Exemplary*Preschool*Community*Partnership* Case*Study*#2:*Inclusion*Model*

Transcription

1 ExemplaryPreschoolCommunityPartnership CaseStudy#2:InclusionModel This%case%study%was%developed%by%the%Early%Care%and%Education%Consortium%(ECEC)%and%is%based%on% discussions%with%the%u.s.%department%of%education%office%of%early%learning."it%is%part%of%a%series%of%case% studies%designed%to%highlight%10%exemplary%publicfprivate%community%preschool%partnerships%in%states%and% communities%around%the%country.%each%case%study%will%be%available%at% ExecutiveSummary Whenpresentedwiththeopportunitytoestablishmoreinclusiveearlychildhoodprogramstoserve childrenwithdisabilities,thenorthstpaul/maplewood/oakdaleschooldistrict(district622)formeda partnershipwiththenewhorizonacademymaplewoodcenter.thedistrict searlylearningsupervisor, RuthPaisley,collaboratedwithNewHorizonAcademyMaplewoodCenterDirectorKariSchmitztodevelop aplanforhowthetwoorganizationscouldworktogether:thedistrictwouldfundsixpartrtimespacesin theprogram syoungerpreschoolrooms,andprovideonrsitesupplementalsupportfromdistrictstaff includingspecialeducationteachersandtherapists duringthehourstheparticipatingchildrenattended. InSeptember2014,sixchildrenwithdisabilitiesbeganparticipatinginthispartnershipbyattendingthe NewHorizonAcademyMaplewoodCenterfrom9:15to11:45a.m.,MondaythroughThursday.Withthe supportofboththenewhorizonacademymaplewoodcenteranddistrict622,thechildrenhaveaccess toabroadrangeofhighrqualitylearningandsupportopportunitiesthatpromotetheircognitive,social, andbehavioralgrowthanddevelopment.and,allchildrenarebenefitingfrombuildingrelationships withinadiverselearningenvironment.thepartnershipallowsforsharedprofessionaldevelopmentand collaborativeleadershipbetweenthenewhorizonacademymaplewoodcenteranddistrict622.the successofthiscollaborationhaspromptedthedistricttoexpandthenumberofchildrenparticipatingfor the2015r2016schoolyear. 1

2 ThepartnershipbetweentheNewHorizonAcademyMaplewoodCenterandDistrict622isexemplaryin itsdesignandimplementationbecauseit: PromotesaninclusionmodelthatprovideschildrenwithdisabilitieswithhighRqualityopportunities forcognitive,social,andbehavioralgrowthanddevelopment. Demonstratesqualitythroughaccreditationbyanationally/internationallyrecognizedaccrediting entityandhighratingsonthestate sqris. Operatesthroughamodelofsharedleadershipjointlycoordinatedbydistrictandprogramleaders. Providessharedprofessionaldevelopmenttodistrictandprogramstaff. Offersallchildrenparticipatingintheprogramtheopportunitytodeveloprelationshipswithina diverselearningenvironment. Buildsthecapacityforthelocalschooldistricttoservechildrenthroughleveragingexisting resourcesofhighrqualitycommunitychildcareproviders. FormoreinformationonhighRqualityinclusionprogramsforyoungchildren,pleaseseethe Policy StatementonInclusionofChildrenwithDisabilitiesinEarlyChildhoodPrograms, releasedjointlybythe DepartmentsofEducation(ED)andHealthandHumanServices(HHS)onSeptember14,2015,which statesthatallyoungchildrenwithdisabilitiesshouldhaveaccesstoinclusivehighrqualityearlychildhood programs,wheretheyareprovidedwithindividualizedandappropriatesupportinmeetinghigh expectations. StateandLocalEarlyChildhoodSystemLandscape In2011,MinnesotawonaRacetotheTopEarlyLearningChallengeFundgrant,allowingadditional investmentinmanyoftheeffectivestatewideinitiativesunderway,includingtheirqualityratingand ImprovementSystem(QRIS),calledParentAware,andtheEarlyLearningScholarshipprogram,whichhas helpedfundlowrincomefamiliesaccesshighrqualityearlycareandeducationprograms.onlyprograms thatrate4rstarsinparentaware s1r4starsystemareeligibleforscholarshipparticipation.scholarship amountscanrangeupto$7500andparentscanaccessparentawareratedprogramsinthesettingof theirchoice,includingpublicschools,nonprofitandtaxrpayingcommunitychildcareprograms,family childcarehomesandheadstart.proponentsoftheminnesotaearlylearningscholarshipprogramhave emphasizeditscontributiontosocioreconomicdiversityandprogramquality. 2

