DECAL Download

Send us Fan Mail

Commissioner Amy M. Jacobs talks with 12 year-old Lydia Denton inventor of a car seat device that detects when babies have been left in a hot car. Lydia is joined her mom, Covie Denton who is a science and math teacher.

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

Classes in Georgia’s Pre-K Program have been closed since March due to COVID-19.  Teachers and students utilized distance learning to finish out the year.  Now, plans are underway to reopen Pre-K this fall, balancing quality learning with health and safety.  Joining us to talk about plans for reopening Georgia’s Pre-K Program is Susan Adams, Deputy Commissioner for Georgia’s Pre-K Program and Instructional Supports; Dr. Caitlin Dooley, Deputy Superintendent of Teaching and Learning with the Georgia Department of Education; and Sharon Foster, owner of Bells Ferry Learning Center in Woodstock, who operates three Georgia’s Pre-K Program classes.

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

Last April, a $250,000 grant from the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta and United Way of Greater Atlanta allowed our Georgia Foundation for Early Care and Learning to assist essential workers and child care providers during COVID-19.  Joining us to talk about the grant, part of the Greater Atlanta COVID-19 Recovery and Response Fund, is Carrie Ashbee, Executive Director of the Georgia Foundation for Early Care and Learning.  

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

Commissioner Amy M. Jacobs is interviewed by Scott Slade for WSB Radio's Atlanta's Morning News about this year's Look Again campaign.

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

For the seventh consecutive year, DECAL is calling for families and caregivers to increase awareness of the dangers of leaving children unattended in vehicles.  This year’s Look Again campaign is held in conjunction with National Heatstroke Prevention Day, recognized nationally on July 1, 2020, which urges Americans to understand how to prevent pediatric vehicular heatstroke.  Joining us to talk about ways to prevent pediatric vehicular heatstroke is Rhonda Parker, Child Care Services Director of Field Operations, and Dr. Andrew Grundstein, a Professor of Geography at the University of Georgia.

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

Each year, DECAL’s Child Care Services consultants conduct more than 14,500 visits to more than 4,500 licensed child care programs in Georgia to ensure they are caring for children in safe, healthy, and nurturing environments.  But when COVID-19 hit Georgia in March and the number of open child care programs dropped to 30-percent the scope of those visits changed.  Here to talk about Virtual Visits in Georgia Child Care Programs is Pam Stevens, Deputy Commissioner for Child Care Services, and Directors of CCS Field Operations Dana Morrison and Rhonda Parker. 

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

As school districts across Georgia announced system-wide closures to help minimize the spread of COVID-19, many families and advocates were concerned that children who rely on schools to provide healthy meals would be deprived of critically needed nutrition. DECAL’s Nutrition Services works year-round to mitigate food insecurity among Georgia’s children through the Child and Adult Food Service Program and the Summer Food Service Program. Joining us to talk about how the division is helping to ensure that the most vulnerable children continue to have access to meals during the pandemic is Tamika Boone, Director of Nutrition Services, and Cindy Kicklighter, Manager of Nutrition Marketing and Outreach. 

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

For the eleventh year, DECAL is offering a Summer Transition Program for students preparing to enter Georgia’s Pre-K Program and Kindergarten.  However, this year, the program will be a little different due to the COVID-19 coronavirus.  Joining us to talk about the Summer Transition Program is Jackie Shivers, Director of Quality Support for Georgia’s Pre-K Program, and Meghan McNail, Summer Transition Program and Outreach Manager.  

Support the show