Early Childhood Peek at the Week
Week of 12/4/17
Calendar
December 2017
12/1/17 December 1 Count is due
12/4/17 Head Start Budget Committee Meeting
12/7/17 "Best In Class" Awards Ceremony
12/7/17 Policy Council Meeting
12/20-1/1/18 Winter Break
12/21/17 Policy Council Meeting
12/28/17 Associate Principal Meeting
Staff Recognition and Celebration
Denise Martin: Thank you for your hospitality in securing room availability and arranging the furniture for our meeting. It is so refreshing to arrive at EEC and find the room in perfect order for the business at hand. I truly appreciate your extra effort to detail. Your level of professionalism and pride in your work is exemplary.
Cochran Early Childhood Team: Assistant Principal, Leigh Huber would like to recognize the Cochran Early Childhood Team for their resilience, flexibility, dedication and passion. This team is professional and their knowledge is abundant. They always put students first.
Early Childhood Support Staff: Assistant Principal, Leigh Huber would like to recognize the Early Childhood Support Staff and district staff for the assistance they have provided Cochran this school year. Cochran appreciates your expertise and guidance. When we reached our for help, you really came through. Thank you!
Child Development and Education
Supporting Dual Language Learners (ESL)
JCPS is a diverse school district representing many children and families from all around the world. There are hundreds of languages spoken and to support those children and families we believe in using the Planned Language Approach. The Planned Language Approach (PLA) is a comprehensive, systemic, research-based way for our district to ensure optimal language and literacy services for children who speak English and for those who are dual language learners (DLLs). You will find that you don’t have to be an expert in another language to help a child that doesn’t speak English. Click the link below to access hundreds of resources to support our Dual Language Learners using the Planned Language Approach. Other resources can be found on our Ready4K SharePoint site.
Resources for Dual Language Learners (ESL): https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/culture-language/article/specific-strategies-support-dual-language-learners-dlls-when-adults-do-not
Diversity Counts
We are living in a diverse world and nowhere is diversity more evident than in JCPS Early Childhood classrooms. Supporting diversity in our early childhood classrooms is more than simply serving an ethnic dish every Thursday in the cafeteria or doing a holidays around the world theme during the month of December. We must embrace our diversity through our attitudes, actions, interactions and activities we provide our children and families. Below is a link to a short video on the topic of diversity in early childhood classrooms. There are many ideas for staff to use in working with children and families.
Click on the attachment for our procedure for promoting and accepting diversity.
Brigance Screening Reminder
All students new to the program must be screened. A Brigance developmental and social emotional screening must be completed. All data must be placed into Infinite Campus following established procedures and protocols.
Individual Student Goals
The development and writing of individual goals for each of your students is not an option. This is a mandate. All goals must be documented in writing and evidence must be placed in lesson plans as to how this individual goals is being addressed. Don’t hesitate to reach out to your Instructional Coach if you need assistance or ideas on developing goals for your students. The procedures for writing goals can be found on Ready4K or by clicking here: Individual Goals Procedure
Click here for examples on how to document individual goals: Sample Goals Sheet
Kindergarten Applications Deadline: December 15
Do you have students that will be 5 years of age on or before August 1, 2018? If the answer to that question is yes then you must work with your families to ensure they have completed the kindergarten application process. Fliers are not enough. The personal touch makes a difference. This is through phone calls and face to face contact.
Upcoming Events
December 15- Kindergarten Registration Deadline
December 20- January 1- Winter Break
January 2- Gold Day (Staff will remain at their school/center on this day to participate in school based activities. The Early Childhood office will email a professional learning activity that will be done in the classroom on the morning of January 2nd.
Human Resources/Professional Development/Communications/Tuition Based Programs
Human Resources:
Early Childhood is looking for applicants to fill the following vacant positions:
5- Certified Teachers
9- Lead Instructional Assistants
6- Instructional Assistants
If you know anyone interested in the position listed above, please have them apply online at: JCPS Early Childhood
Professional Development:
17-1890875 EC Class: Instructional Learning Formats – Part 3 7:30 – 9:30 DuValle
17-1890877 EC Class: Instructional Learning Formats – Part 3 5:30 – 7:30 DuValle
Continuing Education:
CDA Renewal Amnesty: Commit to Submit Your Application; Do What You Love Doing!
The Council's Renewal Amnesty Program allows anyone with a CDA® credential expiration date as far back as January 1, 2007 to apply for a renewal online. This amnesty opportunity provides a waiver of the CDA holder's expiration deadline. It does not waive the five steps required to renew a CDA®.
There are just two months remaining to submit your completed application and payment online before the Renewal Amnesty program expires on December 29, 2017.
