Welcome to the new webpage of the Greater Fairfield Region Chapter (GFRC) of Connecticut Association for the Education of Young Children (formerly FCAEYC). We are the local chapter of the state (CTAEYC) and national (NAEYC) organizations.
Our
Mission
The mission of GFRC is to support, promote and advocate for high quality early childhood care and education throughout our community for young children, families and professionals. We accomplish this mission by offering a variety of opportunities to meet other professionals in the field and to network with people who work in a diverse group of early childhood settings. These opportunities include workshops and forums that promote networking and individualized learning through self-reflection.
Our
Vision
GFRC’s vision focuses on three broad goals:
Goal 1. Facilitating improvements in the professional practice and working conditions in the field of early childhood education by creating professional development opportunities/resources and by setting and promoting standards of professional practice;
Goal 2. Improving public understanding and support and funding of high-quality programs in centers, homes, and schools serving young children and their families through public initiatives and public awareness and engagement activities; and
Goal 3. Building and maintaining a strong diverse, and inclusive organization that enables GFRC to achieve goal 1 and 2.
Our
Values
o Garnering the commitment, loyalty, and enthusiasm of people by providing opportunities for participation, contribution, and building consensus on critical issues;
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o Valuing and respecting diverse viewpoints and perspectives in all aspects of the practice of early childhood education;
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o Promoting inclusion, access, and nondiscrimination in the full range of programs serving young children, their families, and adults preparing to work in early childhood;
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o Designing programs and services that support individuals and collective efforts to improve all early childhood programs that operates with a variety of sponsors, funding sources, and structures;
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o Encouraging and supporting a strong network of Chapters who provide leadership and professionals growth opportunities at all levels;
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o Supporting the development of individuals’ professional competence and attitudes through education, inspiration, and modeling;
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o Designing learning experiences and products that promote recognition of early childhood professional expertise;
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o Building and maintaining a strong organizational structure and presence to provide leadership, coordination and services.
Board
Members
Our Board Members:
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Co- Presidents: Joan Parris and Rosalie Witt
Past President: Priscilla Woyke
Vice President and Communications Chair: Jen Heslin
Vice President and Professional Development Chair: Dana Gorman
Public Policy: Beth Nickerson
At Large Members: Margee Ready, Beth Nickerson, Maureen Murphy, Carol Hammond, Kathy Stewart, Marianne Kay
Nominating: Vacant
Contact
Us
Questions?
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Contact the Greater Fairfield Region Chapter of CTAEYC at:
Our
Workshops
Please note
The registration is now closed for our:
Free Membership Building Event
Teachers Telling Tales!
Thursday, September 26th
Stamford Museum & Nature Center/
Knobloch Family Farmhouse
151 Scofieldtown Road Stamford, CT 06903
5:30-7:30 PM
Appetizers will be provided. 1.5 hours of PD
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Click Here for flyer with full details.
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For info, contact the Greater Fairfield Region Chapter of CTAEYC at:
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For news on more upcoming events,
Click Here to view our postcard!
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Thanks to our partnership with The Children's School in Stamford, our members are able to attend these workshops free of charge. Please R.S.V.P to Maureen Murphy at (203) 358-3210.
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Meghan Cox Gurdon
The Enchanted Hour: The Power of Reading Aloud in an Age of Distraction
Wednesday, November 20, 2019, at 4 p.m.
Meghan Cox Gurdon, longtime reviewer of children’s literature for the Wall Street Journal and a mother of five, has delved deeply into how the simple practice of reading aloud helps children become smarter, happier and healthier, even as technology pulls in the other direction. Drawing on a wealth of neurological and behavioral research, Gurdon will discuss how this ancient practice can work as a fast-working antidote to fractured attention spans. In her view, a tradition of reading aloud is an irreplaceable gift to students, one that builds vocabulary, fosters imagination and kindles a lifelong appreciation of language, stories and pictures.
Deborah Roffman
Right from the Start: Sexuality Education in Early Childhood
Wednesday, January 29, 2020, at 4 p.m.
An expert in sexuality education and the author of Talk to Me First, Deborah Roffman advises teachers of even the youngest of children how to respond to their questions about sexuality and gender in an unruffled and positive way. Roffman’s mission is to help teachers feel more confident about serving as a credible and trustworthy resource about sexuality for students. Her levelheaded advice will put everyone at ease and make it easier for teachers to discuss these important but delicate issues with students and to preempt the inaccurate and misleading messages they will inevitably encounter.
Connie Greenwood
Nurture a Child’s Body and Brain Through Music and Movement
Saturday, February 8, 2020, at 9 a.m.
In this dynamic, participatory workshop, Connie Greenwood will introduce preschool and elementary teachers to music and movement ideas that will get children up and moving, stimulating their brain and muscles and building their synaptic connections. An experienced music teacher, children’s choir director and certified teacher trainer in First Steps in Music, Greenwood will demonstrate the eight-step BrainDance developed by Anne Green Gilbert, an adaptable movement sequence designed to wake up and even rewire the brain. The BrainDance incorporates eight developmental movement patterns that babies naturally move through in the first year of life, and can be done to many different styles of music and in any setting. This stress-reducing movement sequence energizes children for learning, increases their focus and gives them a better sense of their own body mechanics, balance and coordination.
Public
Policy
We collaborate with the CTAEYC Public Policy Committee to monitor legislative and administrative policy developments that affect young children, their families, early childhood educators and early care professionals, on the local, state, national and international level. For more information, visit the following websites:
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Interested in getting all the latest public policy updates? Sign up for NAEYC Children’s Champions.
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Membership
If you are not a member please click here to join NAEYC online.
Please be sure that you select CTAEYC as your state affiliate.
If you are already a member, please be sure to check when your membership expires and keep it up to date.
In order to get the discounted rate at our workshops you need to be a member.
(Remember that is another benefit for becoming a member).
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For more info on membership: Check out our NEW membership video!
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o Join or Renew NAEYC Membership
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Connect to CTAEYC on Social Media
@CTAEYC