3 ProgramBackground TheNewHorizonAcademyMaplewoodCenterislocatedjustSt.Paul,MNnexttothe3Mbusinessdistrict headquarters.roughly30%ofenrolledchildrenreceivepublicsupporttoattendthecenterthrough eitherccdbgassistanceorminnesotaearlylearningscholarshipfunding.thecenterisaccreditedbyboth thenationalassociationfortheeducationofyoungchildren(naeyc)andthenationalearlychildhood ProgramAccreditation(NECPA),nationallyrecognizedaccreditingentities,andhasreceiveda4Rstarrating (thehighest)fromparentaware.sincethenewhorizoncenteracademymaplewoodcenteropenedin 2006ithasbenefitedfromconsistentleadershipfromtheoriginalprogramdirector.Leadteacherswithin theprogrammeetnaeyc srequiredqualificationbyholdingabainearlychildhoodeducation. Thispartnershiphasallowedtheprogramtomeetthefullrangeofchildren sneedsbyproviding accommodationsandindividualizedinstructiontosupportallchildren sactiveandmeaningful participationacrosslearningactivities.thepartnershipmodelallowschildrentolearnnewknowledgeand skillswhilesimultaneouslybenefitingtheirsocialremotionaldevelopment.sincenumerouschildreninthe NewHorizonAcademyMaplewoodCenterprogramareEnglishLearners,theinclusionmodelhas benefitedthelargerpopulationofparticipatingchildrenbyexposingthemtodevelopmentalspecialists whousestrategiestopromoteallchildren slanguagedevelopment,aswellaslanguagemodelingamong theirpeerswhileparticipatinginpositivesocialinteractions. ProgramIntegrationandCoordination ThestrengthofthisinnovativepartnershipliesinitsabilitytoleveragetheexistingcapacityofahighR qualitycommunitychildcareprogramtomeetthedistrict sneedformoreclassroomspaceto accommodatechildrenwithdisabilities.thenewhorizonacademymaplewoodcenterwasableto providetheneededprogramslotsforchildrenwithdisabilitiestoparticipateinanexistingandinclusive programsettingfrom9:15to11:45a.m.,mondaythroughthursday. ThecontractpartnershipwiththeDistrict622allowstheNewHorizonAcademyMaplewoodCenterto provideadditionalstaffbeyondthelicensingratiorequirementof1:10.duringthepartnershiphours, threeteachersareintheclassroom,significantlyraisingtheadulttochildinstructionalratio.inaddition, supplementalsupportserviceprofessionalsemployedbydistrict622suchasaspecialeducationspecialist orspeechrlanguagepathologistpartnerwiththenewhorizonacademymaplewoodcenterteachersin developingandimplementingindividualizededucationprograms(ieps)thatsupportthechildren participatingintheinclusionprogram. 3

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5 5 Instructional,ProfessionalDevelopmentandLeadershipModels Thismodelcollaborativepartnershipbetweenapublicschoolsystemandacommunitybasedchildcare programinvolvestheintegrationofcurriculum,environmentalaccommodations,andstaffing coordination.althoughthenewhorizonacademymaplewoodcenterutilizesthehighreachcurriculum anddistrict622reliesonteachingstrategies CreativeCurriculum,alignmentbetweenthesetwo researchrbasedapproacheshasbeenseamless.inaddition,thenewhorizonacademymaplewoodcenter utilizestheresearchrbasedseedsofearlyliteracyandezwritecurricula.(foracompletelistingof approvedcurriculaandassessmentmodelsrecognizedbytheminnesotaqualityratingimprovement System,ParentAware,pleasevisitthestatewebsite.) ThelearningenvironmentinallNewHorizonAcademyprogramsisdesignedtosupportteachingand learningthrougharangeofactivities,includinglargeandsmallgroup,individual,aswellasindoor, outdoor,andreflectiveorquietlearningactivities.classroommaterialsareselectedandarrangedtofoster involvement,independence,decisionrmakingandresponsibility.thenewhorizonacademymaplewood Centerprogram sroomarrangementandvisualclueshavebeenadaptedslightly,tothebenefitall childrenintheclassroom,notonlythechildrenwithdisabilities.forexample,largerprintsizesareusedin labelingmanipulativesaccessibletoallstudentsintheclassroom.inaddition,district622 sspecial EducationSpecialistscoachtheNewHorizonAcademyMaplewoodCenterstafftodeliverfocusedsmall groupactivitiesthatsupportcomplextasksanddevelopment,suchaswatertableactivitiesthatreinforce mathematicalconceptssuchasvolumeandsize. InadditiontoonRsitecoachingandmentoring,theNewHorizonAcademyMaplewoodCenterstaff participateinyearrround,collaborativeprofessionaldevelopmentofferedthroughtheminnesotastate DepartmentofEducationandDistrict622thatincludesbehaviormanagement,andtraininginassessment andieppoliciesandprocesses.alloftheteacherswithinthenewhorizonacademymaplewoodcenter meetthenationalassociationfortheeducationofyoungchildren ssuggestedcriteriaforleadteachers, whichisabachelor sdegreeinearlychildhoodeducation,childdevelopment,elementaryeducation,or earlychildhoodspecialeducation. DistrictISD622strivestoserveyoungchildreninhighqualitysettingssothepartnershipwithNew HorizonAcademy%wasanaturalfitwithourgoals.OurEarlyChildhoodSpecialEducationservices werelookingforwaystoconnectfamiliestothecommunityearlycareandeducationsettingsthat couldprovidewraparounddailycareandavoidunnecessarydailytransitionsforchildrenwhooften havedifficultywiththesetransitions.westartedsmall,withsixchildren,andthenewpartnershipin schoolyear2014r15exceededourexpectations.thenewhorizonacademyanddistrictstaffforged strongcollaborativepartnershipsinservingchildrenandlearningthrougheachother sexpertise, wraparoundserviceswereprovidedforchildrenwhoneededthem,andinonesituationwewere abletoserveachildwhohadnotbeensuccessfullyprovidedspecialeducationservicesinanyother setting. ~RuthPaisley,ISD622EarlyLearningSupervisor

