In early childhood education (ECE) the phrase “back-to-school” can have different meanings. Certain ECE programs are ongoing throughout the year, such as those for infants and toddlers, however, when it comes to preschool, these classrooms experience more of the back-to-school feel, as they have the potential to have new students as the year begins, which typically takes place during August/September.
For early childhood educators, getting ready for back-to-school requires completing certain tasks, including the setup of classrooms, ensuring all materials are in stock and in place, and cleaning up and organizing. Sure, those are basic physical requirements, but what about mental preparation as an educator? This is an important aspect of teaching that should take precedent over other routine tasks, because having a positive mindset as you get ready for the new school year will impact the success of the young children and their development milestones whether they are returning or new children in your classroom. Your mindset also impacts job performance, professional goal achievement, and your relationships with families.
Kimberly Cephas, manager for the Council’s Strategic Alliances department, ECE expert and former infant, toddler, and preschool educator, explains the importance of getting ready for the new school year through a mental, personal, and in-depth preparation, which can assist educators with their goals.
“The time before school begins is a transition for early educators, as they prepare for the upcoming year. Educators need to take the time to reflect and assess themselves, and to gain social and emotional mindfulness of how they will set the classroom environment for the coming year,” she explains. Here are some recommendations Cephas, who is also a doctoral candidate, thinks will help educators be mentally prepared for the new school year:
Most educators already know how to get ready for the coming school year when it comes to preparing a classroom and thinking about their students. But as this article shows, it’s important to take a step back and really think about you own goals and how they may align with the children under your care. By achieving a balance – mentally and professionally – educators, like you, will be ready to take on the new school year, every day, week and year!
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In Janie’s prior role, she was the Vice President of Administration at Equal Justice Works, where she was responsible for leading human resources, financial operations, facilities management, and information technology. She was also accountable for developing and implementing Equal Justice Works Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strategy focused on attracting diverse, mission-oriented talent and creating an inclusive and equitable workplace environment. With more than fifteen years of private, federal, and not-for-profit experience, Janie is known for her intuitive skill in administration management, human resources management, designing and leading complex system change, diversity and inclusion, and social justice reform efforts.
Before joining Equal Justice Works, Janie was the Vice President of Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer for Global Communities, where she was responsible for the design, implementation, and management of integrated HR and diversity strategies. Her work impacted employees in over twenty-two countries. She was responsible for the effective management of different cultural, legal, regulatory, and economic systems for both domestic and international employees. Prior to Global Communities, Janie enjoyed a ten-year career with the federal government. As a member of the Senior Executive Service, she held key strategic human resources positions with multiple cabinet-level agencies and served as an advisor and senior coach to leaders across the federal sector. In these roles, she received recognition from management, industry publications, peers, and staff for driving the creation and execution of programs that created an engaged and productive workforce.
Janie began her career with Verizon Communications (formerly Bell Atlantic), where she held numerous roles of increasing responsibility, where she directed a diversity program that resulted in significant improvement in diversity profile measures. Janie was also a faculty member for the company’s Black Managers Workshop, a training program designed to provide managers of color with the skills needed to overcome barriers to their success that were encountered because of race. She initiated a company-wide effort to establish team-based systems and structures to impact corporate bottom line results which was recognized by the Department of Labor. Janie was one of the first African American women to be featured on the cover of Human Resources Executive magazine.
Janie received her M.A. in Organization Development from American University. She holds numerous professional development certificates in Human Capital Management and Change Management, including a Diversity and Inclusion in Human Resources certificate from Cornell University. She completed the year-long Maryland Equity and Inclusion Leadership Program sponsored by The Schaefer Center for Public Policy and The Maryland Commission on Civil Rights. She is a trained mediator and Certified Professional Coach. She is a graduate of Leadership America, former board chair of the NTL Institute and currently co-steward of the organization’s social justice community of practice, and a member of The Society for Human Resource Management. Additionally, Janie is the Board Chairperson for the Special Education Citizens Advisory Council for Prince Georges County where she is active in developing partnerships that facilitate discussion between parents, families, educators, community leaders, and the PG County school administration to enhance services for students with disabilities which is her passion. She and her husband Randolph reside in Fort Washington Maryland.
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