CHILD CARE RESOURCES

Child Care Resources

The Infant & Toddler Expansion Grant application period is now open. The deadline for all applications is September 15 at 5 pm.
Please visit the grant application page for more information and to apply.

Grant Application Page

The Child Care Resources team provides various types of coaching and training to Early Childhood professionals – everything from classroom management support to preparation for the Environmental Rating Scales. We work directly with teachers and administrators to find solutions to classroom challenges, and we offer training on a variety of topics to help broaden the knowledge base and skills of both new and seasoned teachers.

Our Child Care Resources Team can help you by:

Strengthening teaching and caregiving by coaching your team on evidence-based practices
Supporting teachers and staff who are new to the early childhood profession
Preparing your center or Family Child Care Home for an ITERS/ECERS assessment (ERS Materials and Links)
Providing training and mentoring opportunities for early childhood professionals looking to increase their leadership skills
Providing a variety of supports for the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS). We periodically host CLASS Observer Certification trainings.
Sharing resources for additional support as needed

Ready to work with us? Contact Anya Robyak at anya@buncombepfc or 828-407-2056.

Professional Development

We know that adults learn best by connecting with others and having opportunities to apply concepts and skills. We want to help deepen your professional growth with trainings and events designed for today’s early childhood educators.

Request a Training

Higher Education Coaching & Supports

BPFC has launched a new, flexible set of supports to help teachers achieve their certificate or degree in Early Childhood Education (ECE). We know many ECE teachers are also supporting their own families and trying to fit higher education classes into very full lives. This program is designed to make it a little easier to juggle work and life and school so everyone can meet their education goals.

Who is this for?

Are you currently teaching children ages 0-5? Are you enrolled in (or wanting to enroll in) any of these ECE programs?

Infant-Toddler Care Certificate
Early Childhood Certificate
Associate Degree
Bachelor’s Degree
B-K License

Would any of these supports help you stick with ECE and reach your education goals?

Individualized supports (will vary with participants’ needs, but may include):

One-on-one “coaching” (topics might include time management, advocating for yourself with your director, balancing school and work, long-term career planning, increasing your confidence as a college student, resilience and self-care in stressful times.)
Help navigating TEACH, WAGE$, Infant-Toddler AWARDS, DCDEE requirements, higher education systems, college online learning platforms, etc.
Concrete supports to help you succeed in a pinch—access to computers and printers, occasional childcare, tutoring, meals, etc.
Financial incentives ($100 per completed credit hour) as you make progress toward your education goals.

Group supports (will vary with participants’ needs, but may include):

Connecting with other teachers in similar programs/education levels
Organized “study hall” sessions with child care and food
Occasional informational sessions on topics of interest—local higher education offerings, advocating for early childhood teachers, etc.)
Tutoring and academic supports

What would the process look like for me?

Each participant will work with BPFC’s Education Coach Aimee McNeill to develop or update their Professional Development Plan to identify educational goals and the supports most useful to them. Participants in the first year will also be helping to design/improve this program so that it can be as useful to working teachers as possible. Steps in the process include:

Potential participants complete interest form
Ed Coach reaches out to applicant to answer questions, provide more details on requirements and eligibility, and officially enroll them.
If Participant has developed a PD Plan with their employer, they will share it with Ed Coach.
Participant and Ed Coach meet (in person or online) to go over existing PD plan and add to it, or create a new one

If you are interested and would like to learn more or be in touch with our Education Coach, please click the button below.

Fill Out Interest Form

Download or Print Program Flyer

Ramp Up to NC Pre-K

What is Ramp Up to NC Pre-K?

NC Pre-K (North Carolina’s public pre-k program) has high quality standards and strong child outcomes, and it’s free for eligible families! While NC Pre-K slots can bring new funding and opportunities for families and staff, meeting those high program standards can be daunting for new providers, especially when centers are still building back capacity post-pandemic.

BPFC’s Child Care Resources can work with you and your staff to demystify NC Pre-K requirements and build capacity to meet and exceed those high quality standards! Programs in Ramp Up to NC Pre-K will receive:

Planning support for teacher education professional development
To purchase required/recommended instructional tools: Creative Curriculum, TS Gold, Brigance, etc.
Training, technical assistance, and coaching to promote high quality classroom practices, including on The Pyramid Model, NC FELD, effectively implementing curricula, and effectively using formative assessments
Funds to pay for substitutes for coaching sessions and trainings, and semi-annual stipends for teachers and directors engaged in ramp-up activities
Instructional leadership and policy development support for administrators
Other supports toward individuals’ goals identified by in quality improvement plans

What will it cost us?

Ramp Up to NC Pre-K is a commitment of time and professional energy by at least one pre-k teacher and one admin, but not money. Buncombe County Government is paying for these supports.

Are we committing to providing NC Pre-K by participating?

Programs engaged in Ramp Up will receive intensive supports for building classroom, admin, and center-wide capacity. Programs do not have to apply to be NC Pre-K providers.

Are we guaranteed NC Pre-K slots at the end?

Ramp Up to NC Pre-K cannot guarantee NC Pre-K slots, but it can prepare programs to be strong applicants. In Buncombe County, any center interested in providing NC Pre-K must apply to the NC Pre-K Advisory Committee. Centers participating in Ramp Up must go through the same application and review process once they are ready to apply. The NC Pre-K Advisory Committee approves NC Pre-K programs and allocates funding and slots to providers.

We want to know more. What do we do next?

Attend an online Ramp Up to NC Pre-K Info Session (August 15^th!)
Sign up – Tuesday, August 15, 9 – 10:30 am
Sign up – Tuesday, August 15, 2 – 3:30 pm

Call Jenny Vial (828-407-2062) or Stacey Bailey (828-407-2057) for more information

Other Services

Blog

Check out our Question & Answer blog for answers to pressing early childhood concerns. Feel free to send questions to training@buncombepfc.org, too!

Laptops & Online Training Support

We are pleased to have laptops available onsite for your online training needs! Call (828.407.2058) or email us to set up an appointment for online training support and/or to reserve one of our laptops.

Resource Library

Using our resource library is a great way to stay up-to-date in the field, and generate new ideas for the months ahead. Sign up at this link (BPFC Library) to be a member of our library, and browse our hundreds of books about an array of topics, including 0-5 child development, curriculum, special needs, and program administration. If you find something you want, we we will leave it outside our office for you in a labeled library bin for you to pick up at your convenience.

Contact Anya Robyak to find out more.

Library Catalog