Five requirements all CDA® renewals must complete:
1. Attend continuing education or training courses in the setting of your original credential (45 clock hours)
2. Choose an early childhood education (ECE) professional to complete your recommendation (usually your instructional coach)
3. Achieve First Aid and CPR certification
4. Work with young children in the setting of your original credential (statement from site admin -80 hours working with children)
5. Join or renew your membership in a national or local early childhood professional organization
Renew Online: Amnesty Renewal applications are only accepted online through the Your CDA portal (you’ll need to create an online renewal account). The $125 online renewal fee must be paid by December 29, 2017 and all paperwork must be completed by the December deadline.
Have questions, need help? Use these Renewal Amnesty Program resources:
CDA Renewal Procedures Guides
How to upload documents to Your CDA Renewal Portal
List of webinars in English & Spanish: CDA Renewal Process
Environmental Health and Safety Practices
This week we will focus on: Active Supervision on the bus!
Classroom Celebration Guidelines
Compliance and Comprehensive Services
Standards of Conduct Weekly Focus: Restricting movement or taping a child’s mouth
But knowing what not to do is only the first step; educators wonder what they should do instead. Unfortunately, most articles recommend "alternatives" which in reality are merely alternative punishments. These include time-out, denial of privileges, and so-called "logical" consequences. All of these methods have much in common with physical punishment, and all give the same messages: that the teacher has no interest in the underlying unmet needs that led to the behavior, and is taking unfair advantage of his greater size and power over the child. Most significantly, these approaches tell the child that someone he has come to love and trust wishes to cause him pain. This is a "crazy-making" message, because it is so alien to the child's intuitive understanding about what love should look like. Finally, all of these approaches miss the best opportunities for learning. They sidetrack the child into fantasies of revenge, where he is too distracted to focus on the real issue at hand. True alternatives to punishment are those that help the child to learn and grow in a healthy way. There are few greater joys in life than allowing our child to teach us what love is! Here are twenty-two alternatives that give positive, loving messages: 1. Prevent unwanted behavior by meeting the child's needs when they are first expressed. With her current needs met, she is free to move on to the next stage of learning. 2. Provide a safe, child-friendly environment. There is little point in having precious items within the reach of a baby or toddler, when they can simply be put away until the child is old enough to handle them carefully. 3. Apply the Golden Rule. Think about how you would like to be treated if you were to find yourself in the same circumstances as your child. Human nature is human nature, regardless of age. 4. Show empathy for the child's feelings. Even if a child's behavior seems illogical, his underlying feelings and needs are real to him. A statement like "You seem really unhappy" is a good way to show that you are on your child's side. 5. Validate your child's feelings so she knows that you understand and care, and that she will never be rejected for having any particular kinds of feelings. For example, "That scared me too when I was little." 6. Meet the underlying need that led to the behavior. If we punish the outward behavior, the still unmet need will continue to surface in other ways until it is finally met. Questions such as "Are you angry because I've been on the phone so much today? Would you like to go for a walk together?" can help a child feel loved and understood. 7. Whenever possible, find a "win-win" solution that meets everyone's needs. To learn effective conflict resolution skills, consider a course in Nonviolent CommunicationSM. 8. Reassure your child that he is loved and appreciated. So-called "bad" behavior is often the child's attempt to express his need for love and attention, in the best way that he can manage at that moment. If he could express this need in a more mature way, he would. 9. Shift the focus away from a situation that has become too stressful to resolve at that moment: "Let's take a break. What would you like to do instead?" 10. Be sure that you and your child have had nutritious food throughout the day so your blood sugar levels stay high. Frequent, small meals are best. 11. Breathe! When stressed, we need more oxygen, but tend to take shallow breaths. Even a few deep breaths can help us to calm down and think more clearly. 13. Chamomile tea is very relaxing for both adults and children. Taken an hour before bedtime by a nursing mother, it can also help to calm her baby. Older children might like iced chamomile tea or popsicles. 14. Take a time out - with your child. A change of scenery - even if it's just a short time outdoors, can make a real difference for both parent and child. 15. Pick a Parenting Card for inspiration and encouragement or create some of your own reminder cards. 16. Offer a massage. A bedtime massage can help a child to sleep more soundly, giving her more resilience and energy for the following day. 17. Give choices. Children need to feel they have a voice. Offering choices, even if they seem unimportant to you ("Do you want the red cup or the blue one?") will help a child feel that he has some say over his life, especially if he has had to cope with recent changes. 18. Try whispering. When tensions are high, whispering can help to get a child's attention and also help to calm the parent. 19. Give your child time. A statement like "Let me know when you're ready to share the toy / climb into the car seat / put on your jacket" will give the child a sense of autonomy and make it easier for him to cooperate. 20. Give yourself time. Count to ten (silently) or ask for time ("I'm not sure what to say. Please give me a moment while I think this over." Sometimes we just need a bit of time to think more clearly and to see things more objectively. 21. Remember that children create images from our words: "Slow down!" is more effective than "Stop running!". The first statement creates an image of slowing down, while the second creates a picture of someone running (the word "don't" is too abstract to overcome the more concrete and compelling image of running). Similarly, a specific request is more effective than a general one: "Please put down the glass" instead of "Be careful". 22. Ask yourself "Will I look back at this later and laugh?" If so, why not laugh now? Create the kind of memory you would like to have when you look back on this day. In these ways, we can best bring about the genuine cooperation that we seek at the moment. But our greatest reward will be a life-long, mutually loving and trusting bond with our child.
