Resources
Resource Development Specialists offer training for child care providers (early childhood and afterschool) in their region, welcome you to the child care business, and can answer your questions, provide support, resources and referrals. They are housed in their regional Community Child Care Support Agency. Contacts are listed alphabetically by region.
- Addison ~ Middlebury
Amethyst Peaslee, Mary Johnson Children’s Center, 81 Water St., Middlebury, VT 05753, Tel: 388-4304, Fax: 388-3063. http://mjccvt.org/providers/ - Bennington ~ Bennington
Sharon Harrington, Bennington County Child Care Association, 226 Union Street; PO Box 829, Bennington VT 05201-8057 Tel: 802-447-6938, Fax: 447.6487 http://bcca.net - Caledonia/S. Essex ~ St. Johnsbury
Kim Buxton, Kingdom County Child Care Connection (KCCCC) at Umbrella, 1222 Main St, Suite 301, St. Johnsbury, VT 05819, Tel: 748-1992 or 1-800-916-8645, Fax: 748-1405. www.umbrellanek.org - Chittenden ~ Burlington
Meghan Flanders (ext. 40); Amy Conant (ext 19), Child Care Resource, 181 Commerce St., Williston, VT 05495, Tel: 863-3367 or 800-339-3367, Fax: 863-4202. http://www.childcareresource.org/ - Franklin/Grand Isle ~ St. Albans
Michelle Trayah (393-6591); Children Youth and Family Services, 130 Fisher Pond Rd, St. Albans, VT 05478, Tel: 524.6554 or 1.800.834.7793, Fax: 524-1126. - Lamoille ~ Morrisville
Danielle Caserta, Lamoille Family Ctr., 480 Cadys Falls Rd., Morrisville, VT 05661, Tel: 888-5229, Fax: 888-5392. http://lamoillefamilycenter.org - Orange/N. Windsor ~ Hartford
Chris Pressey-Murray, Cindy Binzen, Child Care Project, 17 ½ Lebanon St., Suite 2, Hanover, N.H. 03755, Tel: 603-646-3233 or 800-323-5446, Fax: 603-646-0197. http://www.dartmouth.edu/~ccp/providers/training.html - Orleans/N. Essex ~ Newport
Ines Abdelnour, NEKCA/PCC, 70 Main St., PO Box 346, Newport, VT 05855, Tel: 334-4072, Fax: 334-4079. - Rutland ~ Rutland City
Rosie Piontek, Tel: 747-0033 (ext. 204). - S. Windsor/N. Windsor ~ Springfield
Kim Kiniry, Springfield Area Parent Child Center, 2 Main St., No. Springfield, VT 05150, Tel: 886-5242 (ext. 248), Fax: 886-2007. http://www.sapcc2.com/regionaltraining.htm - Washington ~ Montpelier
Claire Berry (ext.123) or Rebecca Johnston (ext 122):The Family Center of Washington County, 383 Sherwood Dr, Montpelier, VT 05602, Tel: 262-3292, Fax: 262-6071. - Windham ~ Brattleboro
Nancy Witherill nancy@windhamchildcare.org, Windham Child Care Assoc., 130 Birge St., Brattleboro, VT 05301. Tel: 254-5332 or 1-866-254-5332: http://www.windhamchildcare.org/training.html
Other Resources
- Bright Futures Information System - Login and view your private Quality & Credential Account, create your online IPDP and search the statewide Course Calendar
- Council for Professional Recognition – Awards the national Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential
- Vermont Child Development Division - Under “Professional Development” find grants and scholarship applications
- Vermont Center for Afterschool Excellence - Resource information for afterschool programs and professionals
- Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children (VAEYC) – Professional, member organization; an affiliate of the National AEYC
- Vermont Department of Education - Professional standards for educators, educator licensure and endorsements, peer review process for licensure, and IPDP requirements for educators
- Vermont Child Care Industry and Careers Council (VCCICC) – Vermont Child Care Apprenticeship Program and courses, and On the Job Training
- Vermont Child Care Providers Association (VCCPA) – Support for CDA, STARS and NAFCC program accreditation
- Vermont Community Loan Fund- Child Care Financing Project- technical assistance, consultation and financing for regulated (centers and home based) child care
Learning Standards and Guidelines for Children and Youth
Program Standards and Accreditation
- Center on Accreditation (COA) – National afterschool program accreditation agency
- The Youth Program Quality Assessment (YPQA) is a research-validated and field-tested tool designed to evaluate the quality of youth programs and identify staff training needs
- National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) - Professional organization and hosts for the Academy for NAEYC program accreditation
- National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) - National family child care program accreditation and professional organization for family child care providers
- National Early Childhood Program Accreditation - National child care program accreditation for small programs
- Vermont STep Ahead Recognition System (STARS) – Vermont program quality recognition and improvement system. Includes early childhood, afterschool and family child care programs.
- National Head Start Association (NHSA) - Nationally program standards and resources for regional Head Start programs
College and University Degrees and Coursework
- Vermont Colleges and Universities
- Vermont Career and Technical Centers
- Vermont Higher Education Collaborative – Graduate coursework toward degrees and certifications; educator licensure with early childhood endorsement through Lyndon State College
- CLEP (College Level Examination Program) – 33 different national computer exams; passing the exam equates to a college credit courses
- Assessment of Prior Learning (APL) – Document and submit learning gained through experience may be approved for multiple college credits that transfer to other colleges in VT
- Course Challenge – For students already in a degree or certificate program at the Community College of Vermont, if evaluator determines if student meets learning objectives then earn credit for that course
- Vermont Department of Education – Early Childhood Education
- Vermont Colleges and Universities that approve educator licensure
- Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC) – Statewide and regional advisors with the latest in information on college loans, grants, loan forgiveness, scholarships, and college planning.
Ethical Standards for Professionals
- NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct
- NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct Supplement for Administrators
- Vermont Department of Education: Code of Professional Ethics and Rules of Professional Conduct for Vermont Educators

The Vermont Northern Lights Career Development Center works with many partners to unify and enhance the professional development system for early childhood and afterschool professionals in Vermont. It is funded by a grant from the Child Development Division of the Vermont Agency of Human Services. The Community College of Vermont (CCV) and the Vermont Child Care Industry and Careers Council (VCCICC) are co-grantees.