McCormick Institute for Early Childhood

Join us for an informative webinar focused on common personal computer (PC) issues and practical solutions to keep your computer running efficiently.

Topics include the importance of regularly restarting your device, keeping your software up to date, and troubleshooting application issues.

Thursday, June 25, 1:30 PM - 2:45 PM CT
Virtual on Zoom

🔗 Register for free: https://buff.ly/TqNpUXb

Join us at the 2026 NAFCC National Annual Conference in Chicago!
If you're attending The National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC)'s pre-conference on July 15, check out our team's Ignite Leadership Sessions:

8–10 AM | Rooted in History, Rising in Purpose
From informal day nurseries in the 1800s to today's policy landscape, this session traces how caring for children became a recognized profession. Explore the beliefs, milestones, and movements that shaped FCC, and walk away with a stronger sense of professional identity and the language to advocate for our field's future.

10 AM–12 PM | Strengthening Family Child Care Through Smart Business Practices
A loving heart runs a great program, and strong business practices sustain it. Discover the Business Administration Scale for Family Child Care (BAS) as a practical tool to help you think like a business leader, make smarter day-to-day decisions, and build a more stable, high-quality program for the long haul.

Presented by Yvonne S. Williams, Ed.D., Shuntae Richardson, MPH, and Camila Patino.

Learn more about the upcoming NAFCC National Annual Conference: https://nafcc.org/conference/conference-registration/

Happy Juneteenth!

June 19th is a powerful opportunity to bring history, joy, and identity into your classroom, even with the youngest learners.

📕 Let's Celebrate Juneteenth, written by Tonya Abari and illustrated by Tabitha Brown, for ages 0-5
https://www.smithsonianstore.com/lets-celebrate-juneteenth-11096/?srsltid=AfmBOop80u1onOa6j9d8U58-zPA_vld7blnH06buzi4yUlZOOWKWcVjO

📗 The Story of Juneteenth, written by Dorena Williamson and illustrated by Markia Jenai, for ages 2-5
https://dorenawilliamson.com/books/the-story-of-juneteenth/

📔 Juneteenth: A Picture Book for Kids Celebrating Black Joy, written by Van G. Garrett and illustrated by Reginald C. Adams and Samson Bimbo Adenugba, for ages 4-8
https://www.harpercollins.com/products/juneteenth-van-g-garrett?variant=40662245769250

Making a hiring decision as an early childhood leader can be nerve-wracking. Applications, resumes, and references are essential parts of the evaluation process because they provide important background and can help narrow the field, but many candidates look impressive on paper…

For that reason, the interview is arguably your best opportunity to determine whom to hire. Below, I describe two of my biggest takeaways about interview questions.

Read more in our recent article by Robyn Kelton: https://www.mccormickinstitute.nl.edu/getting-ready-to-hire-make-sure-youre-asking-the-right-questions

Early childhood leaders already juggle massive workloads, and the last thing you need is a computer causing you issues! Learning basic troubleshooting tips and tricks can make a significant difference. By mastering a few simple fixes, you can save valuable budget dollars, eliminate unnecessary stress, and keep your schedule running efficiently and productively.

Read our latest article, "Optimizing Your Personal Computer (PC)."
🔗 https://www.mccormickinstitute.nl.edu/optimizing-your-personal-computer-pc

Dive deeper with our free "Optimizing Your PC" training on Thursday, June 25, from 1:30 PM - 2:45 PM CT on Zoom: https://buff.ly/TqNpUXb

If you're attending the National Research Conference on Early Childhood (NRCEC), we invite you to stop by one of our six presentations on early childhood leadership and administration on June 22–24. We look forward to seeing you in Arlington, VA!

🔹 The State of the Early Childhood Workplace: A National Study of Organizational Climate and Workforce Commitment
🔹 Leadership and Administrative Quality: A National Study of Center-Based Child Care Programs Using the Program Administration Scale
🔹 From Survival to Sustainability: Evidence of Business and Professional Development Gains in Family Child Care
🔹 The Business of Quality: A National Study of Family Child Care Programs Using the Business Administration Scale
🔹 From Coaching to Impact: Advancing Leadership and Organizational Climate in Early Childhood Programs
🔹 Listening to Leaders: What Early Childhood Program Directors Want from Professional Development

More information about the NRCEC conference: https://acf.gov/opre/national-research-conference-early-childhood-nrcec-0

Join The National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) in Chicago!

The 2026 NAFCC National Annual Conference is July 16–18, with a Pre-Conference on July 15, 2026.

Join members of the McCormick Institute team and hundreds of other professionals to connect with family child care educators from across the nation, gain practical strategies, earn professional development opportunities, and celebrate the power of family child care.

Learn more: https://nafcc.org/conference/

New research note ⬇️

"Bridging Competency Gaps: A Career Stage Approach to Administrative Leadership Development in Early Childhood Center Administrators"

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) program administrators play a critical role in shaping program quality, workforce stability, and enriching children’s daily experiences.

Effective professional development must not only address the right competencies across all three domains of the Whole Leadership Framework, but must do so in ways that meet administrators where they are in their leadership journey.

Read our latest research:

Bridging Competency Gaps: A Career Stage Approach to Administrative Leadership Development in Early Childhood Center Administrators Founded in 2024, the McCormick Institute for Early Childhood enhances access, equity, and innovation through training, research, and policy development.

Save the Date for Leadership Connections 2027: May 19 - 21, in Schaumburg, IL!

Leadership Connections 2026 — held three weeks ago — was three days of meaningful connection, shared experiences, and genuine joy.

More than 600 attendees explored dozens of early childhood leadership sessions, connected with industry partners in the exhibit hall, and gained fresh insights from inspiring keynote speakers, panelists, and awardees.

We invite you to join us next year, once again at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel. Our 2027 theme is "Leading in Harmony: Creating Rhythms of Trust, Collaboration, and Growth."

Mark your calendar and follow us for updates on session proposal requests, registration, and more!

https://www.mccormickinstitute.nl.edu/leadership-connections

Are you a new or emerging early childhood leader and not sure where to start with the business side of running your program?

Aim4Excellence Module 5: Building a Sound Business Strategy is designed for you!

This online, self-paced module helps you make smart decisions about organizational structure, finances, and customer care, showing how each choice impacts your program’s reputation, family experience, and overall success.

Gain practical skills to run a high-quality, thriving early childhood program with confidence.

Learn more about the module: https://buff.ly/KH6NrWB

Learn more about Aim4Excellence, the 9-module eLearning program for early childhood leaders: https://buff.ly/xyjngkK