MA Dept of Early Education and Care

Commissioner Amy Kershaw was proud to join and meet with cohort participants at today’s Early Childhood Support Organization (ECSO) Initiative Celebration at UMass Boston 🙌

The ECSO Initiative supports school leaders across the Commonwealth through leadership development and continuous quality improvement, recognizing that strong leadership is key to high-quality early education and care.

EEC is proud to partner with ECSOs to support workforce development, strengthen program capacity, and improve child outcomes and school readiness for Massachusetts children and families. 📚

⚠️The Division of Healthy Homes and Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention (DHHL) works to create and maintain safe, healthy living environments for children and families across Massachusetts through education, targeted interventions, and regulatory programs.

Visit their webpage for valuable Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program resources, as well as information on radon testing and mitigation. Protecting children from environmental hazards is essential for their health and safety at home, in schools, and in child care settings. 💚

Learn more: https://www.mass.gov/orgs/division-of-healthy-homes-and-childhood-lead-poisoning-prevention

Happy from Sesame Street! Join us in celebrating and uplifting the LGBTQIA+ members of our community. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

⏰ EVENT REMINDER: Have questions about health insurance?

Join representatives from the Health Connector for Business, MassHealth, and the Health Connector to learn about health care coverage options available to Early Education and Care staff.

📅 June 3, 2026 from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
🎥 A recording will be available after the session.
🌐 Interpretation available in Spanish and Portuguese.

Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_PZv4LdwiQf-KVSCi4iHecA #/registration

In recognition of , EEC’s Behavioral Health Team partnered with The Discovery Source and our Pyramid Model Plus colleagues to bring Tucker Turtle “on tour” to 12 center-based and Family Child Care programs across the Commonwealth.

A beloved character in the Pyramid Model framework, Tucker helps young children build important self-regulation and emotional expression skills in fun and engaging ways. Thank you to all the programs that welcomed us and helped make this initiative such a success — and thank you, Tucker, for being a great friend to children and educators all year long!

Learn more about Tucker Turtle:https://www.challengingbehavior.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/TuckerTurtle_Story.pdf

ICYMI: Yesterday, Governor Healey issued statewide guidance for schools, child care providers, higher education campuses, health care facilities, and places of worship on interacting with ICE.

Learn more: https://www.mass.gov/news/governor-healey-issues-statewide-guidance-for-schools-child-care-providers-higher-ed-campuses-health-care-facilities-and-places-of-worship-on-interacting-with-ice

Our office is closed for the holiday. See you tomorrow!

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health and Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources will host a webinar to help schools, camps, and recreational programs prepare for the 2026 Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE)/mosquito season.

📅 Thursday, June 11, 2026
🕙 10:00 a.m.
🎥 Topic: EEE Planning for Schools, Camps, and Recreational Programs

Register here: https://ow.ly/rQ6T50Z3lFE

Additional multilingual resources are available to help protect children and communities from mosquito bites and EEE, including posters for caregivers and the general public in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, as well as guidance on repellent use in schools and other child-serving settings. Learn more: https://ow.ly/PH1X50Z3lFC

Commissioner Amy Kershaw was glad to join Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll, Education Secretary Zrike, EOED Secretary Paley, DHE Commissioner Ortega, DESE Commissioner Martinez, education leaders, and students at yesterday’s STEM Summit.

A highlight of the event was the focus on how STEM learning begins in early education, including demonstrations from Horizons for Homeless Children and insights from Ellis Early Learning on the importance of play-based STEM learning and nurturing curiosity from an early age.

We’re excited to continue celebrating STEM learning across Massachusetts during STEM Week, October 19–23. Learn more about STEM in Massachusetts: https://www.mass.gov/stem-initiatives