thread

Are you traveling to Anchorage for the Northwest Early Learning & Pyramid Summit? 👇

Discounted hotel room rates ($199/night) end on October 1! If you haven’t already booked your stay, visit the Hilton Anchorage website, select "Special Rates" and use group code NWELPS to get your discount. 🙌

This summit offers two days of professional development focused on evidence-based strategies for supporting positive behavior, building effective learning environments, and enhancing early learning outcomes. thread is a proud sponsor of the summit and we look forward to being there! 🤩

Book your stay here:

🔗 https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/ancahhf-hilton-anchorage/

📅 Join us Saturday, October 3, in Wasilla for the next Early Educator Symposium!

Discover how play-based learning creates opportunities for curiosity, connection, and growth - just like the vibrant life found in Alaska's tide pools. 🌊

Spend the day alongside fellow early educators exploring hands-on, research-informed strategies that support children's curiosity, social-emotional development, and sense of belonging. You'll leave with practical ideas you can use in your classroom right away.

🎁 GIVEAWAYS
✨ 6 hours of Alaska SEED-approved training

Reserve your spot today:

🔗 https://www.threadalaska.org/thread/educators-and-programs/early-educators/early-educators/2026-27-symposium-series/

Early Educator Symposiums - Thread thread’s 2026-27 Early Childhood Educator SymposiumsOffered Statewide! Symposium Giveaways! Every tide pool holds surprises! These are just a glimpse of the treasures waiting to be discovered this year. Attend a... Read more »

🚨 NOW OPEN! The 2026 Alaska SEED Mini ROOTS Award application is officially live!

If you're an eligible early childhood educator, don't wait - funding is limited and awards are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

🗓️ Applications will be open until November 16, 2026, or until funding is fully awarded.

You may be eligible if you:

🌿 Are an active Alaska SEED Registry member.
🌿 Work as a paid employee in a licensed or approved child care program, Head Start/Early Head Start (including Tribal programs), Parents as Teachers, or as a pre-elementary paraprofessional in a school district.

Before you apply, make sure you have:

✅ An active Alaska SEED Registry membership
✅ A completed and signed IRS Form W-9 using your personal information

The 2026 Mini ROOTS Award is supported through one-time federal Preschool Development Grant B-5 funding and the Alaska SEED Child Care Resource & Referral grant. 🙌

Learn more, confirm your eligibility, and apply today:

🔗 https://www.threadalaska.org/seed/financial-support/2026roots

Help strengthen the future of child care in Alaska!

As we come to the final weeks of our 40th Anniversary Celebration, we invite you to join us in recognizing 40 years of strengthening child care in Alaska with a gift to thread’s 40th Anniversary Campaign! 🤗

Thanks to you, families across Alaska will have more opportunities to find affordable, reliable care for the youngest members of their families. 🫂

Thanks to you, child care professionals can access trainings and resources to support their professional growth. 💗

Thanks to you, children can gain vital early learning experiences in safe, nurturing educational environments. 👶

Please make a gift today in support of children, families, and educators!

We are SO close - Help us reach 100% of our goal! Together we can build a strong future for child care in Alaska. 💜

https://secure.givelively.org/donate/thread

🚨 The 2026 Alaska SEED Mini ROOTS Award opens tomorrow, September 25, at 3 pm!

Keep an eye on your inbox for the official announcement.

⏰ Applications are open until November 16, 2026, or while funding is available. Funding is limited, so eligible educators are encouraged to apply early!

You may be eligible if you:

🌿 Are an active Alaska SEED Registry member.
🌿 Work as a paid employee in a licensed or approved child care program, Head Start/Early Head Start (including Tribal programs), Parents as Teachers, or as a pre-elementary paraprofessional in a school district.

Before you apply, be sure you have:

✅ An active Alaska SEED Registry membership
✅ A completed and signed IRS Form W-9 (using your personal information)

The 2026 Mini ROOTS Award is made possible through one-time federal Preschool Development Grant B-5 funding and the Alaska SEED Child Care Resource & Referral grant. 🙌

Join the Alaska SEED Registry here:

https://www.threadalaska.org/seed/registry/join-the-alaska-seed-registry

Download an IRS Form W-9 here:
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf

What a fantastic kickoff to thread's first Early Educator Symposium in Juneau on September 19! 🎉

From meaningful conversations and shared lessons learned to hands-on activities, laughter, and plenty of PLAY, the day was packed with inspiration and connection. We loved seeing early childhood educators come together to learn, grow, and celebrate the incredible work they do every day. 💙

We’re already looking forward to our next stop in Wasilla on October 3! If you're planning to join us, don't wait to register - spots fill up quickly, and we don't want you to miss out on the fun, learning, and opportunities to connect with fellow educators.

See you in Wasilla! 🌊

🔗 https://bit.ly/4gmRffR

A new federal tax benefit may be available to Alaska’s early childhood educators. 👇

A recent change to federal tax law expands the educator's expense deduction to include eligible early childhood educators. That means some early childhood educators may be able to deduct qualifying, unreimbursed expenses related to their work when they file their federal taxes.

The provision applies to qualifying expenses paid or incurred for tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.

Who may qualify? 👀

The expanded deduction applies to eligible early childhood educators who meet the requirements outlined in federal law, including working in a qualifying early childhood education program.

Because tax situations vary, we encourage educators to talk with a qualified tax professional about whether they qualify, and which expenses may be deductible.

thread is sharing this information to help Alaska’s early childhood workforce stay informed about resources and opportunities that may support their work. Visit the link below for more information:

🔗 https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5334/text?s=2&r=1

Have you considered applying for Go NAPSACC? 😊

Through this Quality Initiative (QI) you’ll receive technical assistance from thread to plan and support the health, nutrition, and physical activity of the children in your program. This is an asynchronous training - meaning you can complete it ✨on your own time!✨

You will also receive a financial grant of $1,250 to work towards any physical activity and nutrition goals.

🚨 Deadline to apply is October 4.

Learn about eligibility requirements and apply here:

🔗 threadalaska.org/qi2027

Last night, early childhood professionals joined a conversation with thread CEO Stephanie Berglund to learn about thread's current offerings and discuss key topics impacting early childhood education. ✨

The discussion included questions about thread services, improving access to Alaska IN!, and supporting early educators pursuing their Child Development Associate Credential (CDA). Stephanie highlighted the many ways thread and Alaska SEED continue to help early educators earn their CDA, including financial support and resources. 🙌

Thank you to everyone who joined the conversation! ❤️

If you would like to join the next thread conversation, or any other thread training, have a look at our training calendar and register here:

🔗 https://thread-alaska.my.site.com/portal/s/training-calendar

It was an incredible weekend at the NIAAEYC Conference in Fairbanks on September 18! 🤩

A huge thank you to everyone who stopped by the thread booth, shared their stories, asked thoughtful questions, and connected with our team. 🙌 We had so many meaningful conversations with early childhood professionals who are making a difference for Alaska's children and families every day. 💕

Thank you to NIAAEYC for hosting such a fantastic event and bringing Alaska's early childhood community together. We’re grateful to have been part of it and are already looking forward to seeing everyone again next year! ☺️