SKCDC EDUCATION and FAMILY SERVICES IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

SKCDC EDUCATION and FAMILY SERVICES IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Our children need to go to school prepared and ready to learn. These are the steps we have developed to ensure we get there.

HOME VISITS and PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES

Our Philosophy

Home visits and conferences provide staff and families with the opportunity to build mutually respectful relationships that are culturally responsive and bridge a positive connection between home and school that enhances the family’s participation in the program. Each participant has a responsibility to share pertinent information and to strive to understand the perspective that each brings to this partnership. Parents and family members are the “forever” people in a child’s life. Therefore, our job in Head Start is to engage as equal partners in children’s learning and development and work together with families to identify and achieve family and child goals and aspirations. Families are engaged as equal partners in their child’s learning and development and work together with staff to identify and achieve their goals and aspirations (Head Start Parent, Family, and Community Engagement Framework, 2011).

Home Visits

Head Start and Early Head Start Teachers are required to conduct two home visits per year for each enrolled child. See the Education Timeline for due dates. These visits last approximately one hour and teachers arrange a mutually convenient time with families. Documentation for all home visits is completed in Child Plus, our web-based Student Information System.

The first home visit includes a review of the Family Handbook, classroom schedule, Education and Family Services Philosophy, Developmentally Appropriate Practices for Early Learning, the School Readiness Plan, the importance of attendance, and Pedestrian Safety information. Other talking points are the center, agency, policy council, parent meetings, community family engagement opportunities and upcoming events. This is also an opportunity to discuss the child’s interests and family input into the curriculum.

Most importantly, this initial home visit is the opportunity to build on the process of partnership development and begin goal setting with families. Family goals can be for child development/education, health services, attendance, and/or family resources or supports needed. Each goal developed must include strategies for completion, person responsible and timelines. The Family Assessment Questionnaire is also completed by the family, scored by the staff and family together, and provides useful information in supporting family goal development. A copy of Fun and Learning for Parents and Children: Activities and Game Ideas is provided for Head Start families or ASQ activities for Early Head Start families.

For specific guidance on the documentation of education home visits, combo-option home visits, and family goals in Child Plus, see the “Guidance on Documenting HV, PTC, and Family Goals in Child Plus”.

At the second home visit, family goals are reviewed, updated and entered into Child Plus, and the Family Assessment Questionnaire is completed again. The Development and Learning Report (DLR) from Teaching Strategies Gold (TSG) is reviewed and provided to parents, as well as Kindergarten transition information, if applicable. At any time throughout the year, an interim home visit can be arranged by the teacher or parent if necessary.

Teachers providing services to families in the combination option model will conduct two home visits per month for each family to supplement the two days of classroom attendance each week. At some locations, the child may attend the center three days per week and have one supplemental home visit. The frequency of home visits in this model allow for more frequent review of family goals. Documentation of this ongoing partnership work is entered into Child Plus as applicable.

Head Start and Early Head Start Home Visitors are required to conduct a weekly home visit for a minimum of ninety (90) minutes. These visits are conducted in the home and cannot be replaced by medical or social service appointments. The Home Visitor must complete forty-six (46) EHS home visits and thirty-four (34) HS home visits through each program year for each family. A Family Plan is completed in partnership with the family at each home visit. The Family Assessment Questionnaire is completed twice annually. The DLR is shared and provided at the end of the first and second assessment cycles. The TSG Individual Child Report (with all three checkpoints) and Kindergarten transition information, as applicable, is provided at the end of the third assessment cycle.

Parent/Teacher Conferences

Head Start and Early Head Start Teachers are required to conduct two parent/teacher conferences annually for each child enrolled in their classroom. See the Education Timeline for due dates. These meetings last approximately 30 minutes and are scheduled at a convenient time for the family.

NOTE: Documentation for all conferences is completed in Child Plus as outlined in the “Guidance on Documenting HV, PTC, and Family Goals in Child Plus”.

At the first parent/teacher conference, family goals are reviewed and new goals developed as appropriate. The DLR is shared and provided to parents.

At the second parent/teacher conference, a copy of the Individual Child Report and the Portfolio is shared and provided to the family.

CURRICULUM PLANNING

Head Start Classrooms—Opening the World of Learning (OWL)

The OWL curriculum provides research informed content that captures children’s natural curiosity about the world into an activity-centered day. Teachers are provided with the OWL units and materials to guide curriculum planning. Teachers are supported in implementation of the OWL curriculum via ongoing coaching and supervision. Important safety note: for OWL activities involving small parts it is essential that teachers plan to ensure adequate supervision. To support this we have provided choking test tubes for all classrooms. Any activity with small parts must have direct adult supervision at all times.

Weekly Planning Form

As part of OWL, curriculum plans are provided for four or five weeks in each of the six Units of Study depending on your program. See Education Timeline for the OWL Unit time table. On each weekly plan sheet, teachers are required to complete the additional sections of math, iPad/computer, health/nutrition, small group, special activities (as applicable), and outdoor time. See guidance below for these five curriculum areas. A minimum of one (1) LFOAI/LTAI from the weekly plan is implemented each week; this can be completed during small group time one day per week unless your schedule allows otherwise. Circle which LFOAI on the weekly plan in order for your supervisor to know which one was implemented. Teachers are also required to complete a curriculum plan using the OWL format for the extension week(s) that falls after each unit. These weeks give you the opportunity to expand on topics and include some additional topics that may have emerged as your work with children progressed.

