The Ecential
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Money, Sloths, & More!

Money, Sloths, & More!

Let It Begin!

November 05, 2024

🎃 🍫We know it's dangerous to come out swinging on our first issue with a strong candidate endorsement... but it's unanimous: Kit Kat takes the crown over Peanut M&M's as the absolute best Halloween candy! 🇺🇸

Know Your Numbers: Did you know the national average pay for preschool teachers in the U.S. was $37,130 annually as of May 2023, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Pay can vary widely by state and setting, with the lowest 10% earning under $28,200 and the top 10% earning over $60,900. That’s a big range! Factors such as location, experience, and type of employer also influence salaries. For example, preschool teachers in states like California and New Jersey earn significantly more, with salaries ranging from $50,000 to over $60,000 annually. Yikes! How much of that gets spent on gas? Data Source.

So what does this mean for you? Well, our next issue will cover some tips on professional development and other skills to help you stay competitive and make that $$$$! Stay tuned and enjoy the newsletter!!

INDUSTRY HAPPENINGS - It’s Conference Season!

NAEYC is still the big dog: Get ready for the ultimate early childhood educator meetup! The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is back with its Annual Conference, running from November 6-9, 2024, at the Anaheim Convention Center in sunny California. Expect educators from around the world to descend upon Anaheim, eager to swap teaching tales, hunt for new classroom strategies, and, let’s be honest, score as many free tote bags as possible.

This isn't your average conference; think of it as Comic-Con but for early childhood pros, with an expo floor loaded with the latest educational gadgets, oodles of workshops to level up your teaching skills, and networking opportunities that might lead to lasting professional friendships—or at least a few good laughs from happy hour shenanigans.

If NAEYC was a car: Bright color Volkswagen bug (new version). A little quirky, this vehicle shows its fun side while also being practical around town when needed.

Can’t make it to Anaheim? Here are the conference's Topic Tracks:

The SHIFT Conference: The SHIFT Childcare Leaders Conference is set to take place from November 4-7, 2024, at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara in Santa Barbara, California. Known for its boutique and VIP-focused experience, this conference is specially designed for early education professionals seeking growth in leadership and operational excellence. The event provides a mix of workshops, breakout sessions, and networking opportunities, bringing together a range of leaders from small business owners to CEOs of major childcare organizations. Attendees can expect engaging topics like financial management, staff retention, and innovative marketing strategies, all set against a backdrop of wellness activities like morning yoga and upscale networking events.

The conference’s intimate structure, capped at 500 attendees, encourages meaningful connections and offers VIP perks such as gourmet meals and an evening Kentucky Derby-themed cocktail hour. Notable speakers and experts from the early education sector will lead sessions on key strategies for improving childcare businesses, while also addressing challenges like liability and maintaining high enrollment.

Can’t attend SHIFT? You can find the agenda and speakers here: https://www.shiftchildcareleaders.com/agenda https://www.shiftchildcareleaders.com/speakers

If the SHIFT conference were a car: White Toyota Landcruiser (First Edition). High-end luxury with off road and adventure capabilities. This vehicle is for the adventure minded professional.

The Child Care Success Summit already happened but we really wanted to write this description anyway: 🎉 Gimme an S! Gimme a U! Gimme a C-C-E-S-S! 🎉 The Child Care Success Summit in Chicago this October was the ultimate pep rally for over 1,300 rockstar child care leaders! Three days of nonstop learning, energy, and connections—YES! Attendees were pumped up with winning plays on everything from building enrollment to firing up their teams and keeping those classrooms packed! With star speakers like Laila Ali, Ben Nemtin, and Latrice Galloway bringing the inspo big-time, Let's hear it for the Summit, y’all—GO TEAM CHILD CARE! 🎈

If you missed the conference and want to learn more, click the button below:

If the CCSS was a car: Definitely a 1983 bright yellow or red Corvette. This is a vehicle that turns heads but also says “look at me. Try to keep up!”

RANDOM FACTS:

November 5, 1935 - Monopoly: The Game That Brings Families Together… and Tears Them Apart
On this day, Parker Brothers launched Monopoly, the classic board game that’s brought joy, rage, and table-flipping drama to family gatherings everywhere. Who knew that a mix of fake money, overpriced hotels, and the cruel randomness of “Go to Jail” could turn loved ones into real-estate tyrants? So here’s to Monopoly—may your family game nights never be the same!
Sloths Only Poop Once a Week:
Sloths descend from the trees to defecate, a rare and vulnerable event that happens only once a week. In fact, sloths can lose up to one-third of their body weight when they relieve themselves due to the massive size of their fecal deposit! Think about that next time you are complaining about changing diapers in the infant class! The average 6 month old weighs 16 pounds…..do the math !

THE BIG IDEA

The Who, What, and Why of Ecential!

It’s our first issue and we wanted to introduce ourselves.

Who We Are:

We are a team of seasoned professionals with a lot of experience in Child Care Management Software, Parent Engagement, and Digital Payment Technologies. With a collective 60 years of expertise in sales, marketing, business development, project management, operations, and product design, we have successfully supported tens of thousands of teachers, directors, and child care owners in their tech journeys. We are now excited to use our tech knowledge to build a digital ECE community.

Our Mission:

It’s simple. We want to give back. Leveraging our experience and industry relationships, we aim to make meaningful contributions to the early childhood education (ECE) sector. We see an opportunity to raise awareness in a fresh, engaging way around the key trends and topics shaping the future of ECE.

What We’re Doing:

We’re launching a weekly newsletter, designed to keep you informed and inspired. We want to hear from you! We will also send out brief surveys to gather feedback from our subscribers on the most pressing industry topics. This feedback loop ensures that every edition delivers content that’s both relevant and impactful.

Our Approach:

We believe in keeping things fun and approachable. Our writing style will reflect the playful, energetic spirit of ECE professionals and teachers. Why so serious all the time? We want to make learning and staying informed enjoyable for everyone!

YOUR VOICE COUNTS

Is there a topic you want more info on or want to share a funny story? Then let us know! Shoot us a quick email at [email protected]. This newsletter is for you, and well, you should have a say, don't’ you think?

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