Connecticut
Governor Lamont Announces Applications Now Being Accepted for New Members To Serve on the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood's Parent Cabinet
Press Releases
02/21/2024
Governor Lamont Announces Applications Now Being Accepted for New Members To Serve on the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood’s Parent Cabinet
(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood is now accepting applications for a new cohort of members to serve on its Parent Cabinet.
Established in 2022, the Parent Cabinet is a diverse, parent-led advisory group of 15 members that works directly with the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood and gives parents and caregivers of children from birth to age 5 a greater voice and ability in shaping laws and policies that impact young children and families. The Connecticut Office of Early Childhood is the state agency that oversees child care programs and early childhood services like Birth to Three, Home Visiting, and others.
The Parent Cabinet is open to all who care and raise children in a parenting role, including grandparents, foster parents, and other types of guardians. Members serve 2.5-year terms. The terms of the current members expire either in June 2024 or December 2024, making the membership terms staggered.
“Our administration is focused on expanding access to child care for families of all backgrounds because these programs help our entire state thrive,” Governor Lamont said. “We need the input of parents in helping to develop the next generation of child care because their voices are valuable in ensuring that Connecticut is the most family-friendly state in the country.”
“States gain getting real world knowledge when partnering with parents,” Early Childhood Commissioner Beth Bye said. “We make decisions that seem logical, but then talk to parents and find out it’s not what they need. You can have the best data in the world, but including parents with lived experience changes expectations and planning based on what families need.”
Members are compensated for their services, must live in Connecticut, and cannot be employed by the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood or otherwise receive funding from the agency. As part of their responsibilities, they spend at least 56 to 68 hours per year on their work. This includes about four to six hours each month:
- Attending or hosting regional community group meetings or events;
- Participating in mostly virtual monthly Parent Cabinet meetings and subcommittee meetings; and
- Meeting quarterly with parent ambassadors from local early childhood collaboratives and the Children’s Collective.
Additionally, members spend about 12 hours each year on:
- Additional community outreach events;
- Meeting with local parent ambassadors;
- Attending additional subcommittee meetings;
- Attending advisory committee meetings; and
- Participating in check-ins with staff from the Office of Early Childhood.
Members are asked to:
- Listen to the needs of families from all backgrounds;
- Help increase awareness around Office of Early Childhood services and supports, such as Birth to Three, Home Visiting, and Care 4 Kids;
- Make the voices of families heard on important issues, like improving laws and policies related to the needs of young children and their families; and
- Partner with local partners and communities.
Members are chosen by a selection committee consisting of an Office of Early Childhood staff member, Parent Cabinet member, and community leader. Applications are evaluated on parent leadership, lived experience, community work, and more. Members are also selected to ensure the panel is geographically balanced across the state and come from diverse backgrounds.
For more information on the Parent Cabinet and its mission, visit ctoec.org/parent-cabinet.
To apply to become a member, visit ctoec.org/parent-cabinet/apply.
The Office of Early Childhood will host a virtual information session for prospective members on Friday, February 23, 2024, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 pm. To participate in that session, click here. Another session will be held on March 6, 2024, in the evening.
- Twitter: @GovNedLamont
- Facebook: Office of Governor Ned Lamont
Connecticut
Florida High School State Bronze Medalist Dajah German Verbals To Connecticut For Fall 2027
Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.
Florida high school state bronze medalist Dajah German has announced her verbal commitment to swim and study at the University of Connecticut beginning in the fall of 2027. She publicized the news on SwimCloud, writing:
I am so excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at the University of Connecticut! I’m incredibly grateful for everyone who has supported me throughout this journey, my family, coaches, teammates, and friends who have pushed me to be my best throughout the years. And a very special thank you to Coach Chris and Coach Nicole for believing in me and giving me this opportunity. I’m so excited for what’s ahead. GO HUSKIES!
A rising senior at Fort Lauderdale High School in Florida, German trains year-round with Swim Fort Lauderdale and primarily specializes in the sprint and middle-distance freestyle events.
German has improved each year of her high school career, most recently dropping from 23.78, 51.39, and 1:50.56 in the 50/100/200 free to 23.54, 51.35, and 1:49.69 during the 2025-26 short course season.
German’s top meet of the season was the Florida Senior Championships in March, where she recorded her current PBs in both the 50 and 200 free. She finished second in the 500 free (4:55.94) and 1650 free (17:02.78), third in both the 50 free and 200 free, and fifth in the 100 free (51.43). She set her current 100 free PB at a smaller holiday meet in December. In the 500 free, she clocked a season-best 4:55.21 at the Speedo Cup in January, with her lifetime best of 4:53.19 coming at the 2025 Florida Senior Championships.
German has qualified for the FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) State Championships for the past three years, with her top performance coming at the 2025 iteration in November. She placed third in the 50 free (23.96), fifth in the 500 free (5:01.12), and helped Fort Lauderdale to fourth place in both the 200 free relay (24.64 leadoff) and 400 free relay (53.08 anchor).
Top SCY Times:
- 50 Freestyle: 23.54
- 100 Freestyle: 51.35
- 200 Freestyle: 1:49.69
- 500 Freestyle: 4:53.19
A Division I Mid-Major program, Connecticut competes in the Big East, with the women’s team placing second out of seven teams at this past season’s conference championships. German’s current lifetime bests would have placed third in the 200 free, fourth in the 500 free, eighth in the 50 free, and ninth in the 100 free, setting her up as an immediate contributor with two full seasons of training still ahead before her first conference meet.
German joins Anna Mumford, Lyla Devlin, Lena Brown, and Louisa Holda in committing to the Huskies’ class of 2031 so far.
If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].
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Here are the forecast details for northern Connecticut via the National Weather Service:
Today: Sunny, with a high near 80. Light west wind increasing to 6 to 11 mph in the morning.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 56. Northwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Monday: A chance of showers before 2pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 2pm and 4pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 4pm. Increasing clouds, with a high near 76. Calm wind becoming southeast around 6 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Monday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Low around 59. Southeast wind around 8 mph becoming southwest after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.
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