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Professional
Development:
Bright Futures Information System (BFIS)
Families can find information about child care and after school programs. Providers can access the information they need to run their business and to support their professional development.
Organizations that sponsor professional development can connect to the professionals who seek it!
BFIS is comprised of several sections including licensing, child care services, subsidy, grants, and professional development. Many providers are linked to more than one section.
The professional development features within BFIS are helpful to both individuals and to organizations sponsoring professional development. The professional development features of BFIS include:
Click on any question for accurate, user-friendly information:
Hundreds of statewide professional development opportunities for early childhood and afterschool practitioners (such as workshops, classes and conferences), are listed and updated regularly on the BFIS Course Calendar. To check out he Course Calendar, go to: http://brightfuturesinfo.org Click the Resources tab at the top of the page, and then select Course Calendar. There are many ways to search for professional development opportunities within the BFIS Course Calendar. Sometimes searching with keywords can be hit or miss, so the very best way to search for upcoming training is by Session Start Dates. Begin with the current calendar date and project ahead for any length of time. This will give you the most updated information of upcoming statewide professional development opportunities!
EXAMPLE: Session Start Date From: 06/01/2008 (mm/dd/yyyy) Session Start Date To: 08/31/2008 (mm/dd/yyyy)
How does my attendance at professional development events get into the BFIS System?
There are 2 ways that this can happen:
A person can have more than one account within BFIS, depending on which child development systems and services they use. For instance, there are separate accounts for subsidy billing, grant applications, child care licensing, etc. The Quality and Credential Account is for professional development. It’s where you can keep track of the training you’ve attended, and create your easy to use online resume!
How do I get a Quality and Credential Account?
If you are already an eProvider in the BFIS System, follow these instructions:
If you new to BFIS, follow these instructions:
Click here for a visual summary of the BFIS Professional Development Loop for Individuals.
BFIS Professional Development features for SPONSORS
Click on any question for accurate, user-friendly information:
The Vermont Northern Lights Career Development Center will post your information.
A Documentation of Professional Development Form is available to any Sponsor who is interested in joining Vermont’s early childhood and afterschool professional development system. For security purposes, we have posted a view only form on our website. Sponsors can contact the Vermont Northern Lights Career Development Center directly for access to usable forms. For your convenience, we now offer a text-friendly version as well as the original hard-copy. Click here to view a Sample Documentation of Professional Development Form.
How do I complete a Documentation of Professional Development Form?
The Core Competencies are the foundation for Vermont’s unified system of professional development for early childhood and afterschool professionals. Core Competencies refer to the observable skills and attitudes needed by professionals in order to provide high quality early care and education. Core Competencies have been developed for both early childhood and afterschool professionals. Vermont has also developed early childhood and family mental health competencies. These documents are available on this website. You can view the Competencies webpage directly at: http://northernlights.vsc.edu/comps_intro.html
What are the Core Knowledge Areas and Subheadings, and where can I find them?
The Core Competencies include both Core Knowledge Areas and Sub-headings. Core Knowledge refers to topics (sometimes called domains) describing the knowledge needed by professionals to effectively work with young children. Subheadings refer to the sub-domains of each Core Knowledge Area. Core Knowledge Areas and Subheadings should be embedded into the content of your professional development activity. Sponsors are required to identify this on the Documentation of Professional Development Form. Click here to view or print a list of Core Knowledge Areas and Sub-headings for: Early Childhood Professionals or Afterschool Professionals.
How can I get a BFIS-friendly attendance form, and where do I send it?
A BFIS-friendly attendance form has all of the information that is needed to accurately enter documentation of professional development into a participant’s BFIS resume. This includes their name, mailing address, phone number, e-mail address, place of employment, and BFIS Quality and Credential ID #. This information also allows us to regularly update contact information for BFIS users. Completed attendance forms can be sent to: Sylvia Kennedy-Godin c/o Vermont Northern Lights Career Development Center PO Box 120. CCV Wasson Hall, Waterbury VT 05676-0120. Or take the fast track, and e-mail your information to professional.development@ccv.edu Questions? Call 802-2414658 Click here to view or print a blank Attendance Form.
Where can I find high-quality professional development instructors?
You can find high-quality professional development instructors in Vermont’s Instructor Registry! The Instructor Registry is a web-based, searchable database of approved instructors teaching adults in the early childhood and afterschool professions. There are five types of instructors in the Registry, and they have been approved based on their educational background and experience. The Instructor Registry is a resource for Sponsors of professional development, and can be accessed through this website. You can learn more about the Instructor Registry by visiting the following webpage: http://northernlights.vsc.edu/instructor.html
Click here for a visual summary of the BFIS Professional Development Loop for Sponsors.
