Child Care Council Honors Outstanding Child Care Providers

NYS Assemblywoman Jamie Romeo Recognized as Distinguished Civic Leader of the Year and St. Ann’s Community Honored as Innovative Employer of the Year

Child Care Council Inc., a nonprofit that connects families with quality child care, recently honored child care providers with its annual Start Bright Impact Awards.

The Impact Awards are presented to providers who exemplify the critical roles that high-quality child care and early education play in the lives of young people. Provider honorees were:
– Andrea McMillian, a child care teacher at Brockport Child Development Center
– Nikki Phillips, a child care teacher at Creative Environment Children’s Learning Center in Wayne County
– Erin Roth and Kathy Smits, co-teachers at Penfield Village Nursery School
– Amy Yencer, who operates a school-age program in Mt. Morris, Livingston County

The Council also recognized New York State Assemblywoman Jamie Romeo (136th District) as its Distinguished Civic Leader of the Year for being a champion of child care issues on the state and local levels. St. Ann’s Community was honored as the Innovative Employer of the Year for providing free summer camp for its employees’ children. Michelle Dwyer and Triciajean Jones accepted the award on behalf of St. Ann’s.

Honorees received their awards at Child Care Council’s Start Bright Gala, held at Locust Hill Country Club. The event celebrates the critical importance of early education and high-quality child care in ensuring children get a bright start to the future.

Child Care Council Inc. CEO Barbara-Ann Mattle was selected by the Rochester Business Journal as a 2019 Icon Honors award recipient.

Established in 2017, Icon Honors recognizes Rochester business leaders, over the age of 60, for their notable success and demonstration of strong leadership within and outside their fields. The honorees have moved their businesses and Rochester forward by growing jobs and making a difference in the community. Honorees must have a long-standing commitment to the Rochester business community and significant professional accomplishments through innovation and leadership.

Barbara-Ann Mattle has worked to support child care development and to enhance the quality of child care, both locally and nationally, for 35 years.

“I am honored and humbled to be selected to receive the RBJ’s Icon Honors award,” Barbara-Ann Mattle said. “I have worked tirelessly to improve the quality and increase the quantity of child care in our region. These efforts have included collaborating with the business community and helping new child care businesses get established.”

“This year’s Icon Honors awardees are an impressive group of leaders. They represent a level of professional achievement and community awareness and action that is truly remarkable,” said Suzanne Fischer-Huettner, group publisher of the Rochester Business Journal. “They spark innovation and progress, in Rochester and beyond. The Rochester Business Journal is pleased to honor them.”

The Icon Honors awards were presented Dec. 9, 2019 at a reception at Genesee Valley Club in Rochester.

We now offer self-paced, online training courses that our staff created, in addition to our in-person professional development classes. These online classes are mobile friendly, so you can take them on your computer, tablet, or phone. Visit our professional development page to enter the portal.

Council to honor NYS Assemblywoman Jamie Romeo as Distinguished Civic Leader of the Year, St. Ann’s Community as Innovative Employer of the Year

Child Care Council Inc., a nonprofit that connects families with quality child care, will hold its annual Start Bright Gala on Oct. 16, 2019, from 6 to 9 p.m. Held at Locust Hill Country Club, the event celebrates the importance of high-quality child care and early education in ensuring children get a bright start to the future.

During the gala, the Council will present its Start Bright Impact Awards, which pay tribute to outstanding child-care providers and early educators. The Council also will recognize:
– New York State Assemblywoman Jamie Romeo (136th District) as its Distinguished Civic Leader of the Year for being a champion of child care issues on the state and local levels.
– St. Ann’s Community as the Innovative Employer of the Year for providing free summer camp for its employees’ children.

Gala proceeds benefit the Council’s Start Bright scholarship program, which supports the Council’s early childhood quality enhancement programs for providers and staff.

The gala’s main sponsor is Lavoro Group, an employee benefits broker and human resources consulting firm.

Great news for area families … Monroe County has lowered its copay multiplier from 35% to 25%. Families will now pay 25% of their income over the poverty level for a child care subsidy.

This means a family of three with an annual income of $42,660 will pay $5,195 per year for child care on average, or $110.75 per week (12.5% of their income).

Museums locally and across the country are taking part in Smithsonian magazine’s National Museum Day, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019. Participating area museums include the Rochester Museum and Science Center, George Eastman Museum, Genesee Country Village and the Lighthouse Museum at Sodus Point.

Visit the magazine’s website to get a free ticket for two to visit select museums.

The House of Representatives recently voted to increase funding to the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) by $2.4 billion. We encourage you to call on the Senate to meet or exceed this amount so that more families have access to safe and affordable child care and providers are able to provide quality care with the resources they need and deserve.
Have you benefited from CCDBG dollars? Know a family or provider who has? Let your senators know!

To make this happen, we need your help! Contact your senators today to ask them to support an increase in CCDBG funding.

The New York State Council on Children and Families (CCF) announced that its New York State Birth Through Five Project (NYSB5) will award grants of to Child Care Council and other Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies to identify challenges and collaboratively assess their region’s child care needs.

Here’s a WROC TV story about the grant.

The Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) is promoting Safe Sleep in New York State. OCFS, through federal funds, has the opportunity to provide family-based child care providers a Graco Pack ‘n Play crib. Learn more.

As required by 18 NYCRR Subpart 358-2., we are alerting you of a reimbursement rate change. The child care market rates will be updated automatically in the Child Care Time and Attendance (CCTA) system with an effective date of May 1, 2019. When calculating payments on or after May 1, 2019, CCTA will automatically compare the calculated payments to the appropriate market rates based on the date upon which child care services were received, not the date when the payment is being calculated. The new rates can be found in the attached file Any questions please contact Renee via phone 585-654-1286