6 6 BoththeDistrict searlylearningsupervisor,ruthpaisley,andnewhorizonacademymaplewoodcenter Director,KariSchmitzcreditthesuccessofthispartnershiptoleadershipskills,aswellasashared,deep commitmentandenthusiasmforthework.together,theseleadershaveseenthesestrengthstranslate intothepartnership sabilitytoadaptquicklytomeetthesharedneedsofbothpartnerorganizations, advocateforchildren,andbuildstronglinesofcommunicationbetweenthenewhorizonacademy MaplewoodCenterandDistrict622staffandleaders.Aspartoftheirstrongorganizationalcommitment toprogramleadership,thenewhorizonacademyhassupportedthepartnershipprogramdirector s professionaldevelopmentinanearlychildhoodeducationmaster sdegreeprogrambyprovidingtuition reimbursementandscholarshipfunds. CommunityOutreachandParentEngagement Communityoutreachandparentengagementareintegralpartsofthispartnership.Allparentsreceive dailycommunicationsabouttheirchildren sprogressviadailyconnect,thecenter selectronic communicationplatformlinkingteachersandparents.inaddition,thenewhorizonacademymaplewood Centerhasbuiltstrongcommunitycollaborations,whichhaveincludedgenerousfundingandvolunteer supportfortoyandbookdrives. Fortheparentswithchildrenreceivingspecialeducationandrelatedservicesthroughthispartnership,all District622IEPmeetingsareheldonsiteatNewHorizonAcademyMaplewoodCenter,allowingallofthe staffworkingwitheachchildtoattendandprovideinputonthechild sdevelopmentalgrowthbasedon classroomobservationsandcurrentworksamplesviaportfolios,photographs,andvideos. (Excerpt%from%an% %to%District%622 s%special%education%director)% WelookforwardtocontinuingourrelationshipwithISD622nextyearandintheyearsahead.Not onlyhasthispartnershipprovidedawonderfulexperienceforoursharedstudents,butourother enrolledchildren,ourstaff,andbothofushaveallbenefittedfromtheresourcesisd622wasable toprovide.welearnedinnovativestrategiesforworkingwithchildrenwithspecialneeds,additional methodsforbehaviormanagement,andcurrentinformationontheassessmentandiepprocess.it isobviousweallhavethesamepassionforearlylearningandadesiretoseechildrensucceed.we feelwehavereallybrightenedthefutureformanychildrenthisyear.wecan twaittorerevaluate oursuccessnextyearatthistime ~KariSchmitz,NewHorizonAcademyCenterDirector and AngieArnett,NewHorizonAcademyCenterAssistantDirector

7 ProgramSuccess Bothpartnershaverecognizedandarticulatedthebenefitsofcollaborating.Parentsarealsohighly satisfiedwiththeprogram.ofthestudentswhocametothenewhorizonacademymaplewoodcenter sitethroughthiscollaboration,severalhavebeenenrolledintheprogramfulltime,andparentshave enrolledtheirsiblingsaswell.perhapsthestrongestmarkofoverallprogrameffectivenessisthenew HorizonAcademyMaplewoodCenterprogrampartnership shighratinginthestate sqris.finally,the successofthiscollaborationhasprompteddistrict622toexpandthenumberofchildrenparticipatingfor the2015r2016schoolyear.thecontinuedexpansionandsustainabilityofthispartnershipdemonstrates itssuccessinprovidinghighrqualityinclusiveearlycareandlearningexperiencestodistrict622 syoungest learners. 7