Maryland Pyramid Model

The Maryland Pyramid Model newsletter will now be sent out quarterly and will continue to include resources to support your efforts to implement the Pyramid Model within your communities, homes, and work. We feature opportunities for professional learning, resources for caregivers and families, and news to support the social and emotional development and well-being of our youngest citizens and students. Please send your questions or resources and events you would like us to share to piec@ssw.umaryland.edu.

The Elevating Equity Subcommittee of the Maryland Pyramid Model State Leadership Team (SLT) has continued meeting monthly to explore the characteristics of White Supremacy Culture to foster an inclusive and equitable environment as we facilitate the implementation of the Pyramid Model throughout Maryland.

The Maryland Pyramid Model serves as our guide for promoting social-emotional competence and preventing challenging behaviors in young children. White Supremacy Culture encompasses norms and behaviors that perpetuate inequities and hinders the subcommittee’s efforts. By proactively examining and addressing these characteristics, we take a significant step towards dismantling institutional biases that may exist within our practices. As we strive to create nurturing learning environments, it is essential to recognize and dismantle any systemic barriers that may impede the achievement of our goal to meet the needs of children who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), with varying abilities, speak English as a second language (ESL), engaged in special education, and members of non-traditional households.

During our conversations in the Elevating Equity Subcommittee meetings, we examine how White Supremacy Culture comes into play with our implementation of the Pyramid Model in Maryland. We have been discussing the implications for:

State-level decision-making?
Workforce?
Training, coaching content, structure, and/or process?
Families?
Classrooms and direct services for children?

During our next Elevating Equity Subcommittee meeting on January 4, 2024 at 11 AM ET, we will focus on ONE RIGHT WAY (along with PERFECTIONISM, PATERNALISM, OBJECTIVITY and QUALIFIED). Members will be encouraged to reflect on the characteristic and share examples of how it shows up in our SLT work. All (even those not currently serving in an official capacity on the SLT) are encouraged to join in on the discussion.

Hope to see you there!
Join Meeting: Click here to join meeting.
Meeting ID: 927 5803 2360
Passcode: 373167

Upcoming meeting dates in 2024: January 4, January 26 & February 22 (all at 11am. ET)

The Maryland Pyramid Model State Leadership Team (SLT) met for our Monthly meeting on October 2nd. During that meeting, our expanding collaboration with Pyramid Model Consortium was discussed, and the new SLT schedule was introduced, which included shifting to a quarterly meeting format, with subcommittees and workgroups continuing to meet monthly. This new format ensures that participants can focus monthly on specific areas of interest and need, while reserving time quarterly to share progress and resources. Subcommittees plan to report out about their activities during our upcoming SLT Benchmarks of Quality (BOQ) Retreat being held on January 9 at Anne Arundel Community College (AACC), where the team will review the Benchmarks of Quality and make plans for the upcoming year. Many thanks to Candy Place and her team at AACC for providing space for us to gather!

Questions? Contact Pyramid Model Program Director, Ashley Fehringer ashley.fehringer@ssw.umaryland.edu

We are delighted to share the Maryland IECMHC Workforce Salary Study! The aim of this report was to learn about current salary ranges offered to our state’s Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) workforce and explore the possibility of creating a set of recommendations for IECMHC salaries in Maryland. This report was created by the PIEC team at the University of Maryland’s School of Social Work’s Institute for Innovation and Implementation and funded by the Maryland State Department of Education’s Division of Early Childhood. Please share widely, and contact piec@ssw.umaryland.edu with any questions, ideas, or reflections.

Last month, the PIEC team Co-Directors, Kaya Swann and Laura Latta, presented two workshops at the Georgetown’s Center of Excellence, Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation annual conference: Equity from the Start. The first workshop, Diversity Pathways for Maryland’s IECMHC Workforce, described the statewide efforts to support and retain existing IECMHC staff and to expand and diversify the IECMHC workforce. The second workshop, Maryland’s Equity Mapping Project, explored both the static maps that overlay where IECMH consultation services were provided in the context of the socio-demographic and child care data for the state.

Check out our free Online Trainings!

Please check out our online training series! These trainings are self-paced and are approved for up to 18 MSDE COK clock hours per series. The Preschool Modules were updated in 2019 and the Infant & Toddler Classroom Modules were updated in 2021. Both series incorporate new information about social and emotional development, impacts of trauma, and cultural contexts, delivered via updated interactive technology to make a fun and engaging online training experience.

Click here to access the modules. (Links will be active until 12/30/23, then stay tuned for an announcement about these modules shifting to our new learning management system.)

Recent Pyramid Model Trainings!

Fall TOT in the Updated Pyramid Model Curriculum
The Parent, Infant, & Early Childhood (PIEC) Team at the University of Maryland School of Social Work’s Institute for Innovation and Implementation hosted the National Pyramid Model Preschool training for 25 participants. This updated model focuses on infusing equity.

Trainers participated in 3 days of virtual TOT Pyramid Model training on Tuesday November 28th, Tuesday December 5th, and Tuesday December 12th. Participants will now be able to provide training to early childhood educators and child care providers who serve children ages 3-6 throughout the state. Please check out the Pyramid Model website to find trainers in your area.

Click here to find a trainer near you.

Fall Positive Solutions for Families Facilitators Training

On Thursday, December 7th, 26 early childhood professionals participated in the Positive Solutions for Families Facilitator (PSF) Training. These participants completed an application and participated in pre-work prior to the training. Now fully trained, these facilitators can provide groups for families grounded in the Pyramid Model curriculum. This gives families access to the same strategies to support and understand social emotional needs that their children’s educators have.

Facilitators will also participate in 6-month follow-up coaching provided by the PIEC team.

We are pleased to introduce you to Maryland’s first Pyramid Model Implementation Sites! 

Kiddie Academy of Kent Island - Queen Anne's County
Rainbow Childcare II – Prince George’s County
Greenbelt Children’s Center – Prince George’s County
Bradley Hills Presbyterian Nursery School – Montgomery County
Head Start / Early Head Start of Washington County – Washington County

Work is ongoing at these implementation sites, where directors continue to meet with their assigned program coaches and convene their site’s Pyramid Model Leadership Teams. Current goals include completing the first benchmark of quality, working through staff training plans, and beginning classroom observations and coaching. Our team facilitated additional supports for the sites through providing Pyramid Model kits, calm down kits, and social/emotional book selections for each classroom. We look forward to sharing more about these exciting partnerships over the next several months!

Questions? Contact Pyramid Model Program Director, Ashley Fehringer ashley.fehringer@ssw.umaryland.edu