PLAEA Early Childhood Newsletter
November 2021
Teacher Spotlight Idea of the Month
During a visit to Bishop Garrigan School in Algona, Iowa, I stumbled upon this classroom management technique. Wendi Meister is the preschool teacher at Bishop Garrigan preschool. She uses a color coding technique for students to choose centers. The color of the word on the "centers" poster, matches the color of the word on the wall in each center. Students use clothespins and attach the clothespin to a circle (along the sides of the poster) to choose the center they would like to work in. This encourages literacy skills because the center labels are the same color as the centers poster. This makes connections with colors to letters and letters to words! Thanks for sharing this great technique Wendi.
Picture 1 - Center choices poster (clothespins not shown)
Picture 2 - Science center word on wall is in yellow. Science center choice on poster is also yellow.
Picture 3 - Library center word on wall is in green. Library center choice on poster is also green.
For more questions on how Wendi utilizes this in her preschool classroom, she can be reached at wmeister@bishopgarrigan.org.
THANKS FOR SHARING WENDI!
Center poster
Science Center
Library
Do you have something to share?!?!?!
Check out 3 more additional preschool tools below
Additional Preschool Resources To Share
2) Sensory Paths - new this year, our Creative Services department is creating sensory paths for your classroom floors. Sensory paths are a great way to transition students, quick brain breaks or a fun way to walk down the hall!!! Check out our catalog with pictures and prices!
3) Have a blind or visually impaired student? HERE you can find a brochure with several different resources that are free for students and families of a visually impaired child.
Updates for Early Childhood Teachers
1) PLAEA Early Childhood Teacher Huddle Zooms - TIME UPDATED!
You asked and we listened! Due to many of you still having students until 3:15 and 3:30 p.m., we have bumped back our Teacher Huddle Zooms to 3:30 p.m. Moving forward we will start at 3:30 p.m. and go till 4:30 p.m. (Except for the TS GOLD Booster Sessions). Below is a list of dates and headlining topics for our PLAEA EC Teacher Huddles!
** Please note - these are always the 2nd Wednesday of each month!
Zoom link for all zooms: https://plaea.zoom.us/j/97352168864
November 10:
Early Childhood Multi Tiered Systems of Support (EC -MTSS)
(3:30 - 4:30 p.m.)
December 8:
Behavior Supports/Strategies from PLAEA Behavior Team
(3:30 - 4:30 p.m.)
January 12:
TS GOLD Boosters
Session II
(2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.)
February 9:
Moving Away From Letter A Day
(3:30 - 4:30 p.m.)
March 9:
SEBH
(3:30 - 4:30 p.m.)
April 13:
ECSE Transition
(3:30 - 4:30 p.m.)
2) TS GOLD Booster Session Recording
(Heads up - there is an awkward moment of recording while others were in breakout rooms. Feel free to fast forward through that section.)
Passcode: !z9.MkW2
3) PLAEA 2021-2022 Professional Development Opportunities
PLAEA Early Childhood 2021 -2022 Professional Development Opportunities
Didn't find what you are looking for? There are MANY other online and self-paced learning opportunities (geared towards early childhood) also available on aealearningonline.org
Reminder: per IQPPS standard 6.4 and 6.5 all early childhood staff in SWVPP are required to engage in specialized professional development each year. This can be provided (but limited to): by district, PLAEA or outside agency.
4) Paraeducator Courses Available
Additional Preschool Resources
Early Childhood Special Education Supports
i3 Website
i3 website is full of information, guidance, resources and procedures. i3 - Iowa IDEA Information - Guidance - Resources - ProceduresProcedural Safeguards Manual
Do you every have a difficult time finding an updated Procedural Safeguards Manual for Parents prior to an IEP meeting? Do you ever need a copy for families in Arabic, Bosnian, Lao, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish or Vietnamese? See the links below for updated Manuals.
Procedural Safeguards Manual for Parents Rights for Children Ages 3-21 - English
Resources Preparing Parents for IEP Meetings
Parent Information for Initial IEP Meeting
IEP Team Member Roles and Responsibilities
Preschool "Go-Tos"
NCPMI -PBIS - Challenging Behavior Site
ColorinColorado - A bilingual site for educators and families of English language learners
Early Childhood Iowa - Early Childhood Mental Health
MEET YOUR PLAEA EARLY CHILDHOOD CONSULTANTS
Katie Kauffman - Early Childhood Special Education Consultant
Supporting Districts: East Sac County, Greene County, Manson Northwest Webster, Newell Fonda, Paton-Churdan, Pocahontas Area, Schaller-Crestland, Storm Lake, South Central Calhoun, South Hamilton, Stratford (EC and ECSE), Gilmore City-Bradgate, Southeast Valley (EC & ECSE).
Email: kkauffman@plaea.org
Website: plaea.org
Phone: (515)705-7197
Marcie Lentsch - Early Childhood Education Consultant
Supporting Districts: Albert City-Truesdale, Algona, Alta-Aurelia, Clarion-Goldfield, Clay Central-Everly, Eagle Grove, Emmetsburg, Estherville Lincoln Central, Fort Dodge, Graettinger-Terril, Harris-Lake Park, Humboldt, Laurens-Marathon, North Kossuth, North Union, Okoboji, Ruthven-Ayrshire, Sioux Central, Spencer, Spirit Lake, Twin Rivers, Webster City, West Bend/Mallard.
Email: mlentsch@plaea.org
Website: plaea.org
Phone: 515-705-7170