Early Care & Learning Council

Thank you to everyone who joined ECLC for our 2026 Annual Meeting on June 10th to celebrate the dedication and impact of the CCRC network across New York State. A special thank you to our sponsors Digital XPress, Gardner Media, and Kaplan for their generous support.

We were proud to recognize retirees Bruce Stewart and Dee Burlingame for their combined 58 years of service at St. Lawrence Child Care Council, and Richelle Singer of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County for her service on the ECLC Board of Directors.

Congratulations again to our award winners: Sarah G. Merrick, Commissioner of Economic Security for the Onondaga County Department of Social Services, recipient of the Excellence in Government Award, and Julie Champion, Executive Director of Child & Family Resources Inc., recipient of the Child Care Resource Leadership Award.

Thank you for making this year's Annual Meeting a success! We look forward to another great year of collaboration and innovation to continue strengthening child care across New York State.

ECLC staff attended and presented at the New York Association for the Education of Young Children (NYAEYC) annual conference.

The topics highlighted throughout the conference emphasized the dedication and passion of the Early Childhood Education workforce in advancing this essential field.

Ken Kessel will be hosting our monthly Learning Café on May 14. Join Ken virtually for this informational session offering valuable insight into language that resonates with both educators and families.

Register here at no cost: https://conta.cc/4tc9HvN