To learn about the new 2007 re-certification system, download the Re-certification 2007 Flow Chart and the Personal Re-certification Log.

Please note that the Web site has been updated. 
The heading Re-certification 07 has been changed to Re-certification.

**NEW **  Click here for a presentation on the new re-certification process, including how to enter CEUs.

Some Online Features Not Available This Month

During the January transition, technicians may not be able to register for re-certification or enter their required activities. All other online features remain available. We appreciate your patience and interest in CPS. 

In December, all technicians whose certifications were set to expire in January or February were automatically extended by two months. 

UPDATED:  CEUs may be awarded in half-hour increments

Educational sessions lasting 90 minutes may now be awarded 1.5 CEUs. The ability to enter half credits will be an option.

• 3/4 hr (45 min) - 1 hr 15 min = 1 CEU
• 1 hr 15 min - 1 hr 45 min = 1.5 CEUs
• 1 hr 45 min - 2 hr 15 min = 2 CEUs

Instructors can now enter a reason for marking a technician's seat check as failed. This response will be included in the e-mail notification that is sent to the technician.  

Specific suggestions for improving the online system are welcome and can be submitted via e-mail.
 

Re-certification 2007 Reminder  

Curriculum Update from the CPS Board

The National CPS Board is in the process of updating the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's National Standardized CPS Certification Course. The revised curriculum will reflect the Board and NHTSA's commitment to CPS technicians as educators rather than installers, as was initially intended when the course was developed.

The following is a message to CPS Technicians and Instructors from the
National CPS Board’s Curriculum Committee:

“The National Child Passenger Safety Board’s Curriculum Committee met the week of December 4th to begin planning the roll out and delivery of the revised curriculum when it is FINAL. We don’t have an actual distribution date as we are still finalizing some of the components that are part of this course things like the expanded appendix, the index, revised glossary, updated Planning and Logistics Guide, to name a few! Once we finalize the initial draft of the curriculum, we’ll run 2 pilot courses, make revisions following pilots and then go to press for the larger printing. Somewhere along the way a rumor made it appear that the curriculum would be ready to go in January, 2007. That is not the case, but it will be in your hands in 2007.”
 

Lifesavers Pre-conference Session

Preparing to Teach the Revised Child Passenger Safety Certification Course: Certified Instructors

Saturday, March 24, 2007 - 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

This session is open to the first 100 certified instructors and approved instructor candidates who pre-register for it. It is for those interested in seeing how the course has changed, how those revisions affect them as instructors and how they can support other instructors in their states.

The revised curriculum represents a paradigm shift because it focuses on equipping technicians to offer curbside education to build confident parents and caregivers. Technicians do not install child restraints for the parent/caregiver but instead teach them how to do it.

Changes in the curriculum include an emphasis on exercises that will prepare technicians for curbside education, a new assessment tool that does not involve computerized scoring and some new teaching components to reach out to diverse technician candidates.

There is a concerted effort to increase the numbers of people who successfully complete the course. Curriculum specialists have evaluated the revised course for readability and literacy levels, relevant assessment tools and skills testing.

The session is free, but attendees must pre-register. Download a registration form from http://lifesaversconference.org/forms/CPSinstructorregform.pdf.

Source: http://lifesaversconference.org/cpsactivities.html

Renewal Course Finalization

All Renewal courses with complete hands on skills scores but incomplete online test scores will be Finalized over the next several weeks. 

Unlike Certification courses, Renewal course finalization does not trigger any letters. All people in the course get their score letters individually rather than as a class.  This will have no effect on the online tests of anyone in your course.

If you have any questions, please contact us.  Thank you and we look forward to offering an updated Renewal course soon.

This section shares information on available continuing education opportunities.  We are not able to include information on state or local conferences, training or other technical updates. 

This information is provided as a resource only. Events and activities listed here are not endorsed by Safe Kids Worldwide unless otherwise noted.

SUBMISSIONS: Please e-mail the necessary information (following the format below) to Kerry Chausmer.  We are especially interested in online offerings.

Event: Lifesavers Conference
Dates: March 25-27, 2007
Fees/Requirements: See Web Site
National CPS Board members will be on hand to provide proof of attendance for CEUs at CPS technical sessions. 
For more information: http://lifesaversconference.org/index.html

COMING SOON:

Facilitator/provider: National CPS Board
Topic: To be announced
Format: Online course
Date/Time: To be determined
Fees/Requirements: None
For more information: To be announced

Are You A CPS Nerd? Test Your Knowledge!

This section highlights trivia and facts about child passenger safety.

Please submit your ideas to Kerry Chausmer and be sure to tell us how you would like your name to appear.

Where is the 2008 Lifesavers Conference?

Answer at the end of this newsletter.   
 

Safe Kids Buckle Up Checklist Updated

A new Child Passenger Safety Checklist is now available for all events sponsored by the Safe Kids Buckle Up program. The form allows Safe Kids Worldwide to provide quality assurance and standardized service nationwide. The form is also a liability tool to ensure that all Safe Kids Buckle Up checkup events, technicians, senior checkers, lead agencies and -- most importantly -- kids are protected.  The form was redesigned to better collect the information necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of the checkup events. 

The newest version of the checklist was created after 10 months of pilot testing an updated version of the original form. SKW sent that updated version to field members to review and to test at events. Comments about ease of use and functionality of the form were collected and incorporated to create this final version. 

A generic version of this form will be available on the certification Web site under Resources--> Forms in the next few weeks. You can use that form for events outside the Safe Kids Buckle Up program.

Submitted by Jacquie Dukehart, Safe Kids Worldwide (Washington, DC) 

Oklahoma Mourns the Loss of a CPSTI

The CPS community recently lost a true friend and partner with the death of Lt. J.C. Burris, an 18-year veteran of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.  Burris -- or JC as he was better known -- was the “face” of the Oklahoma Click It or Ticket program. 

He became Law Enforcement Liaison to the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office in 1999, where he was a leading proponent of traffic safety issues, but he adopted occupant protection, and in particular child passenger safety, as his banner program. He actively encouraged law enforcement agencies to share the CPS and seat belt messages while enforcing restraint laws.

Burris was a second-generation law enforcement professional and a 1988 graduate of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol academy. He was recognized among his peers nationwide as a dedicated public safety authority. His many local and national awards include being named Oklahoma Trooper of the Year in 1995 for his efforts in the aftermath of the Murrow Building bombing and winning the National Law Enforcement Liaison Award in 2002. Safe Kids Oklahoma named him CPS Volunteer of the Year in 2005. 

Submitted by Jay Wall, Oklahoma Highway Safety Office (Oklahoma City, Okla.)

Why can't I add my seat checks or register for re-certification?

Due to the programming requirements of moving to a new CEU-based process, users may not be able to access or enter re-certification information in January. All other online features remain available.

We appreciate your patience as we work on the new system.  Once it is ready, you will be able to enter CEUs as you collect them

Do instructors get CEUs when they participate in an update?

Any certified attendees should get credit for attending an update. For example, if a lecturer stays for an entire update, he or she would get the maximum allowed.  If a lecturer only stays for two 60 minute sessions, he or she would get 2 CEUs.

Where is the 2008 Lifesavers Conference?

The 2008 Lifesavers conference will be held April 13-15, 2008 in Portland, Ore.

Questions? Comments? Concerns?

Safe Kids Worldwide
CPS Certification
1301 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20004

Phone: 877-366-8154 (toll free)
Fax: 202-393-2072
cps.certification@safekids.org