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This week we’re excited to spotlight a very special occasion: the 15th annual Georgia’s Pre-K Week, taking place October 6th through 10th, 2025. For fifteen years, this tradition has united leaders and communities across Georgia to celebrate the power of early education. Again this year we are partnering with Voices for Georgia’s Children, and we have a very special book for every Pre-K student and classroom. Joining us to talk about Georgia’s Pre-K Week is Judy Fitzgerald, Executive Director of Voices for Georgia’s Children; Joshua England is Advocacy Specialist at Voices; and Devon Porter is Manager of Outreach and the Summer Transition Program for Georgia’s Pre-K.  

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This week we’re talking with the Georgia Foundation of Early Care and Learning about a new round of Early Literacy Alignment Mini-Grants. With up to $5,000 in funding, these grants bring public elementary schools and local child care programs together to foster innovative, vertically aligned literacy practices.  Joining us to talk about the Early Literacy Alignment Mini-Grants is Laura Wagner, Executive Director of the Georgia Foundation for Early Care and Learning, and Paige Buzbee, Executive Director of the Georgia Foundation for Public Education. 

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This week we’re focusing on a topic that’s essential for the safety and well-being of our youngest learners, criminal background checks. Whether you are a parent, provider, or educator, understanding how DECAL conducts these checks is crucial to ensuring that our early care environments remain safe and trustworthy. Joining us to talk about Criminal Background Checks in Georgia is Ira Sudman, DECAL General Counsel, and Greg Brown, Legal Services Officer. 

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This week we’re talking about a significant development that promises to enhance support for families in our community. DECAL has created the Quality Rated Family Support Call Center that can be reached through the popular 877-ALL-GA KIDS phone number the agency created many years ago. Joining us to talk about the new Quality Rated Family Support Call Center is Sonja Steptoe, Assistant Director of Business Supports and Operations; Katrina Bernard, Quality Rated Family Support Call Center Manager; and Anna Buchmann, the Lead Specialist in the Family Support Call Center.  

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The third cohort of the Georgia 2Gen Academy celebrated its graduation in early June marking a significant milestone in the state’s commitment to fostering holistic support for children and families. Joining us to talk about their experience with Georgia’s 2Gen Academy are Quandra Obi, Special Assistant to Commissioner Jacobs and Board Liaison, Bridget Ratajczak, DECAL’s Child and Family Development Supervisor, Amanda Tarpley, CAPS Provider Relations Director, and Jill Taylor, Director of Community Partnerships and 2Gen Outreach. 

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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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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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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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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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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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