1. Project BEST (Bridging for Effective School Transitions) FSSA Ready to Learn Grant 2 years, Awarded $223,652.00 Project Directors: Dr. Karen Liu & Dr. Kathryn Bauserman

2. Project BEST Project Goal:  Facilitate collaborations among key stakeholders to achieve project goal for “Ready Child, Ready Schools, Ready Parents and Ready Community” that bridges an effective school transition for young children.

3. Project BEST: Key Stakeholders  School Corporation Partners  Vigo County School Corporation  Southwest Parke Community Schools  Clay Community Schools  Early Childhood Education Partners  Vigo County, Clay County, & Southwest Parke County Head Starts  Family child care providers  Preschool/day care centers  Community Partners  Community Alliance and Services for Young Children (CASY)  Wabash Valley Association for the Education of Young Children  United Way of the Wabash Valley  Vigo County Public Library

4. PRESCHOOL KINDERGARTEN 4 KEY COMPONENTS

5. KEY COMPONENT #1  Build knowledge base for parents about importance of a child being “ready to learn” for school success  Develop “Ready to Learn” DVD for parents & preschool children  Develop Website for parents & partners for information dissemination and resources exchange

6. KEY COMPONENT #2  Emphasize communication between kindergarten teachers and preschool providers/teachers through  Early Kindergarten Registration  Kindergarten Open House  Kindergarten Teachers’ Visit to Preschool Programs/Child Care Centers

7. KEY COMPONENT #3  Improve preschool environments and plan developmentally appropriate curriculum as part of professional development  Community Alliance and Services for Young Children (CASY) & Indiana State University will plan professional development activities

8. KEY COMPONENT #4  Train preschool teachers/child care providers to assess and measure children’s growth toward our goal of “ready to learn”  Authentic assessment using portfolios with work samples  Checklist to assess outcome performance in 8 domains and 27 elements, and use indicators to measure each element