· Math activities are planned based on children’s individual goals. High Five Mathematize is the resource provided to support curriculum development in this developmental domain.

· iPad/computer experiences are offered on a regular basis to support individual skill development or to enhance classroom research. See our Guidance for Teachers – Use of Technology.

· Health/Nutrition experiences are planned to support children’s physical well-being. This could include activities that focus on preparation for dental and doctor visits, cooking activities, preparation of a lunch component, gardening, a lesson on table setting or tooth brushing, to name just a few examples. HWT is a curriculum designed to support fine motor development and pre-writing skills. These activities can be planned for small group, large group or as a choice time activity. Note: activities involving food will focus on supporting healthy habits or expanding children’s knowledge of family and community. Food is not to be used as a sensory experience for children as we want to model good stewardship of our resources.

· Small Group is for planning focused activities (one or two per week) that relate to developing a particular skill with a group of children. The composition of small groups is determined by the teacher based on skill levels and could be heterogeneous or homogeneous, depending on the teacher intent and behavioral issues. Small group is embedded in the school day and should not exceed fifteen minutes.

· Special Activities are the experiences that Teachers plan to support a connection with the larger community that exists beyond the classroom. An example might be a local musician, librarian, or a parent sharing a special talent or interest. It is the expectation that Teachers will, with support and input from families, actively pursue opportunities to expose children to enriching experiences that broaden their view of the world.

· Outdoor Experiences need to be intentionally planned, related to individual goals for children, and reflect an extension of indoor experiences. The plan needs to reflect appropriate indoor experiences to meet the gross motor needs of children in the case of inclement weather.

The planning form is completed and submitted to the supervisor weekly for approval. Due dates will be determined by individual programs/supervisors. Plans are required to be posted before the start of class time on Monday. Planning forms (along with Individual Child Planning) are filed in the Classroom Monitoring Binder at the end of each week.

Early Head Start Classrooms—The Creative Curriculum for Infants, Toddlers & Twos

All teachers are provided with The Creative Curriculum for Infants, Toddlers & Twos, 3rd edition. It contains a three volume resource set and the Daily Resources to support curriculum planning. Volume one is titled The Foundation; volume two focuses on Routines and Experiences; and volume three contains the Objectives for Development & Learning. It is the expectation that teachers use these resources on an ongoing basis. High Five Mathematize is another excellent resource available at each site. It is the expectation that your curriculum will include a planned math experience on a weekly basis. The written plan also needs to include a weekly activity/experience to support children’s health, dental, or nutritional needs/goals. These focus areas need to be identified on your curriculum plan with capital letters (MATH and HEALTH). Classrooms and planning sheets are monitored with these expectations in mind.

Teaching Strategies Gold Weekly Planning Form

The planning form is completed weekly and submitted online to the supervisor for approval prior to being posted in the classroom. Plans are required to be posted before the start of class time on Monday. Planning forms are filed in the Classroom Monitoring Binder at the end of each week. Guidelines for completion are as follows:

· Indoor Experiences are developed based on children’s individual goals. The posted copy for parents includes a clear description about the experience that is being provided. We expect to see information about what the children will take away from that experience, not a narrative of your actions.

· Outdoor Experiences need to be intentionally planned, related to individual goals for children, and reflect an extension of indoor experiences. In the notes section we expect to see information about what the children will take away from the experience. The plan needs to reflect appropriate indoor experiences to meet the gross motor needs of children in the case of inclement weather.

· Changes to the Environment documents changes that support children’s goals and emerging interests as well as content related to general knowledge. Your completed plan needs to have a minimum of two interest areas documented each day with the specific activities that are planned for that area. We use all eight interest areas of the TSG curriculum plan and each of the eight areas must be documented at least once each week. This would be either materials that have been added OR an activity that you want to highlight.

· Changes to Routines & Daily Schedule documents any novel changes to the set daily routine and classroom schedule. These changes should be minimal as it is important for infants and toddlers to have a predictable routine and schedule.

· Family Partnership is where you document any activity or experience done with or by families that supports the enhancement of the classroom curriculum.

The Pyramid Model

The Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children (Fox, Dunlap, Hemmeter, Joseph, & Strain, 2003) is a positive behavioral intervention and support framework early educators can use to promote young children’s social and emotional development and prevent and address challenging behavior. In the 2016-17 program year, SKCDC will begin introducing and implementing this evidence-based approach in all program options.

Home Based Family Discovery Day Socializations

Home Visitors complete the Teaching Strategies Gold curriculum plan for Infants, Toddlers, & Twos for each socialization experience. The curriculum plan is developed by home visitors in partnership with families and is based on the information gathered during the weekly home visits and during previous socializations relative to children’s individual goals and interests. The plan is reviewed and approved by the Home Based Supervisor and posted in the socialization classroom.

Child Observations

Head Start Teachers, Early Head Start Teachers, and Home Visitors are required to complete a minimum of one observation per dimension for each child during each assessment period, except in a dimension where a child has met the widely held expectations for their age. It is essential to enter adequate information so that an accurate assessment rating can be determined. The On the Spot Observation Recording tool can be utilized to support this requirement as it provides a checklist system for gathering information on some of the more rote objectives. Home Visitors gather information at each weekly home visit and during socializations. All information is entered online in the Teaching Strategies Gold Assessment system. The documentation is kept online for the program year, reviewed by supervisors and managers, and printed out at the end of the program year or when program service terminates for placement in the child’s file.

Child Assessments