Forum Presentation
Improving California’s Early Childhood Education System Through Collaboration and Partnerships
Join these panelists for a perspective on their approach to systems building. In addition, learn what strategies have helped build collaboration between site-based leadership, trainers, coaches, mentors and faculty at IHEs. Hear how they facilitate collaboration between public and private sectors. They will provide recommendations for replication and partnership. Come with your questions.
Presenter Biographies
Shelia Arnold is an Early Education Coordinator with the Orange County Department of Education (OCDE). She coordinates the Orange County Child Care and Development Planning Council and the California Preschool Instructional Network (CPIN) for Orange, San Diego and Imperial Counties. Shelia also oversees the early education fee-for-service program at OCDE.
She has served on the statewide collaborative to develop professional learning modules for Transitional Kindergarten (TK) teachers and administrators in CA public schools and to provide a Training of Trainers model for module dissemination; she currently serves as the TK coordinator in Orange County. Through a partnership with the California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) and the Orange County Childcare and Development Planning Council, she designed the Transitional Kindergarten Institute of Orange County, also serving as instructor. Additionally, in collaboration with California State University (CSU), Shelia has participated on the CSU TK Pre-Service Preparation Project Team, creating TK modules, specifically for use in university courses, to enhance how multiple subject credential programs currently address early education.
Shelia is dedicated to the equipping of educators, ensuring instruction that is high quality and developmentally appropriate. She, too, is passionate about connecting early childhood education and elementary education, creating a seamless transition for teachers and students.
With more than 30 years of educational experience, Shelia has worked as a teacher, administrator and professor.
Deborah Clark-Crews has been the Executive Director of the Consortium for Early Learning Services, a nonprofit organization that provides support services to the Early Care and Education (ECE) field, since 2005. Prior to the Consortium, for almost 20 years she was a member of the administration team at the Riverside County Office of Education, Division of Early Learning Services. Deborah has more than 40 years’ experience in the ECE field working in both private and public organizations. Her first position as a preschool teacher was in Long Beach in 1977 at the Mothers at Work (MAW) State Preschool Child Development Center and she’s been passionately involved with the Early Care and Education field ever since.
Additionally, Deborah serves as the Local Planning Council (LPC) Coordinator for Riverside County; as a Riverside County Children and Families Commissioner; and the President of the Nati Fuentes Centro De Ninos Child Development Center Board in Riverside. In the past several years, she has also served as Co-Chair of the California Child Care Coordinators Association; and a board member of the EveryChild California, Southern Region.
Deborah has a Master of Arts Degree in Education from Chapman University; Bachelor of Science Degree in Business and Management from the University of Redlands and an Associate of Arts Degree in Child Development from Long Beach City College.
James Moses is the Regional Director for the Child Care Resource Center, serving children, families, and child care providers in San Bernardino County since 2013. Child Care Resource Center has been serving children and families in Northern Los Angeles County since 1976. Each month, we provide quality, support, development, and education to almost 50,000 children and families in our 22,500-square-mile service area. We remain a unique and distinctive leader in the child care industry. Our current programs include resource libraries, home visiting, workforce development, family engagement, child care financial assistance, Head Start and State Preschool, Early Head Start, Early Head Start - Childcare partnership, family literacy and so much more.
James has worked within San Bernardino County, in various roles, for the last 30 years. He served as a District Manager with the County of San Bernardino and as a Program Manager with the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools prior to joining CCRC. In these roles, he administered social service and educational support programs.
He serves on several boards including:
- Every Child California (Southern Section President)
- CAAEYC Public Policy Committee (Chair)
- First 5 San Bernardino Advisory Committee (Chair)
- San Bernardino County Children’s Network Policy Council
- San Bernardino County Local Planning Council Advisory Board (Chair)
- Inland Empire Father Involvement Coalition
- Inland Empire Chapter of CAAEYC
In his spare time, he loves to spend time with his family and get outdoors, especially to play baseball and fish. James was raised in San Bernardino County and is a graduate of Cal State San Bernardino.