Classroom Management Support
- Yell, scream, hit, kick
- Lay on the floor and refuse to do what is asked
- Run out of the room
- Run around the room
- Throw things
- Pout
There are resources to help this student. Tantrums/Out of Control
ERSEA/Finance
- JCPS Early Childhood receives an average of 6,600 applications annually
- 3,700 of the applications received were for 4 year old children
- 2,700 of the applications received were for 3 year old children
- We receive more applications for males than females
- Currently, 1,249 of our Early Childhood students receive special services
JCPS Early Childhood is on Twitter
Big Day for PreK Login
Park DuValle Holiday Festival
Don’t Miss our Holiday Festival!!
Be sure to attend our Park DuValle Holiday Festival on Saturday Dec. 2 from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.
We kick the day off with a festive holiday stroll down Russell Lee Drive from Southwick Center to the Clubhouse and back. Everyone is invited to join in the first-ever holiday stroll with the River City Drum Corps, a firetruck, U of L athletes, Santa and YOU. Bring your dog, bring your friends, bring everyone to enjoy our annual kick-off of the holiday season in Park DuValle.
We have three locations filled with great events for children of all ages. Join our epic snowball fight at the Southwick Center. See the wonder of the Cookie Factory at DuValle Education Center with U of L athletes supervising all the delectable creations. There is also holiday bingo and face painting for the kids at the Ujima Holiday Experience.
Bid on one of our holiday creations in the Mistletoe Mall where our three-hour silent auction can help you check off your Christmas list.
Enjoy a taste of Park DuValle at the Clubhouse. We eat very well for our holiday celebration and you don’t want to miss what Chef Z has cooked up. The clubhouse also hosts Santa and Mrs. Claus, who have a toy for EVERY child.
The day ends at 5 p.m. with our annual lighting of the Park DuValle Christmas tree, planted in 2001 to commemorate the growing spirit of Park DuValle. With each passing year our special evergreen gets taller and stronger while our neighborhood grows and prospers alongside.
The tree-lighting will showcase music and important invited guests including former Mayor Jerry Abramson, whose vision created Park DuValle more than 20 years ago. Mark your calendar and we will see you December 2nd!
Staff Health and Wellness
Employee Assistance Program
´JCPS recognizes that employees' mental health and emotional health are as important to their job performance as physical health.
´To provide support, JCPS has contracted with an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for employees and their family members at no cost to the employee. The EAP is a confidential, short-term counseling program offering traditional fact-to-face or phone counseling services with a licensed therapist. To schedule an appointment, contact Stuecker & Associates at (502) 452-9227.
´In addition to the JCPS-provided EAP, the Kentucky Employees' Health Plan (KEHP) offers many additional self-help resources through the Anthem MyStrength Program. For more information, visit Anthem MyStrength Program.
Translation Service: Language Line
To access the Language Line Services:
1. Dial 1-866-874-3972
2. Enter our 6 digit client ID: 865280
3. When prompted, press 1 for Spanish, 2 for all other languages. (at the prompt, state the name of the language you need)
If you have any problems, contact Alisa Smith at asmith@languageline.com or by calling 1-800-752-6096 (option 2).
This is a great resource to use when needing to share short messages. For example: "Please call Ms. Smith at 485-1111." For lengthy conversations, we would suggest using our staff or the District’s Services.
Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer Offering Equal Educational Opportunities
The Jefferson County Public School District shall not discriminate in recruitment or employment on the basis of age, color, disability, marital or parental status, national origin, race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, genetic information, religion, or political affiliations or beliefs. The District shall promote equal opportunities through a vigorous affirmative action program as an integral part of personnel policy and practice in the employment, development, advancement, and treatment of employees of Jefferson County Public Schools.