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This year DECAL and Voices for Georgia’s Children will celebrate the 11th Annual Georgia’s Pre-K Week, October 4-8, 2021.  In 1992, Governor Zell Miller launched a pilot program called Georgia’s Pre-K.  Pre-K Week is an opportunity for us to tell this great success story of Georgia’s Pre-K…a voluntary, free program available to all of Georgia’s four-year-olds, regardless of parental income...and it continues to be nationally recognized for its success.  Joining us to talk about Georgia Pre-K Week is Dr. Erica Fener-Sitkoff, Executive Director at Voices for Georgia’s Children and Susan Adams, Deputy Commissioner for Georgia’s Pre-K Program and Instructional Supports, and Joseph Lillyblad, Manager of Education and Workforce Development with Georgia Power, our corporate sponsor.  

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DECAL recently developed a new process to ensure that all contracts with the agency are clear, achieve your objectives, and protect the department’s best interests.  The process also helps us with grant agreements.  Today we’re discussing this new process but listeners who might be interested in doing business with the state should stay tuned too because we will be discussing that as well.  Joining us to talk about the new contract process is Ira Sudman, DECAL’s Chief Legal Officer, David Ginsburg is our Contract and Procurement Attorney, and Michael Rodgers is Director of Finance.  

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You probably know Jennifer Bridgman as the Process and Quality Improvement Manager in Child Care Services and Sha-de’ Thomas as our CAPS Quality Assurance and Training Consultant, but did you know they are both published authors writing about the COVID-19 impact on young children and children’s mental health?  The books are “When the People Stayed Home” and “Today at School." 

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You’ve probably heard about the Georgia’s Pre-K Program Teachers of the Year, something we’ve done since the 2016-2017 school year.  Now thanks to the Georgia Foundation for Early Care and Learning, we are also recognizing early education teachers of children birth to preschool through the inaugural Georgia’s Early Childhood Educators of the Year Program.  Joining us to talk about Georgia’s Early Childhood Educators of the Year is Thea Stevens, Supervisor of the Infant Toddler Program here at DECAL, and Carrie Ashbee, Executive Director of the Georgia Foundation for Early Care and Learning.  

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With the number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations on the rise…and the number of Georgians fully vaccinated at less than fifty percent…there are many questions from families and parents about what to do with child care.  Joining us to talk about COVID-19 and child care in Georgia is Pam Stevens, Deputy Commissioner for Child Care Services, and Dr. Amber Schmidtke, an expert in microbiology and immunology who is following the COVID-19 trends in Georgia very closely.    

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School bells are ringing for more than 60,000 of Georgia’s youngest learners as Georgia’s Pre-K Program begins the new school year. The first day of Georgia’s Pre-K Program varies based on school system and child care provider. Joining us to talk about Georgia’s Pre-K Program and this 29th year of operation is Faith Duncan, Director of Field Operations for Georgia’s Pre-K Program, and Alice Lasseter, one of or Pre-K specialists working with teachers and assistant teachers in Georgia’s Pre-K Program. 

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From the return of Georgia’s Pre-K Program to our return to in-person visits in child care programs, there’s a lot happening this week here at DECAL.  Join us as we catch up with Commissioner Jacobs on a wide variety of topics, many taken from today's headlines.

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Here’s a fun fact:  The single largest employer in the State of Georgia…is the State of Georgia.  Georgia State Government is a large enterprise, composed of more than 80 entities with a common goal to improve the lives of Georgia's 10 million citizens. With nearly 68,000 employees, there are public service opportunities all across the state with positions located in all 159 counties.  Joining us to talk about career opportunities here at DECAL is Sheryl Young-Wilhite, Senior Manager of Human Resources, and Mark Dock, Human Resources Supervisor.  

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It’s never too early to be thinking about your child’s college education…even for our youngest learners.  Now four lucky children attending Georgia child care programs have a chance to get an early start on their college savings plan thanks to Path2College 529 Plan and the We Care Child Care Sweepstakes.  Joining us is Mitch Seabaugh, Executive Director of the Path2College 529 Plan.

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On June 25, Governor Brian Kemp, First Lady Marty Kemp, and Commissioner Jacobs visited one of our Summer Transition Program classes for Rising Kindergarten students at the Avant Learning Academy in Savannah.  This is a Quality Rated Program offering Georgia’s Pre-K.  Joining us today is Wanda Avant, owner and director of Avant Learning Academy.  

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