1. Early Childhood Task Force
Anne Hardiman - Principal
MaryKate Fitzpatrick - PreK/Kindergarten
Carol Blackwood - Kindergarten
Judy Tan - Kindergarten
Caroline LaBella - Preschool
Lynne Tarr - PreK
Kathleen Maney - Community Liaison
Karen Arena - Community Provider
Elizabeth Kelly - Community Provider
Logo for

2. Introduction Three focus areas: 1. Curriculum and Assessment
State guidelines
2. Transition process
Kindergarten
3. Accreditation

3. Mission
To revise and refine our ideas about how to promote best practices in every early childhood classroom by promoting appropriate learning expectations and working together to bridge the gap among programs throughout Watertown to create one early childhood learning community.
Convened in June of 2008 meet monthly 4 hours a month, summer 2008 summer 2009 focused work on setting priorities. Align curriculum based on revised states revised standards preschool through K Another priority was creating uniform transitions for all students entering the public school

4. Ensuring Best Practices
Professional Development
NAEYC
CPR/Pediatric First Aid
Play Based Learning
Reading Task Force
Handwriting With Out Tears
Creative Curriculum
New Learning Outcomes
Community Outreach
NAEYC
Uniform Transition Procedures
District Brochure
School Based Booklets
Early Childhood Website
Early Childhood Blog
BEST
PRACTICES
Assessment
Creative Curriculum Preschool/PreK
Math Assessment Guide Preschool /PreK
Kindergarten Fall Baseline Data Collection
Overview of our accomplishments Map, Letter ID, Getting Ready to Read, Math Assessments
Instruction/ “Tool Box”
Alignment of Curriculum Preschool – Kindergarten
Early Childhood Website
Early Childhood Blog
Creative Curriculum Preschool /PreK
Think Math Kindergarten
Math Assessment Guide Preschool/PreK

5. Early Childhood Website
Curriculum Tool Box
Align outcomes for 3 year olds, 4 year olds and Kindergarteners
Create Early Childhood Website – linked to district Teaching and Learning Page
Early Childhood Website
Pilot Creative Curriculum Assessment Tool with online component Preschool / PreK
Change bullets and handouts for alignment
Alignment is based on new state outcomes.
Created website for universal access
UPK grant – use one of the state approved assessment tools. Staff Reviewed and choose CC because it most closely aligned with our standards and was the most manageable for staff to utilzie. This grant helps to offset costs for the work of the task foce.

6. Professional Development
Handwriting Without Tears
Creative Curriculum – Preschool / PreK
Online Assessment / Portfolio System
Learning Outcomes Preschool - K
Posted on Website
Through out the year we provided support to staff around the work the task foce was doing.

7. Transition to Public School
Standard Procedures
Coordinate with Guidance Counselors to create uniform Registration Intake Process
Update Preschool Inventory – more accurate data on incoming students
Uniform Orientation Activities
Screening
Visit Day
Welcome to School Activities
We felt it was important to have uniform system in place for families entering the public school system so we created standard procedures for all 3 schools

8. Transition To Public School
Tools for Incoming Families
Create brochure describing district programs
District Wide Early Childhood Brochure
Create building based Welcome to School Books for children to take home
School Based Welcome Books

9. National Association For The
Accreditation
National Association For The
Education Of Young Children
In May 2009 all 3 Elementary Schools were awarded accreditation for preschool, prekindergarten and kindergarten classes.
One of our major projects last year was attaining NAEYC accreditation. NAEYC is a national organization that sets the standard for quality early childhood programs.
Process

10. Why Is Accreditation Important:
High Quality Early Childhood programs
Current Best Practices
Grant requirement
Full Day Kindergarten
Universal PreKindergarten
Grant Benefits
Facilitate staffing
Support accreditation process
Support Early Childhood Task Force work
Define early childhood curriculum and assessment
Support professional development and summer projects
Enhance classroom materials
Affords us the opportunity to reflect on our teaching and ensure that all Watertown children are getting a quality early childhood educational experience.

11. Accreditation Products
Program Portfolio
Individual Portfolio for each school
Documents 187 Criteria for Program Standards
School Safety Procedures
Personnel Policies
Classroom Portfolio
Individual portfolio for each classroom
21 classroom portfolios
105 criteria documented in each portfolio
To be come accredited staff spent countless hours reflecting and documenting the best practices that are happening in all early childhood classrooms in the district. As a result of this work extraordinary portfolios were created by all preschool through K classroom teachers. As you can see by the number of items that required documentation…
Accreditation product

12. 1.A.04 Teachers are sensitive to family concerns and reassure family members who are concerned about leaving children in non-family care.

13. 2.A.11 The schedule a. provides children learning opportunities, experiences, and projects that extend over the course of several days and incorporates time for
b. play c. creative expression d. large-group e. small-group, and f. child-initiated activity.

14. 2G.06 Children are provided varied opportunities and materials that encourage them to think, question, and reason about observed and inferred phenomena.

15. Next Steps Professional Development
Implement best practices in all early childhood classrooms across the district
Collaborate with curriculum Task Forces
Maintain NAEYC accreditation status
Annual Report for Each School
5 Year Cycle for Re-accreditation
Stay current in new NAEYC criteria
Manage and Update portfolios
Identify needs for teachers so they can maintain best practices and providing professional development to assist staff.

16. Next Steps Tool Box Preschool – K Assessment Guide & Protocol Literacy
Math
Preschool – Grade 3 Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Alignment Project
In the process of identifying consistent assessment standards and protocols for Preschool through K to inform instruction and report progress to families. A new initiative is the alignment grant. We have done a large amount of work in the area of Preschool – k and 1st – 3rd and this grant will allow us to bridge that gap. This grant will also assist us in looking at how to best differentiate for all students preschool through the primary years.
Last slide questions – preschool kids.

17. Questions?