Boosting Brains by Building a Parent Nation
It takes a village to raise a child, the old proverb tells us. But we need to expand our perspective, according to pediatric surgeon, social scientist and mom Dana Suskind. In her heartfelt work, Parent...
Hanna Skellett can handle a lot of stress. She completed her Child Development Associate® (CDA) coursework while working 39 hours a week at Laugh and Learn Day Care in Ashville, Ohio, and finishing her associate degree in business management from Ohio University in Athens. She was awarded her associate’s this May, obtained her CDA credential in July and is now on track to complete her bachelor’s in applied management by May of 2020.
No question that she brings a lot of energy and expertise to her role as lead teacher and assistant administrator in training at Laugh and Learn. And she says the best part of her job is learning from the children. “They teach me patience, and when I’m frustrated, they give me confidence and comfort.” They’re also “smarter than you’d imagine,” she points out with a laugh.
For example, her center has a sweet little boy named Eric who knows how to wrap folks around his little finger. “The other day,” Hanna recalls, “when I asked him to pick up his toys, he said ‘no’ and then kissed me on the cheek. He knew just what to do to get out of cleaning up his toys, and for a while I didn’t think I could get him to do it. But we sang a clean-up song and — finally — he started picking up the toys.”
Another little boy, Steven, is a budding astronomer who shows early signs of a starry future. “His parents gave him flash cards,” Hanna says, “and he already knows the planets. One day he came to the center and told one of his little friends the names of all the planets all by himself.”
Fortunately, Hanna has the competence and skills to bring out these children’s best. “The CDA helped me understand all aspects of child development,” she says. “It helped me learn the professional side, including handling problems with co-workers and dealing with screenings in the classroom. It also helped her center get a five-star rating after she and five of her colleagues succeeded in earning the credential.
Quality early care and education costs money, Hanna says, and that poses a problem for parents in the rural community where she works. “Now that we have a five-star rating, we have to up our prices to do all the screenings and assessments the rating requires. But that’s hard for us to do. Parents already have trouble paying our rate and we don’t want our children to leave.”
Ideally, Hanna contends, “child care and education should be free. Parents shouldn’t have to pay for it because birth to five are critical years when most brain development is happening.” But right now, “everything still comes down to pricing.”
Hanna may have to contend more with this thorny dilemma since her goal is to be the administrator of a child care and education center. Her background in both management and education should make her well-suited to this role. So should her desire to bring out the best in her profession. “I would like to make sure all educators get professional training, understand child development and have the know-how to help every child succeed.”
Hanna is also a strong believer in continued training, and she would like to see all the educators at her center earn a CDA. “The CDA has already empowered some of our teachers,” she explains. “It’s very good for someone who wants to continue their education.” And Hanna is someone like that since she feels she still has a lot to learn. Despite all the time she’s already spent in school, she’s now thinking of earning an associate’s in early child development, too.
That would put even more on her very full plate and increase the stress she feels. But Hanna has a passion for her work. “What inspires me is talking to the children,” she says. “They make me want to be better for them, and they relieve me of my stress.”
It takes a village to raise a child, the old proverb tells us. But we need to expand our perspective, according to pediatric surgeon, social scientist and mom Dana Suskind. In her heartfelt work, Parent...
Dr. Calvin Moore shared that when he first arrived at the Council and took on the CEO role, he was focused on assessing the early childhood education (ECE) landscape, the reach of the organization and...
We have probably all seen the commercials this time of year when you can hear the popular holiday song, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”, playing in the background as parents dance joyously...
Did you know early childhood educators in Maryland have a special benefit that can help them and the children they serve? The Maryland State Department of Education has awarded a $1 million grant to the...
For the first time in three years, the Education Writers Association (EWA) gathered in person for their National Seminar in Orlando last month. The event drew journalists from across the country to hear from leaders...
In April 2022, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) issued new guidance and an Information Memoranda (IM) announcing the long-awaited, family-friendly policy of permitting families and guardians to use proof of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program...
Dasani wakes up before dawn each day at a homeless shelter in Brooklyn, New York. After slipping out from under the covers, she goes to the window. On a clear day, she can see all...
The CDA Advisory Committee was created to provide insights, perspectives, and best practices to the CDA community and other early childhood professionals. Established during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the members’ first-hand experiences...
Where can you connect with CDA® holders and the wide range of folks who serve them? Turn to the Council Alumni Network (CAN), an online community that brings together current and past CDA earners, CDA...
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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