PLAEA Early Childhood News
September 2021
Highlight of the Month
Using the 1st 6 Weeks (a.k.a. Beginning of the Year) from the Creative Curriculum is an essential, easy, and productive way to start your year off right. The first step of using the 1st 6 weeks, will support you in using the Creative Curriculum with fidelity. Focus areas include: Building Positive Relationships, Setting Expectations and Building a Classroom Community, etc.
We strongly encourage you to take a dive into using the 1st 6 Weeks study!
Additional supports can be found here:
Building A Classroom Community How-To Video
Journal reflection from a Preschool Teacher on Implementing The 1st 6 Weeks
Things To Get Working On
2) Reserve dates for our Early Childhood Teacher Huddles -2nd Wednesday of every month via zoom. Come and join us for networking, collaboration, laughs and learning with your fellow early childhood colleagues around Prairie Lakes AEA!
October 13th - 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
November 10th - 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
December 8th - 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
January 12th - 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
February 9th - 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
March 9th - 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
April 13th - 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
** October and December will be 2 hours
Zoom link for ALL EC Teacher Huddles: https://plaea.zoom.us/j/97352168864
3) We are feverishly working on finalizing our 2021-2022 Early Childhood Professional Development plan. We have a couple of different courses that will be offered for credit, as well as a variety of workshops to meet your needs. Please be looking for this in the next couple of weeks.
4) UPDATED: My Teacher Wants To Know form has been recently updated. This is a great way to make a first connection with families and have a better understanding of your students. The form is also available in Spanish.
EC-PBIS Training - This Fall
What is EC-PBIS? Early Childhood - Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (EC-PBIS) is based on the Pyramid Model (Fox, Dunlap, Hemmeter, Joseph & Strain, 2003) as an effective, evidence-based approach for supporting social competence and addressing challenging behavior in young children. The PBIS framework is used across the nation, as well as in many of our local districts.
Who should take this? If you are a new teacher and/or attended Preschool Academy, we STRONGLY encourage you to take this as "finishing the package deal" for your first year. Also, if you are looking for a positive approach to supporting challenging behaviors in your classroom, this would be a fantastic reboot for you!
When Is EC-PBIS:
September 27th (Module 1)
November 15th (Module 2)
December 6th (De-Escalation and PTR-YC)
For more details and registration: click on this link
Teaching Strategies 2021-2022 Checkpoint Dates
Fall - 11/22/2021
Winter - 2/28/2022
Spring - 05/31/2022
TS GOLD and myIGDIs 2021-2022 "Cheat Sheet" Document
** Please print or save for ease of access
Information Needed to Start myIGDIs Fall Screening
2) Resources for rostering students in myIGDIs are available in the August 3, 2021 Zip File. A recording link for the rostering webinar is included in the August newsletter on the Iowa myIGDIs website.
3) NEW RESOURCE: Quick Start Guide for myIGDIs Supporting Data Display for myIGDIs in Student Success, with links to additional resources for getting started with myIGDIs administration and viewing data/reports in the myIGDIs system.
4) Below are dates and times that Renissance (creators of myIGDIs) will be hosting zooms to support you all. IF YOU HAVE NOT ADMINISTERED MYIGDIs BEFORE, WE STRONGLY RECCOMEND THAT YOU ATTEND AT LEAST ONE OF THESE PRIOR TO GIVING THE SCREENER.
Administering myIGDIs with Fidelity
September 1, 2021
12:00pm – 1:00pm CST
Administering myIGDIs with Fidelity
September 1, 2021
3:30pm – 4:30pm CST
Administering myIGDIs with Fidelity
September 28, 2021
9:00am – 10:00am CST
Using myIGDIs Data
November 19, 2021
9:00am – 10:30am CST
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
Special Education: Child Find Process
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