PLAEA Early Childhood Newsletter
November 2023 Edition
North Union - Fenton Preschool
Teacher: Amy Preston
This month's PLAEA Preschool Program spotlight features two ideas to build connections with families (especially during home visits) and building a classroom community.
First picture - Family Tree
Note from Amy: At registration I always leave a note about myself and our classroom and ask parents to have a family picture ready for our home visit. At home visits we have the child pick out their patterned paper they would like, we pre-trace a circle on the back. While I go through papers with parents my para helps the child cut out the circle and write their name on back. When finished we talk about their family and add their picture to the front of the circle. Then when school starts the student gets to share their family circle with the class and add it to our class Family Tree. My paras and myself also make one.
Second picture: Positively Proud Preschool
Note from Amy: I started this last year to get some family involvement and boost some positivity and self esteem. This is our “Positively Proud” tree. It’s in our hallway so all can read. Each month I send home a shape with a saying (example: Sept is an apple and it says “——- is the apple of my eye because….”, parents or a family member fill it out return and I read it out aloud to the class before hanging it in our tree. It stays there until next month.
Questions for Amy? Email - apreston@northunion.k12.ia.us
November Preschool Updates and Resources
It's checkpoint month! 😃
November 17th is the first of 3 checkpoints for Teaching Strategies GOLD
Key reminders:
- Establish a daily and weekly mini goal to upload and level GOLD documentation. This will ensure that you do not have to wait until the very last week to complete the checkpoint - leaving you feeling overwhelmed and stressed. Reduce the stress - upload weekly/daily!
- Teachers using GOLD have been asking for quick ways to track how much documentation they have collected for each area and objective/dimension for each child. On your dashboard you will find an enhanced At-a-Glance feature that includes documentation counts for every area and objective for each child.
- Please do not wait until Friday the 17th to finalize your checkpoint. Remember that all of Iowa has the same fall window, therefore the system could be bogged down. After Friday, November 17th the winter checkpoint window will become effective.
- Lastly, per IQPPS requirements (and best practice for early learners) be sure to schedule time analyze and interpret your fall data. Not sure how to facilitate or administer a preschool data team meeting? Check out the resources below!
Analyzing Fall GOLD Data
How do we know our students are learning what we are teaching them? We spend a lot of energy and time crafting the perfect lessons and activities for our preschoolers. We then accompany that with collecting documentation on how they are doing based on that activity we created. But how do we truly know they LEARNED what we were trying to teach them?
Answer: Analyzing the data collected to determine where students are meeting expectations (or lack thereof).
How can we support this process and make it simplified for preschool?
Establishing a strong data culture within early childhood education programs is critical to ensuring that data-informed decisions are made consistently, routinely, and effectively.
PLAEA Early Childhood Consultants have created a process for preschool staff to interpret the data you have spent countless hours collecting, and support you in taking action to make instructional decisions around the data. During this fall data learning module, preschool teams will discover how to effectively use the data tools required of Iowa preschool programs to make instructional decisions for all students.
We strongly encourage preschool teams to engage in their data team meetings AFTER fall checkpoint.
Fall Preschool Data Team Learning Module
** Note: Data based decision making routines are a requirement of IQPPS programs (Standard 4 - Criterion 4.1, 4.2 & 4.8).
Fall Freebie - Thanksgiving Communication Board
Help facilitate communication for all students with visuals for Thanksgiving in one place! Includes: communication book with icons on each page and the second book has thanksgiving icons that are removable. Don't forget to make an extra copy for your families!
First attachment - directions on how to create and use the visual communication boards.
Second attachment - Communication books with visuals
SAVE THE DATE! Next Preschool Teacher Huddle - Wednesday, November 15th 3:15 p.m
Seeking your input!
Prairie Lakes AEA and Northwest AEA are partnering together to provide a summer education conference to be held at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, IA in June 2024. The vision is to provide an education conference with tracks of learning for all, including teachers, administrators, paraeducators, and families. To aid in meaningful planning, we are asking all stakeholders, to please fill out this short Google Survey. THANK YOU!
Great idea for centers and children using their imaginations!
Check out our AEA digital resources!
Did you know that Prairie Lakes AEA has an entire digital library? FREE to use at your finger tips! Using our PLAEA "One Click" you will find a plethora of virtual books, songs, stories behind read aloud etc. My personal favorite is "Bookflix". Many of our preschool teachers use Bookflix to assist in deepening their studies or topics in class. Students have a question and you don't know where to look? Check out Bookflix to have students discover answers to their questions.
Additional Preschool Resources
Tools for Special Education
ACHIEVE
Professional Learning System (PLS) for ACHIEVE:
The PLS will help you learn how to use the features of ACHIEVE. It is organized into sections. Each section contains topical mini-modules that include videos, written descriptions, and opportunities to practice the ACHIEVE functions addressed in the mini-module. To access the PLS log into ACHIEVE and click on the PLS tab at the top of the screen.
ACHIEVE User Guide For Special Education
**Please do not print as it is over 700 pages.
i3 IDEA Website
i3 IDEA Iowa IDEA Information. This website is full of information, guidance, resources and procedures. i3 - Iowa IDEA Information - Guidance - Resources - Procedures
Procedural Safeguards Manual
Do you ever have a difficult time finding an updated Procedural Safeguards Manual for Parents prior to an IEP meeting? Do you ever need a copy for families in Arabic, Bosnian, Lao, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish or Vietnamese? See the links below for updated Manuals.
Procedural Safeguards Manual for Parents Rights for Children Ages 3-21
ECTA: Breadth of the 3 Child Outcomes
Resources Preparing Parents for IEP Meetings
Parent Information for Initial IEP Meeting
IEP Team Member Roles and Responsibilities
Parent Information of 3 year Re-evaluation
General Education "Go-To's"
Google "junk drawer" of all things Visuals for Preschoolers
Iowa Preschool Program Timeline Resource
Teaching Strategies GOLD/myIGDI 2023-2024 Dates
NCPMI -PBIS - Challenging Behavior Site
ColorinColorado - A bilingual site for educators and families of English language learners
Early Childhood Iowa - Early Childhood Mental Health
Questions? Concerns? Wonders? Just ask!
Marcie Lentsch - Early Childhood Consultant (Ed Services)
- Supports all Prairie Lakes Area Education Agency school districts that house early childhood programs (3-5 years of age) and SWVPP partner sites (private and faith based preschools).
- Coaching, collaborating, consulting and supporting teachers on evidence-based practices, curriculum, assessment, standards and developmentally appropriate practices.
- Provide professional development and serve as a resource to teachers, administrators and instructional coaches of programs 3-5 years of age.