HEAR FROM OUR STAFF FOR AOK UPDATES

Dear Jessica,

This fall will bring about exciting new changes for the All our Kin team and our family of educators! As we begin transitioning staff, events and training offerings back in-person we want to assure you that your health and comfort are our top priority. Please make sure to read our COVID-19 safety guidelines for all office and site visits. During this transition, we encourage you to continue virtual participation if you feel most comfortable.

As many of you may know, we have officially launched the new and improved All Our Kin website! Our team has worked hard to ensure that our educators have easy access to information around events, programs and other offerings. Please take some time to explore the site, ask questions and provide us with feedback. If you’re experiencing any trouble navigating, please do not hesitate to reach out to communications@allourkin.org for assistance.

We look forward to seeing you again in-person soon and continue to send our love, friendship and support.

In Solidarity,

The All Our Kin Team

Tell Congress to Fund Family Child Care!

Policy

Congress is negotiating a bold plan to strengthen our country's care infrastructure, including child care and pre-k. This investment would expand access to child care, increase professional development and significantly improve compensation for family child care educators. For more information, click here to view slides . This plan is running into opposition from members who want to cut the proposed investment in half, jeopardizing child care funding. Please use this link to urge Senator Schumer, Gillibrand and your Representative to hold firm on the infrastructure package and family child care! It's easy — we provided a sample letter and contract information for reference.

If you've already contacted them this week, urge them to #SaveFamilyChildCare on social media! Click here for social media handles.

Get Ready for the November New York City Elections!

Policy

The General Election for Mayor, Public Advocate, Comptroller, City Council, and other NYC elected officials is November 2nd! The Early Voting Period will run from October 23- October 31, 2021. Elections are an important way to make our voices heard!

Get ready for the election by taking the following steps:

-Check if you are eligible to vote

-Make sure you are registered to vote

-Register to vote

Updated NYS OCFS Indoor Mask Requirement

Policy

As of September 16th, the NYS Office of Children and Family Services is requiring everyone in a child care setting to wear a mask indoors. This requirement applies to everyone age 2 and older regardless of vaccination status. For more information about this emergency regulation, please read the 9/16 “Dear Provider” letter.

For NYC Dept. of Education Network Affiliated Providers

Policy

The Department of Education now requires that all contracted providers receive at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine by September 27th.

For more information on how to fulfill this requirement, contact your FCC network.

Find out where you can get the vaccine nearest you.

FCC Educator Panel Series

Event

Are you interested in helping to inspire your FCC colleagues by sharing your knowledge and experience? Would you like to practice your public speaking skills? Do you want to present to others about the good and important work you’re doing in your program?

All Our Kin is continuing our series of virtual evening FCC educator panels this fall and we’re looking for panelists. We have been offering these panels since the beginning of the pandemic, and they’ve been a great space to connect with colleagues across CT, NY and beyond, as well as shining a spotlight on the wonderful educators we work with, their spaces and experiences.

We encourage you to consider signing up to present at one or two of our panels. You can review this document to learn more about being a panelist. If you’re interested in presenting as a panelist, please complete this brief form. All panels will be offered on Zoom and will run 6-7:15 pm in English, 7:30-8:45 pm in Spanish.

Contact:

Bridgeport: Bridgeport@allourkin.org; 203-392-4574

Danbury: Danbury@allourkin.org; 203-690-9726

New Haven: NewHaven@allourkin.org; 203-301-8473

Stamford/Norwalk: StamfordNorwalk@allourkin.org; 203-690-9726