March 2007
Contact: Dorothy Wills-Raftery
(845) 255-1400 xt. 1209

Ulster BOCES Hosts Annual Early Childhood Education Conference

In a collaborative effort to address current topics of interest in the early education field, Ulster BOCES Child Care Center partnered with the Mid-Hudson Association for the Education of Young Children (AEYC) and the Orange County Child Care Council, to sponsor an Early Childhood Education conference held at Ulster BOCES in Port Ewen.

The Mid-Hudson AEYC is the local affiliate to the New York State chapter of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). “The NAEYC is the largest organization in the United States devoted to the support of quality early childhood education,” notes Kristi Cusa, coordinator of the Ulster BOCES Child Care Center. “They're the advocates for education for people who work directly with children, especially in the childcare realm.”

Pre-K teachers, childcare staff, childcare coordinators, family, and group family providers attended the annual conference, which rotates on an annual basis throughout Ulster, Orange, and Dutchess Counties. Attended by approximately 80 people from the tri-county area, the conference featured 11 presenters who spoke on various childcare topics including sign language for infants, teaching diversity, and ideas for reducing stress for caregivers.

According to Cusa, participants are required to earn 15 training credits each year, as required by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services, the agency that licenses childcare programs in the state. “Every childcare program is responsible for tracking these hours and ensuring that they cover a number of areas of training such as child abuse and maltreatment, curriculum, child first aid, licensing regulations, etc.,” says Cusa, adding, “It was a nice little venue. The workshops were all conducted by professionals in the childcare field, and some of our Early Childhood Education students were on hand to direct participants to their workshops. It was an excellent experience for all in attendance.”

The Ulster BOCES Child Care Center, accredited by the NAEYC, provides high quality early education services for children from eight weeks to five years old. Clients include children of Ulster BOCES students enrolled in the Parenting Teen and Adult & Continuing Education programs, Ulster BOCES employees, and the general community.

The Center also serves as a hands-on learning environment for high school students interested in pursuing careers in the childcare field. In addition to studying early childhood education in the traditional classroom setting, students enrolled in the two-year program are given the opportunity to see the methods and techniques of professional childcare providers, as well as gain actual experience while working with the children themselves.

The NAEYC’s mission is to promote excellence in early care and education services for children and families through education, advocacy, and the support of the profession. For more information on the NYS AEYC, visit the website at http://www.nysaeyc.org. For more information on the Ulster BOCES Early Childhood Education program, contact Cusa at (845) 331-6680.