The Bear Necessities, PAT Edition
October , 2015
Questions??
In being super kind to me regarding time, Parent Educators have chosen not to ask me questions. This is very thoughtful, but actually makes the job of providing guidance to Parent Educators a little harder. If I don't know where we need clarification, I can't provide it.
Tracy get the questions involving the below issues (but copy me on your questions):
Penelope
VTW
Curriculum
PATNC Affiliate Questions
PATNC/DESE PD (Robinson and Forbes for all other PD)
I should get any questions regarding YOU....
Scheduling
Families (concerns)
Quotas
Promotion of resources/events
Observations
Need for families
ASQ
DESE
Mileage
Exits
General questions/frustrations/celebrations
Leadership Roles: Please don't forget the Leadership Roles....these folks are in charge of that area. If you ask a question they do not know, they will seek clarity from myself and Tracy. (Example: Deana and Vikki answer all DIAL 4 screening questions.)
Collaboration Groups: If you need help with a family regarding providing supports, please make sure to ask your collaboration group, this is a perfect place for this type of discussion.
Invited to Join...
Lee's Summit Reading Council
Pam Scott has agreed to serve as GBEEC representative for the Lee's Summit Reading Council. She will collect your checks and keep us up to date on activities this group is sponsoring. Please see email from Kim Victor, dates 10/1/15 for the online form.
Holly Festival
The Holly Festival is a fundraising craft show that supports Lee’s Summit’s DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program.
1201 NE Colbern Rd.
Lee's Summit, MO
- Saturday, November 14
- 10AM-4PM
- Sunday, November 15
- 11AM-3PM
Oct. 21 & 22
Staff Pictures
Reminders:
Complete write ups right after visits, don't delay, it causes you the stress of having another thing on your "to do" list.
You can check out books for those affiliate family visits, so that you have a larger book collection available. If you are going twice a month, feel free to use this resource. Also remember that our kids often enjoy and benefit from hearing a book again and again with different purposes each time you read. (do we need a training on how to do this?)
What going on in EC ?
What's going on in Early Education....
Our PrAT focused on Early Childhood at the district level meets weekly. We are very excited to say that the "Master Facilities Plan" will now include all special programs in each building, providing the district a true clear picture of what empty space really exists.
We are currently seeking funding sources for building space through the Dept. of Economic Development (a tip from DESE led me there). Not sure where this will lead, but we are following up on all tips that we get.
We are currently seeking guidance on "city" lead tax increase in Springfield, MO that was to passed to provide Early Education in the CITY. Interesting and worth spending some time on.
We are currently providing as many folks with EC information as possible, to ensure that if/when community members had a say in growing Early Education, they would understand the need.
We are currently investigating Missouri Preschool Project funds. This is a heavily mandated program, much like Head Start, but would allow for additional funds to start and run a preschool program for 3-5 years, it is then expected that local money would support those classrooms.
We will be asking for more HS slots (OK, we ask every year!!) Actually, Dr McGehee is going to the big celebration this Saturday, where he is one of the 50 faces of Head Start. I asked him to remind them that we wanted more slots, if we are going to do all this work, we should serve more kids!!
We are currently seeking info from districts across the state regarding their programming (we need some out of the box ideas). Heading to Kirksville soon, to talk to them about their many different service models.
MOCASE(Missouri Conference for Administrators of Special Education) reminded me that we need to be super creative in our service model for Special Education students. Not all kids can learn in 4 half day sessions, some might need more, some could perhaps only attend 2 days a week. (**Challenge - teams to think about student needs vs scheduling).
MOCASE taught me that ECSE(Early Childhood Special Education) is facing a 20 million dollar deficit....(see idea above).
We are working on creative scheduling for the near future to allow service of more students without much increase in spending.
PAT is changing drastically in it's funding model, options will be sent to SLT for discussion.
A state wide group is being formed to provide support to Missouri PAT (MOPATA), the Kansas PAT group just saved that program from closing down this past spring. Tracy H and I are participating heavily in the initial set up of this group. We need to complete a 503C form if anyone has a lawyer in their life that might like to help a good cause, let us know.
New Senate Bill has required both English/Spanish posters regarding abuse in each student bathroom in all schools in the state of Missouri. I did recv clear guidance from the legal conference, saying that this did include early childhood, even thought 1) they can't read 2) they don't necessarily know how to call someone
October 19th Dr Emily Miller, MaryBeth and I will venture 3 hours north to learn more about the programming in the Kirksville, MO school district. We will learn about their funding sources, programs and what their social workers role is at school.
Paving - we expect the weed garden on the bus lane to be paved over soon. This work was scheduled for summer, so any day now we expect to have a weedless loading area!! We are also getting bids and feedback on the idea of a driveway that leads from the trail head, behind the building and over to the dumpster area. We would like to be able to load/unload car riders behind the building and into the MPR. Just an idea at this time, but I am hopeful.
Title Transportation - in regards to the driveway behind GBEEC, Title transportation is significantly being considered as an area to reallocate funds from. It is approximately $100,000 for each title classroom to be transported to school. IF we choose to take away transportation (most districts do not provide Title transportation), then we could gain additional classrooms with this money.
Swing Replacement - is under way....it is being looked at by Facilities. A new disc swing is over $4,000, so not sure how this will play out.
Parking for November Birthday bash has been approved....but staff will be parking off site at the Softball fields, so those of you with a van, please consider busing us back and forth if I can't secure a real bus at that time of day.