- What is BFIS?
- What are the professional development features of BFIS for Individuals?
- What are the professional development features of BFIS for Sponsors of professional development?
Families can find information about child care and after school programs. Providers can access the information they need to run their business and to support their professional development.
Organizations that sponsor professional development can connect to the professionals who seek it!
BFIS is comprised of several sections including licensing, child care services, subsidy, grants, and professional development. Many providers are linked to more than one section.
The professional development features within BFIS are helpful to both individuals and to organizations sponsoring professional development. The professional development features of BFIS include:
- A statewide Course Calendar of professional development opportunities for early childhood and afterschool practitioners.
- Free advertising for sponsors of professional development events.
- An online professional development resume for individuals that includes a place to document education, work experience, credentials, certificates, attendance at workshops and conferences, and professional development planning.
- Quick and easy tracking of professional development for individuals and sponsors who join the BFIS Loop!
Click on any question for accurate, user-friendly information:
- What is the BFIS Course Calendar, and how can I use it to find professional development opportunities?
- How does my attendance at professional development events get into the BFIS System?
- What is a Quality and Credential account?
- How do I get a Quality and Credential Account?
- How do I access my new Quality and Credential account after I receive my user name and temporary password?
Hundreds of statewide professional development opportunities for early childhood and afterschool practitioners (such as workshops, classes and conferences), are listed and updated regularly on the BFIS Course Calendar. To check out he Course Calendar, go to: http://brightfuturesinfo.org Click the Resources tab at the top of the page, and then select Course Calendar. There are many ways to search for professional development opportunities within the BFIS Course Calendar. Sometimes searching with keywords can be hit or miss, so the very best way to search for upcoming training is by Session Start Dates. Begin with the current calendar date and project ahead for any length of time. This will give you the most updated information of upcoming statewide professional development opportunities!
EXAMPLE: Session Start Date From: 06/01/2008 (mm/dd/yyyy) Session Start Date To: 08/31/2008 (mm/dd/yyyy)
How does my attendance at professional development events get into the BFIS System?
There are 2 ways that this can happen:
- If the training is posted in Course Calendar, and the Sponsor sends training attendance to the Vermont Northern Lights Career Development Center, you don’t need to do anything! Northern Lights will add the training information to your BFIS online resume for you.
- If you attend a training that is not listed in Course Calendar and the Sponsor will not be sending the training attendance to us, all you have to do is send a copy of your documentation of professional development form to Northern Lights, and we can still enter the information into your BFIS online resume for you!
A person can have more than one account within BFIS, depending on which child development systems and services they use. For instance, there are separate accounts for subsidy billing, grant applications, child care licensing, etc. The Quality and Credential Account is for professional development. It’s where you can keep track of the training you’ve attended, and create your easy to use online resume!
How do I get a Quality and Credential Account?
If you are already an eProvider in the BFIS System, follow these instructions:
- Go to the BFIS homepage. http://www.brightfuturesinfo.org
- Scroll down on the homepage and click the Child Care Worker/Credential User Login.
- Use your existing user ID and Password for System Login.
- When you enter your account, click on the Resume bar at the top of the page.
- Your Quality Case ID will be listed on the upper left hand side of the page.
- Your professional development tools will be shown in the bars just below your Q&C ID #.
If you new to BFIS, follow these instructions:
- To obtain a user ID and password, go to: https://bfishelp.ahs.state.vt.us and select How Do I Sign Up from the menu at the top of the page.
- Fill out the form, and select Credentialing Account Only from the drop-down menu.
- Click sign me up and agree to the terms and conditions.
- A user name and password will be sent to the e-mail address you provided.
- First, go to the BFIS website homepage at: http://www.brightfuturesinfo.org
- On the homepage, scroll down and click the Child Care Worker/ Credential User login button.
- Enter your user name and temporary password to log in. (Copy and paste the password from the BFIS e-mail that was sent to you.)
- You will be prompted to change your temporary password. Enter a new password that you create, and be sure to write it down somewhere for future reference!
- Now you can log-in using your new password. You will be taken to your Quality and Credential Account.
- When you enter your account, click on the Resume bar at the top of the page.
- Your Quality Case ID will be listed on the upper left hand side of the page.
