Strategic Framework to better support all young children and their families, to prepare every child for life and school. This coalition is ever-growing:
4th Monterey County Supervisorial District
30th California Assembly District
Building Healthy Communities
CAPSLO
Carmel Unified School District
Child Care Planning Council
Child Development Centers and Continuing Development Incorporated
Children’s Council
Early Development Services
First 5 Monterey County
Go Kids, Inc.
Health Department
MAOF Resource & Referral & Alternative Payment Program
Monterey Peninsula Unified School District
Natividad Medical Center
North Monterey County Unified School District
Office of Education – Early Learning Program
Office of Education – Educational Services
Public Health Office
Quality Matters Monterey County
Salinas City Elementary School District
Social Services – Child Abuse Prevention Council
United Farmworkers Foundation
United Way of Monterey County
YMCA
A special thanks to the coordinating team and major funders: Bright Beginnings Backbone, Child Care Planning Council, First 5 Monterey County, MAOF Resource & Referral, Quality Matters, and the United Way of Monterey County.
For more information, please contact sonja@brightbeginningsmc.org.