Five Reasons to Earn Your CDA
SPONSORED BLOG Whether you’re just starting out in the early childhood field, or you’ve been teaching for years, chances are you’ve heard the term CDA at least a few times. The Child Development Associate® (CDA)...
Hello! My name is Kendra T. Barnes, and I wanted to share my story, because I was very fortunate to become a CDA at a crucial point in the history of Early Childhood Education. I had a chance to become a CDA in 2003 but decided to pass on it because at the time I was pregnant and did not want to go to the late night classes that were being given. Thank heavens my employer at the time (NAS Jacksonville Child Development Center) gave me a second chance and offered to pay their employees’ fees for the process of becoming a CDA. I partnered with a great friend/co-worker (Sylvia McBride), and we tag-teamed in getting all the information for the resource file and helped each other with encouragement to complete those competency goals. If you have someone to tag team with, it is a great idea. After completing my observations and submitting the information to Washington, I was nervous as ever because I knew the next step was to take the test and submit all that I had wrote about myself, and how I gave back to the Early Childhood field in serving and caring for the children in my care. The test went fine and the CDA Representative made me feel comfortable enough that I was not so nervous when it came time for the test. I knew I did a great job, and so I waited to here from the Council. When I received the award letter and my credential in the mail, it was a feeling of accomplishment and made me want to continue in going much further with my career as an Early Childhood caregiver.
All those nights of putting my daughter to sleep early so that I could work on the writing of my goals and the early Saturday mornings going to the library paid off big time. You see, at the time I did not have a computer at home and had to make several trips to the library for research and to make copies, I would have a purse full of dimes!!! (for the copier at the library). Once I received and renewed three years later, I went on and began my journey in obtaining my degree in Early Childhood Education, and I’m still pushing through in that journey.
The great thing about having a CDA is that it is a national certification. I started in Florida and then moved to Louisiana where it was recognized and did help me in finding a job at the local Child Care Resource and Referral (Volunteers of America Partnerships In Child Care). In my current position I do work with people who work in child care, and I also conduct classes for child care centers and home providers that need a certain amount of hours to continue to be registered through the state. About three months ago, I got my acceptance letter from the Council to be an Advisor. In being an Advisor I can now help those in child care become a CDA also. My next step is to become a Council Representative and administer test to those aspiring people who want to make Early Childhood a better place for our children. I wish that I would have known about this program long before 2003, and because I do know about it, I tell all who work with children about it.
SPONSORED BLOG Whether you’re just starting out in the early childhood field, or you’ve been teaching for years, chances are you’ve heard the term CDA at least a few times. The Child Development Associate® (CDA)...
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Chief Operations Officer
Andrew Davis serves as Chief Operating Officer at the Council. In this role, Andrew oversees the Programs Division, which includes the following operational functions: credentialing, growth and business development, marketing and communications, public policy and advocacy, research, innovation, and customer relations.
Andrew has over 20 years of experience in the early care and education field. Most recently, Andrew served as Senior Vice President of Partnership and Engagement with Acelero Learning and Shine Early Learning, where he led the expansion of state and community-based partnerships to produce more equitable systems of service delivery, improved programmatic quality, and greater outcomes for communities, children and families. Prior to that, he served as Director of Early Learning at Follett School Solutions.
Andrew earned his MBA from the University of Baltimore and Towson University and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland – University College.
Chief Financial Officer
Jan Bigelow serves as Chief Financial Officer at the Council and has been with the organization since February of 2022.
Jan has more than 30 years in accounting and finance experience, including public accounting, for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. She has held management-level positions with BDO Seidman, Kiplinger Washington Editors, Pew Center for Global Climate Change, Communities In Schools, B’nai B’rith Youth Organization and American Humane. Since 2003, Jan has worked exclusively in the non-profit sector where she has been a passionate advocate in improving business operations in order to further the mission of her employers.
Jan holds a CPA from the State of Virginia and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lycoming College. She resides in Alexandria VA with her husband and dog.
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