March 2011
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Quarterly Newsletter
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Quality Counts for Children
Congratulations to the providers who received their Quality Counts for Children 2009-2010 grant from the Juvenile Welfare Board. The Board of Directors for the Early Learning Coalition of Pinellas County recognized providers on January 27, 2011 for their dedication to continuous quality improvement in their programs. The following providers were able to attend the recognition ceremony. Well done!
1 st row: Gina from R’Club @ 94 th Ave., Shirley Williams (family child care home), Mary from Community Preschool, Carol and Sonia from Little People’s Place, Nancy from Community Pride Breeden
2 nd row: Jenifer from Academy of Learning, Laura from Camelot School, Alicia from Children of the World, Geri from Child Life Preschool, Denise Redner (family child care home), Patty from Child Life Preschool, Cathie from Belleair Montessori, Carol from Palm Harbor Montessori, Lisa Zephryrin (family child care home), Nedra from Community Pride Gateway, Denise from St. Jerome Early Childhood Center |
P.I.E.C.E. Works to Solve the Inclusion Puzzle Statewide
 ELC of Pinellas and the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, FDDC, hosted a four day conference for coalition representatives from around the state from February 1-4th at the Clearwater Beach Marriott Hotel. Twelve different coalitions were present including teachers from Pinellas, tats representatives from two different coalitions, the State Inclusion Network Coordinator and the Child Development/ Education Program Manager from the FDDC.
Positive Behavior Supports, PBS, was the focus of the first three days of training. Beyond Differences and Diagnoses presented on the fourth day capped a very lively and information charged week. Participants enjoyed four days of intensive instruction. Through small group activities, video clips and real case studies, they practiced strategies to support teachers in their work with children with challenging behaviors and special needs. Participants received a Teacher’s Toolkit, numerous videos, children’s books, music CD, puppet and other materials they can use in the classroom.
Participants will return to their coalitions/counties and choose two schools to implement the program. They will offer the 24 hours of training and mentor the sites through the PBS process. The goal is to provide inclusive education sites which will welcome children with challenging behaviors and varying abilities and serve as model schools in their community. We hope to minimize the expulsion rate of preschoolers around the state of Florida which currently is three times the rate in K-12.
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Are There Benefits to Inclusion?
To be inclusive means that children with special needs will be educated in the same environment as children who are typically developing. All children can learn and when a child with special needs is included his education is enhanced as he will strive to achieve like his peers; incidentally his social skills will be better than if he were educated with children who are all delayed. All children go through the developmental stages however a child with special needs may need more time and help to go through all the stages of development.
There have been concerns expressed by some that the typically developing child will slow his learning to match the level of development of the special needs child. Research shows that typically developing children will not lose ground or stop learning. In an inclusive environment both groups of children will play more with other children and use toys in a more complex way.
Parents of children with special needs get a real world perspective for interpreting their child’s accomplishments and needs. It provides them with an opportunity to see what other children of their child’s age are learning and gives them an opportunity to make friends with the parents of typically developing children. For parents of typically developing children in an inclusive environment they have a concrete opportunity for teaching their children about differences in growth and development and their child learns empathy. Families may develop a greater understanding of persons with special needs becoming more sensitive to the needs of families with children of different abilities and can become future advocates for community integration.
Teachers who develop the strategies and techniques of working with special needs children are better teachers as they can work successfully with any child.
The key to success for children with special needs is early identification and the provision of early intervention. Never wait to see if a child will "outgrow the problem”. Call your Inclusion Specialist. Think of learning as a ladder if a rung is missing you can’t climb the ladder. Think of early interventionist as a carpenter who can fix the ladder. Now the ladder can be climbed.
For onsite technical assistance and support with children with special needs contact Bonnie Touchton, Director of Inclusion Services at btouchton@elcpinellas.net or
727.548.1439 x226. |
Enrollment Update*
School Readiness Enrollment
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Enrolled |
Waiting |
Birth through 2 yr |
1662 |
1466 |
3 – 5 yr (prek) |
2304 |
1041 |
School Age |
2873 |
1144 |
Special Needs Teens |
3 |
0 |
Total |
6842 |
3651 |
In January 2011, 651 new children were enrolled, however due to attrition total children enrolled only increase by 136. Enrollment of children receiving TANF increased. Enrollment of children under protective services decreased slightly. 24 School age children were enrolled through the Child Care Purchasing Pool. 75 income eligible children were enrolled from the waitlist.
VPK Enrollment
5,421 children are enrolled in VPK. This is just shy of the identified goal of 5,495. New programs are scheduled to begin in June; we expect to exceed the goal.
*Data Source: Coordinated Child Care Monthly Management Report January 2011 |
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Sponsorship by Early Learnig Coalition of Pinellas County. Inc., State of Florida and Agency for Workforce Innovation.