- Your professional development tools will be shown in the bars just below your Q&C ID #.
Click here for a visual summary of the BFIS Professional Development Loop for Individuals.
BFIS Professional Development features for SPONSORS
Click on any question for accurate, user-friendly information:
- How do I list professional development offerings in the BFIS Course Calendar?
- Where can I get a Documentation of Professional Development form?
- How do I complete a Documentation of Professional Development Form?
- What are Core Competencies, and where can I find them?
- What are Core Knowledge Areas and Sub-headings, and where can I find them?
- How can I get a BFIS-friendly attendance form, and where do I send it?
- Where can I find high-quality professional development instructors?
The Vermont Northern Lights Career Development Center will post your information.
- Begin by using the BFIS Course Calendar checklist as your guide. You will notice that specific information must be included in your announcement. Click here to view or print the BFIS Course Calendar Checklist.
- At least a month in advance, send your Course Calendar information to: Sylvia Kennedy-Godin c/o Vermont Northern Lights Career Development Center PO Box 120. CCV Wasson Hall, Waterbury VT 05676-0120. Or take the fast track, and e-mail your information to professional.development@ccv.edu Questions? Call 802-2414658
A Documentation of Professional Development Form is available to any Sponsor who is interested in joining Vermont’s early childhood and afterschool professional development system. For security purposes, we have posted a view only form on our website. Sponsors can contact the Vermont Northern Lights Career Development Center directly for access to usable forms. For your convenience, we now offer a text-friendly version as well as the original hard-copy. Click here to view a Sample Documentation of Professional Development Form.
How do I complete a Documentation of Professional Development Form?
- Sponsors should complete one form for each professional development activity that they are offering. If you are sponsoring a series, each session should be documented individually. If you are sponsoring a conference, individual forms should be completed for each workshop. Click here to view or print A Sponsor’s Guide to Completing a Documentation of Professional Development Form.
- Have the Instructor sign the completed form prior to making copies to distribute to participants.
- Workshop Facilitator Instructions are available for instructors who are unfamiliar with the purpose of the Documentation of Professional Development Form. Click here to view or print the Workshop Facilitator Instructions.
The Core Competencies are the foundation for Vermont’s unified system of professional development for early childhood and afterschool professionals. Core Competencies refer to the observable skills and attitudes needed by professionals in order to provide high quality early care and education. Core Competencies have been developed for both early childhood and afterschool professionals. Vermont has also developed early childhood and family mental health competencies. These documents are available on this website. You can view the Competencies webpage directly at: http://northernlights.vsc.edu/comps_intro.html
What are the Core Knowledge Areas and Subheadings, and where can I find them?
The Core Competencies include both Core Knowledge Areas and Sub-headings. Core Knowledge refers to topics (sometimes called domains) describing the knowledge needed by professionals to effectively work with young children. Subheadings refer to the sub-domains of each Core Knowledge Area. Core Knowledge Areas and Subheadings should be embedded into the content of your professional development activity. Sponsors are required to identify this on the Documentation of Professional Development Form. Click here to view or print a list of Core Knowledge Areas and Sub-headings for: Early Childhood Professionals or Afterschool Professionals.
How can I get a BFIS-friendly attendance form, and where do I send it?
A BFIS-friendly attendance form has all of the information that is needed to accurately enter documentation of professional development into a participant’s BFIS resume. This includes their name, mailing address, phone number, e-mail address, place of employment, and BFIS Quality and Credential ID #. This information also allows us to regularly update contact information for BFIS users. Completed attendance forms can be sent to: Sylvia Kennedy-Godin c/o Vermont Northern Lights Career Development Center PO Box 120. CCV Wasson Hall, Waterbury VT 05676-0120. Or take the fast track, and e-mail your information to professional.development@ccv.edu Questions? Call 802-2414658 Click here to view or print a blank Attendance Form.
Where can I find high-quality professional development instructors?
You can find high-quality professional development instructors in Vermont’s Instructor Registry! The Instructor Registry is a web-based, searchable database of approved instructors teaching adults in the early childhood and afterschool professions. There are five types of instructors in the Registry, and they have been approved based on their educational background and experience. The Instructor Registry is a resource for Sponsors of professional development, and can be accessed through this website. You can learn more about the Instructor Registry by visiting the following webpage: http://northernlights.vsc.edu/instructor.html
Click here for a visual summary of the BFIS Professional Development Loop for Sponsors.
©
Vermont Northern Lights Career Development Center
Last modified August 31, 2008