What is New Staff Orientation (NSO)?

• New Staff Orientation (NSO) is a 16-hour curriculum with 30 units covering basic orientation information for new child care center staff.
• It can be initiated immediately, on-site, during brief period of time when there is appropriate staff coverage.
• The staff member observes brief 15-minute video clips of best practice and completes a brief activity and an assignment to measure learning outcomes.
• Worksheet assignments are mailed to Iowa State University for review and a certificate of completion is issued.

What are the benefits of NSO?

• Training can be completed on-site
• Training can be completed during paid work hours
• Training can be completed any time of the year, it is not dependent on time/availability of local or regional workshops
• Makes it easier to achieve compliance in meeting training requirements
• Engages director as a partner in review and sign-off process
• Video examples provide excellent demonstration of best practice for new staff
• Director's receive training on implementing the NSO curriculum
• NSO's format provides great statewide consistency in delivery of training.

What topics does NSO cover?
Click here for a detailed list of topics.

Who can use NSO?
NSO is designed for new child care center and preschool staff. Directors or supervisors of each child care or preschool program wishing to use NSO must attend a 6-hour Director's training program to learn how to fully implement NSO.

Is NSO suitable for infant and toddler staff?
Yes. NSO fully addresses infant and toddler care and is in alignment with Program for Infant and Toddler (PITC) principles.

Is NSO suitable for school-age staff?
School-age and after-school program staff may complete the NSO workbook for the full 16 hours of credit. Many of the concepts presented in NSO are very appropriate for school-age staff. However, staff will be required to view video clips of diapering and toddler development and complete related workbook activities. Partial credit will not be given.

Is NSO suitable for Head Start or public preschool staff?
Yes. However, the NSO program requires director/supervisor participation. A director or supervisor must be on-site and available on a regular basis (at least weekly) to respond to questions, review workbook activities, and sign the workbooks.

Can very small preschool programs with only 2 or 3 staff participate in the NSO program?
Yes. There still needs to be a lead person designated to participate in the 6-hour Director's training and to serve as a supervisor to sign off on workbooks.

Can long-term, experienced staff participate in the NSO training?
Yes. Many directors find that it is useful for all staff to participate in the NSO training, have their workbooks reviewed, and receive the 16 hours of training credit.

How is the center director involved?
Directors or supervisors of each child care center or preschool program wishing to to use the NSO must attend a 6-hour Director's training program to learn how to fully implement NSO. Only Director's who have completed this 6-hour training are able to sign-off on staff workbook units.

Workbook assignments frequently require staff to talk briefly with the director about workbook topics. This is a time for directors to give feedback on workbook assignments and work with the staff member on any additional information or corrections that need to be made to the workbook assignment.

Directors are required to sign-off on each completed workbook assignment ( 30 units in all) before sending it in for review and certification.

Note: Directors or supervisors must be on-site and available on a regular basis (at least weekly) to respond to questions, review workbook activities, and sign worksheets.

How do I get the NSO curriculum?
Child care center and preschool program directors must attend a 6-hour Director's training to learn how to fully implement the program.

Directors must attend the full 6-hour training to receive the curriculum.

At the end of the training, Directors will receive a free copy of the NSO DVD and a Master copy of the NSO workbook.

Is there a cost for the Better Kid Care Iowa New Staff Orientation?
Funding support from State Empowerment Early Childhood Iowa currently allows us to offer the Iowa NSO Director's training, Workbook review, DVD, and Workbook Master for free.