BALTIMORE —On Tuesday, August 20, 2019, U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-District 7, held a forum on Baltimore’s childhood trauma. Board of Child Care’s CEO and President Laurie Anne Spagnola joined youth advocate leaders from across the public and private sector to examine what causes childhood trauma and how much damage it can do, and determine how state and city leaders — and residents — can limit the impact.
On Thursday, July 25, the Board of Child Care Early Learning Program hosted two representatives from the Chinese Delegation. The Chinese Delegation is on a US visit visiting early learning programs to learn more about their best practices and teacher training in conjunction with the Office of the State Superintendent of Education. They will be bringing a group of 15 early childhood leaders from China back to BCC in late September of this year. Pictured in the photo from left to right are Dale Brown, DC Child Care Connections; Angelique Clarkbrown, DC Department of Behavioral Health; Jessica Ling, President AIYOU Education Consulting; Joseph (Jessica’s fiancé); Joan Raghunath, Krystina Johnson and David Ding Senior Advisor of AIYOU Education Consulting.
To learn more about BCC’s Early Learning Program and career opportunities click here
Board of Child Care’s core values of Safety, Empathy, Integrity, and Impact provide a solid foundation for all staff to grow professionally, personally and spiritually.
On Wednesday, May 22, 2019, during BCC’s all staff meeting, our President and CEO Laurie Anne Spagnola presented several amazing team members who embody our core values to make a greater impact on the youth and families we serve.
Join us as we celebrate our BCC Core Value Award Winners.
Safety as a mindset. We value life, spirit, and health above all else and take action to maintain the safety of our workplaces, programs, and services. We are personally accountable for our own safety and collectively responsible for the safety of our community.
Empathywill guide our programming and culture at all levels. A supportive work and program environment mean possessing a desire to know and understand others. We recognize that with empathy we will better understand what type of care and encouragement to provide.
Integrity, openness, and honesty with all stakeholders make for both the best program outcomes and team culture. We, as an organization, must build trust with our program participants by being thoughtful, transparent, and committed to our decisions and promises.
Impact drives lasting change. We seek to make lasting change in the lives of those we work with by providing services that are durable, measurable, and sustainable. We will maximize our impact by investing in staff and board development. Feedback gathered from our entire community will enhance and strengthen our programs and their outcomes.
Thank you to all of our amazing staff!
Learn more about our dynamic Board of Child Care staff and career opportunities here.
MANY THANKS TO ALL WHO JOINED US FOR A WONDERFUL EVENT!
The 2019 Annual Meeting was held on Thursday, May 2nd at the Board of Child Care’s (BCC) Baltimore campus. Also, the meeting was televised to the West Virginia Campus.
Auxiliary President Sue Everhart welcomed auxiliary guests and friends of BCC.
Laurie Anne Spagnola, MSW, President, and CEO presented on the new changes within the agency and how the Auxiliary has helped to support BCC’s Programs across the Mid-Atlantic.
Kelly Berger, LCSW-C Vice President of Special Operations provided a general overview of Positive Behavioral Intervention Supports (PBIS) PBIS – what it is, how it works and the reasons why BCC has chosen to use it as a framework for programming agency-wide – in both educational and residential programs in MD, as well as in WV and PA.
Jaclyn Blachly, M.Ed., BCBA, LBA, Director of Behavior and Related Services connected (PBIS) to the outcomes of improving the social, emotional and academic outcomes for students at Strawbridge School.
There was a special recognition service for an auxiliary member Alice Chesler. She was honored with a leaf on the Tree of Life by Centenary UMC for over 50 years of service to the Board of Child Care and the Auxiliary.
The major business of the meeting included a vote to ratify the revised Constitution which was passed by majority vote.
Breezeway Market by the Strawbridge School sold over one thousand dollars in hand crafted merchandise!
What’s a better way to start off Spring then spending quality time with family?
We recently celebrated youth and families by sponsoring a Spring N’ Paint Event!
Check out our new artists as they paint along side their mom, dad, grandma, foster dad, sister or brother lets the healing and building memories together.
Case Manager, Rigel Moore said, “We served delicious BBQ catered by Andy Nelsons. Families laughed and smiled while they painted with her loved ones. It was great seeing our youth interact and engage with there loved ones.”
Thank you to our donors, staff, volunteers, care team, families and youth for contributing to our
purpose; enriching communities, one family at a time.
The Breezeway Market hosted a special event Thursday, May 2nd to support BCC’s Annual Auxiliary Volunteers and Friends of BCC!
Strawbridge students have been busy hand painting pottery getting ready for the Spring.
The horticulture youth have learned how to propagate spider plants. In addition the market was stocked with freshly potted vegetables plants for your garden or outdoor pot; tomato, bell pepper, cucumber, or basil plants.
The sweetest treats are were sold at the Breezeway Market included chocolate covered pretzels and homemade cookies.
The market was also stocked with body scrubs, lotions, dreamcatchers paintings, candles and more!
On behalf of the Spiritual Life Team, I invite you to take a moment and center on positive actions and thoughts.
We are in the “homestretch” of our 40 Days!
Our final theme brings us to the fourth core value of BCC: Aim for Impact. In other words, we are striving to make a difference.
It seems appropriate to focus now on how our commitment to positive actions and positive thoughts is making an impact both in our own lives and in our community.
I invite you to look back over your calendar of these last few weeks.
Does any one action stand out for you?
Where were you most challenged?
How have you grown?
What will you do now?
Imagine with me the cumulative effort of all of our positive actions and thoughts blessed by God’s grace.
Consider these words by Hilary Weeks:
Think of the impact one positive thought can have.
Now multiply that by a million and watch the world around us change.
Thank you for your participation in the 40 Days of Positive Actions and Thoughts!
May God multiply our impact for the good of young people and their families in our communities and in our world.
On behalf of the Spiritual Life Team, I invite you to pause for a moment to center on being thankful.
What are you thankful for in this moment?
How will you show your gratitude today?
Here are some inspirational thoughts to guide us in our practice of gratitude:
Thank you is the best prayer that anyone could say. I say that one a lot. Thank you expresses extreme gratitude, humility, understanding. Alice Walker
Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts. Henri Frederic Amiel
Feeling gratitude and not expressing it, is like wrapping a present and not giving it. William Ward
Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow. Melody Beattie
I believe deeply that gratitude is an essential component of positive living. Gratitude is healing and transforming. It cannot be imposed; gratitude can be nurtured and modeled. Gratitude makes us more fully who God created each of us to be. It brings us perspective.
Be intentional about living in gratitude. Let us look for ways to show our gratitude to God (Higher Power) and to one another.
Don’t forget to do something kind for yourself in gratitude for the gift of your life and the unique person you are.
On Wednesday of this week UMHC and BCC held a merger celebration. Some of you may know that for many years UMHC has used a heart as part of its logo. The picture above includes a heart and it reminded me of how grateful we are to be working together as one. We are grateful for the past years of dedicated service through our organizations; we give thanks for the promise of the future together and we express gratitude for the present partnership that will lead to impacting more children, more families, and more communities.
I conclude with one verse of scripture from the early Church: “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (New Living Translation)
BALTIMORE —On Tuesday, August 20, 2019, U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-District 7, held a forum on Baltimore’s childhood trauma. Board of Child Care’s CEO and President Laurie Anne Spagnola joined youth advocate leaders from across the public and private sector to examine what causes childhood trauma and how much damage it can do, and determine how state and city leaders — and residents — can limit the impact.
We are fortunate to have incredible medical professionals to take care of BCC youth. (Pictured here is our Baltimore Nurses Team.)
Aim for Impact. In other words, we are striving to make a difference.