Please note: ELCFH offices will be closed December 23-26, 2024 and December 31, 2024 and January 1, 2025
COVID-19 Updates
January 1, 2021
Prevent the Spread of COVID-19
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provided the following tips to prevent the spread of COVID-19:
- Wash hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Remember to supervise young children when they use hand sanitizer to prevent swallowing alcohol.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.
- Cover cough and sneezes.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a mask when you have to go out in public. Masks should NOT be put on babies and children under age 2 because of the danger of suffocation.
- Require sick children and staff to stay home.
- Communicate to parents the importance of keeping children home when they are sick.
- Communicate to staff the importance of being vigilant for symptoms and staying in touch with facility management if or when they start to feel sick.
- Establish procedures to ensure children and staff who come to the child care center sick or become sick while at your facility are sent home as soon as possible.
- Keep sick children and staff separate from well children and staff until they can be sent home.
- Sick staff members should not return to work until they have met the criteria to discontinue home isolation.
For more information and tips provided by the CDC:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/guidance-for-childcare.html
The Florida Department of Health provided these strategies for reducing the spread of COVID-19:
- Keep people more than 6 feet apart;
- Intensify cleaning and disinfection efforts, including devising a schedule, and focus on toys, games, and other objects and surfaces that are frequently used;
- Modify drop-off and pick-up procedures to include thorough screening;
- Maintain an adequate ratio of staff to children to ensure safety;
- Children and childcare providers shall not change from one group to another;
- If more than one group of children is cared for at one facility, each group shall be in a separate room and not mix or interact with each other; and
- Immediate exclusion of anyone who is symptomatic, who has tested positive for COVID-19, or who is a close contact to a case of COVID-19.
For more information about the Florida Department of Health’s COVID-19 Guidance for Child Care Providers:
Hand-washing sign: https://myflfamilies.com/service-programs/child-care/docs/kids_handwash_eng_horiz.pdf
Hand-washing sign in Spanish: https://myflfamilies.com/service-programs/child-care/docs/kids_handwash_sp_horiz.pdf
Florida Office of Early Learning COVID-19 Resources: http://www.floridaearlylearning.com/covid-19-resources
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ELCFH Seeks Board Membership Applications
Port Charlotte, Fla, October 31, 2022- The Early Learning Coalition of Florida’s Heartland, Inc. (ELCFH) welcomed the Division of Early Learning Chancellor Matt Mears last week to Charlotte County. Chancellor Mears worked alongside ELCFH staff and volunteers to provide needed classroom supplies to Charlotte County childcare providers who were impacted by Hurricane Ian. “Our providers are determined to get back on their feet and serve their communities, and just a month after the storm, only 23 of 9,088 providers in Florida remain closed. And, each of these remaining providers are working hard to re-open, with great community support like we have seen here,” said Chancellor Mears. “The dedication you see in their response is the same level of commitment these providers bring every day in serving our state’s children and families.” The ELCFH has received donations from all around Florida including the Department of Education and Division of Early Learning in Tallahassee, the Association of Early Learning Coalitions (AELC), UF Lastinger, UF Anita Zucker Center and, the Early Learning Coalitions of Lake County, Palm Beach County and the Big Bend. Representatives from the AELC and Kaplan Early Learning Company contributed their time to aid in the supply distribution and playground clean-up efforts. Playgrounds, including shade structures and fencing, were destroyed at more than 20 child care provider sites in Charlotte County. The ELCFH is collecting monetary donations to help providers rebuild their playgrounds. Donations can be made at www.elcfh.org (donate button!). The ELCFH provides financial aid for child care services for low income and at-risk children in a four county service area including Charlotte County. This work is accomplished in partnership with local child care providers who help meet children’s developmental needs so they can enter school ready to learn.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Anne Bouhebent Phone: (941) 255-1650 Email: abouhebent@elcfh.org COPPERFISH BOOKS IN PUNTA GORDA HOSTS BOOK DRIVE TO HELP CHARLOTTE COUNTY CHILDREN GET READY FOR KINDERGARTEN Port Charlotte, Fla., May 14, 2021 – Copperfish Books, located at 212 W. Virginia Ave #112 in Punta Gorda, is hosting a book drive for economically disadvantaged and at-risk children in Charlotte County. These children receive funding for child care services through the Early Learning Coalition of Florida’s Heartland (ELCFH). The drive is focused on Great Books to Read by Kindergarten with titles that help children prepare socially and emotionally for kindergarten entry. Parents and guardians are encouraged to read to their child every day as a way to promote early literacy skill development, supporting the goal of children reading at grade level by third grade. Already to date, over $600 has been donated to the book drive, which will help to assure Charlotte County children in need will have these special books to read this summer. The ELCFH is deeply appreciative of the collaboration with Copperfish Books and the awesome community support for Charlotte County children. It’s not too late to participate! Bundles of high quality books will be available for purchase and donation through the Copperfish Book website at https://www.copperfishbooks.com/. For more information on the book drive, please email copperfishbook@comcast.net . For more information about the Early Learning Coalition of Florida’s Heartland, please visit www.elcfh.org. The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Anne Bouhebent, Executive Director Phone: (941) 255-1650 ext 127 Email: abouhebent@elcfh.org EARLY LEARNING COALITION OF FLORIDA’S HEARTLAND ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR BOARD MEMBERSHIP Port Charlotte, Fla., April 5, 2021- The Early Learning Coalition of Florida’s Heartland (ELCFH) announces opportunities for interested business leaders in Charlotte, Desoto, Hardee and Highlands Counties to serve as Board Members representing Private Sector Businesses. This is an incredible opportunity to positively impact the lives low of income and at-risk children through quality early learning services. Prospective candidates may access the ELCFH Board Membership application at www.elcfh.org or call (941) 255-1650 ext 127. Applications for Gubernatorial Appointments on the Board of Directors are also being accepted. For information and the application tool, please go to the Gubernatorial Appointments website at https://www.flgov.com/gubernatorial-appointment/ . Interested applicants may also contact the ELCFH office at (941) 255-1650 ext. 127 for assistance. The mission of the Early Learning Coalition of Florida’s Heartland, Inc. is to support families and children in accessing high quality early care and education services via School Readiness and Voluntary Pre-kindergarten programs. The ELCFH also serves as a point of access to resources and referrals for health care and family support services. The vision of the ELCFH is that each child will have a strong early foundation to promote a lifetime of success.
