“Over the past six to eight months I have had the opportunity to work with, both Kimberly Kerlin, ECMH Consultant, and Carol Jensen, Program Manager from your association, I can say it has been an extremely pleasurable experience.
Kimberly, originally came to work with staff, parents, children and myself due to aggressive behavior problems. We received written permission from parents for her to do general observations of the children. Once observations were completed, she worked with staff on recording situations that created the behaviors and made suggestions on how to help eliminate the situations causing the behavior. On several occasions Kimberly has attended parent conferences with staff and me to go over behavioral issues and how to help correct them in a positive manner. On our in-service day Kimberly taught a group of 50 staff on different areas of behavior management. Her help has been a factor in allowing several children to remain at our center.
Kimberly has worked extensively with Infant and Toddler teachers on the ITCRS program, she has also trained Arlene Larsen our floor supervisor in how to continue to improve the program and continue to train new staff. Krystal Eastman was trained in the ECERS program by Kimberly and will train new Preschool and School Age teachers, the current staff in these rooms were also trained by Kimberly.
Carol Jensen, well what can I say? Carol has worked hard to help me learn better ways to communicate with staff. We have had staff in the office, and both talked to them about my concerns and listened to them about their concerns. She has helped me to be more aware of how and when to talk to staff, making many things easier to handle. I have learned that I cannot do everything on my own and delegating often eases stressful situations. Giving others the chance to do different things also makes them feel more important. It is also a way to let them know that they are trusted and important. Talking to staff on a regular basis, about their expectations, problems they are having in their classroom or out has made our center feel more like a family. I have also learned from Carol that sometimes it is better to lose a member of staff, rather than create a morale problem in the center by keeping someone who is unhappy.
In a recent Director’s seminar, we were told that everyone needs at least three avenues of support, I feel I can count on both Kimberly and Carol for two of my supporters, and Child Care Connection as my third.
It has been a great pleasure to work with your staff in this manner. I hope that our excellent line of communication will remain open, as it has been a lifesaver on more than one occasion.” – Vivian M., Gingerbread House Child Care