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;
o Valuing and respecting diverse viewpoints and perspectives in all aspects of the practice of early childhood education;
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;
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;
o Encouraging and supporting a strong network of Chapters who provide leadership and professionals growth opportunities at all levels;
o Supporting the development of individuals’ professional competence and attitudes through education, inspiration, and modeling;
o Designing learning experiences and products that promote recognition of early childhood professional expertise;
o Building and maintaining a strong organizational structure and presence to provide leadership, coordination and services.
Board
Members
Our Board Members:
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?
Contact the Greater Fairfield Region Chapter of CTAEYC at:
Our
Workshops
Free Membership Only Event
Inside PreK Classrooms,
A School Leader's Guide to Effective Instruction.
Did you know that "addressing literacy skills and oral language development differently can help children learn more in less time, with greater interest and engagement?” We will focus our discussion on Part III of this book, 'Preschoolers Learn Literacy and Language,” which includes four chapters, two addressing literacy skills instruction and two focusing on oral language, including listening comprehension. The information in these 34 pages, along with Judy’s insights, will transform our practices.
*Please note this is a no cost members-only event. Participants will need to register with their NAEYC membership number and purchase the book and read the sections we will focus on ahead of attending the event.
Link to the book on Amazon – Inside PreK Classrooms
*if you cannot locate the book please be in touch with us at
Thursday, January 9th
(Snow Date: Tuesday, January 14th)
The New Canaan Nature Center
144 Oenoke Ridge, New Canaan, CT 06840
6:00-8:00 PM
Pizza & Wine will be provided. 2 hours of PD
Click Here for flyer with full details.
For info, contact the Greater Fairfield Region Chapter of CTAEYC at:
Thanks to the partnership our Greater Fairfield Region Chapter has with The Children's School in Stamford, our members are able to attend the following workshops free of charge.
Please R.S.V.P to Maureen Murphy at (203) 358-3210.
Not a CTAEYC member yet?
Click Here to join today and take advantage of all the benefits of membership, including free and reduced rates for our events!
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.
These events are sponsored by:
The Children’s School
118 Scofieldtown Road
Stamford, CT 06903
203.329.8815
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:
Interested in getting all the latest public policy updates? Sign up for NAEYC Children’s Champions.
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).
For more info on membership: Check out our NEW membership video!
o Join or Renew NAEYC Membership
Connect to CTAEYC on Social Media
@CTAEYC
