Appoquinimink Preschool Coalition A Partnership Between Appoquinimink School District and Local Area Preschools and Home Daycare Centers

History Visited local area centers to discuss specific children and what could be done within the center setting to make each successful. (Head Start and Green Acres – Late 1990’s) Grew to discussing any child within the center

Home/School Community Outreach Began having two meetings a year on various topics Centers at that time included Green Acres, Head Start, Bethesda and Cornerstone Began partnership with a home daycare provider and with her help connected with other home daycare providers

Current Centers Beach Babies Bear Early Education Center Bethesda Child Development Center Bright New Beginnings Brilliant Little Minds Busy Days Daycare Cornerstone Early Essential Great New Beginnings Green Acres Glasgow Christian Academy Grow and Learn Kiddie Academy St. Andrew’s Preschool St. Anne’s Episcopal Church Tender Loving Kare Home Daycare Connections

Benefits of Collaboration We share the same children Open lines of communication between schools and community Window of opportunity to see the “big school” world Quality professional development offered locally Sharing of resources and ideas Increased advocacy for quality Preschool and Kindergarten education

Schedule Spring, 2009 –Planning Meeting October 22, 2009 –Fine and Gross Motor January 14, 2010 –Discipline March 18, 2010 –Active Play, Behavior Issues in 3-4 year olds, Infants/Toddlers, Centers, Music/Art Spring, 2010 –Planning Meeting for

Personal Reflection Personal Reflection

Possible Future Topics BEHAVIORAL TOPICS –Aggression in Children –Understanding Children’s behavior –Behavior suggestions SPECIAL NEEDS –How to identify speech problems –Inclusion of IEP in the pre-school/PreK classrooms –Helping school age children w/ADHD INFANTS AND TODDLERS –Assessment for infants and toddlers for delay before age 3 or before they start school –Creating learning centers for infants and toddlers CURRICULUM AREAS Language activities –Cognitive Activities –Concepts of print –Physical, Music and Art activities throughout the school day THE ART OF TEACHING –Center ideas (including materials for them and their usage) –Make and take ideas –New approaches to teaching ASSESSMENT –Assessments for young children (prior to preschool) –Observation and assessment PARENT INVOLVEMENT/CENTER SUPPORT –Parent partnership ideas –More in-home daycare connection support

A Look to the Future… Increase community awareness of good things happening in ECC community Increase in community wide events for young children and families such as concert on April 21 Develop home/school connections with programs for Infants and Toddlers and families Set standard for other districts Develop separate fund in district's Educational fund for future programs and events

Questions, Comments