transition 2014: “follow the signs for a smooth preschool transition”
DESCRIPTION
Transition 2014: “Follow the Signs for a Smooth Preschool Transition”. Presented at IECC on May 8, 2014 by Judy Clay, Early Childhood Coordinator, Arch Ford Co-op and Deborah Swink , LEA Supervisor, Van Buren County Schools. Teamwork!. TEAM: T- Together E- Everyone A- Achieves - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Transition 2014:“Follow the Signs for a Smooth Preschool
Transition”
Presented at IECC onMay 8, 2014
byJudy Clay, Early Childhood Coordinator, Arch Ford Co-op
andDeborah Swink, LEA Supervisor, Van Buren County Schools
Teamwork!
TEAM:T- Together E- EveryoneA- Achieves M- More!
Team = Work!
Three types of workers:1. Those who get things done,2. Those who watch things get done, and 3. Those who wonder how so much got done.
Our Teams Can Get It Done!
Viewing Our Regulations:
Transition from Early Childhood to Kindergarten
Special Education ProgramRevised 02-25-97
Follow the Signs….
• Why does the transition process for preschool children need to be planned out?
Follow the Signs….
• I’m just not into “planning ahead”- can’t I just bump into the parents & talk about my student’s future?
Follow the Signs….
• Hey, what’s all this about exchange of records anyway? How can have a 4 year old even have a record?
Follow the Signs….
• Timeline - I can’t be on a timeline in April and May. I’m too busy following other signs….
Follow the Signs….
• How can we evaluate preschoolers? They’re not ready for testing!
Why Do We Need To Go Down This Road?
ADE Transition Guidelines
A carefully planned transition process should benefit children with special needs and their families and facilitate the education of children in the least restrictive environment.
The transition process is designed to:1. Ensure an orderly transition for any child who
has been in the preschool special education program, with both sending and receiving programs agreeing to begin the process in January prior to the child enrolling in kindergarten.
2. Ensure that team minimally includes the parent, the early childhood representative, and a local education representative, who will meet to define the local transition process.
ADE Framework for Transition Process
Activities which take place during transition:
Transfer of Records and Child Data Information
Establishing Timelines for Transition Activities
Awareness of Programs Parental Involvement Decision-Making Process
Lessons to Remember!
Children placed in EC Programs have already been identified with a disability
The Transition process serves to articulate children from one setting (preschool) to another setting (kindergarten)
The transition team has the responsibility to do one of the following: (1) decide whether additional testing is necessary, or (2) decide whether a child enters kindergarten with an IEP in place and does not require further testing
Signs at the Local Level
“All of us are products of our childhood.”
Michael Jackson
Where Do We Go from Here?
Signs: Do What’s Right!
Nice smooth road
Bumpy roadvs
Differences Between Preschool & Kindergarten
Preschool Children: Are creatures of the here
and now (live in the moment)
Are just developing motor skills, perseverance, & social skills related to cooperation & play
Display a growing interest in words, sounds, songs, and rhymes
Kindergarten Children: Expand beyond their
immediate experiences Show increased ability in
motor skills, attention span, and cooperative planning and playing
Display interest in symbols including written language and written numbers
Differences Between Preschool & Kindergarten
Preschool Teaching
Encourage individual (and sometimes joint) task completion
Focus on oral language development
Focus on movement and coordination
Kindergarten Teaching
• Encourage more joint planning and cooperation among children
• Focus shifts to stimulating written language and literacy skills
• Focus on content
A Great Man Once Said…
Good Signs Are Everywhere!!
PSST!
PSST: Preschool Support Teams
assist in the transition of students with disabilities from an early childhood program to their local school district kindergarten program
assist families with the supports and resources they need for their child's transition into kindergarten
Our Team!
Administrator
Teachers
CounselorsRelated Service Providers
Parents
Other Important Team Members
School nurse/medical providers Early childhood coordinator Mental health providers Interpreters Consultants: hearing, vision, behavior Special education supervisor
Are There Signs For These Team Supports?
Classroom
paraprofessional, equipment, supplies
School-Wide transportation, lunch, bathroom, recess
Peer social acceptance, older peer support
Staff development do teachers need to be trained?
Home-school partnership what type of supports & resources do parents need?
Signs for Team Interventions
When the child has learning needs
When the child has medical needs
When the child has behavioral needs
When the child has therapeutic needs
Team Process…
Kids are our business.....let’s take care of them!
Preschool Disability Categories
Noncategorical Speech Language Impairment
Orthopedic Impairment Hearing Impaired Deaf Blindness
Autism
Multiple Disabilities Visual Impairment Traumatic Brain Injury Other Health Impairment
DDS Preschool Categories
Developmental Delay Cerebral Palsy Epilepsy Autism Multiple Disabilities
Preschool Settings
Public School Classroom Head Start ABC Programs Day Care Itinerant Home
Early Childhood Domains
Motor Social emotional Cognition Communication Self help/ adaptive
Public School Disability Categories
Autism
Other Health Impairment
Specific Learning Disability
Traumatic Brain Injury Visual Impairment Deaf Blindness
Speech Language Disabilities
Orthopedic Impairment Multiple Disabilities Intellectual Disability Hearing Impairment Emotional Disturbance
Our Timeline
Delineation of Responsibilities:January/February
Early Childhood Program (ECP) Provides LEA with list of students who will transition
into kindergarten in the fall. This process is for students who may need special education services.
Public School Program (LEA) LEA Supervisor or Principal provides information to
parents regarding transition process and local district programs.
Information to Parents
LEA Notification Options Letters to parents Informational group meetings School visit
Inform parents.... that educational records will be transferred to the
public school public school staff may observe their child in ECP
setting
Delineation of Responsibilities:March/April
ECP Update assessments if needed Submit assessment information to LEA Coordinate dates for transition conferences with
LEA LEA
Make arrangements with ECP staff to observe PreK students
Review assessment information provided by ECP staff
Coordinate dates for conferences w/ECP
What We Don’t Want….
Considerations for Successful Preschool Transitions
Letter to parents: a brief letter of welcome from either the LEA supervisor or building administrator explaining the transition process
Observation & review of records: school personnel make arrangements with preschool staff members to observe and review records of incoming students
Transition conferences: all preschool transition conferences should be scheduled early enough to complete the process by the end of the school year
Due process forms: both school personnel and preschool staff members need to have appropriate due process forms available at the transition conference
Considerations…
Judy Clay Arch Ford Co-op 101 Bulldog Dr. Plumerville, AR 72127
(501) 354-2269 [email protected]
Deborah Swink Clinton School District
683 Poplar St. Clinton, AR 72031 (501) 745-6058
Want More Information from Us?