enocksonc
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2008-09 Year End Report/Watertown Demonstration Site
As I review the DEC Recommened Practices/Self- Assessment I see how different things are from when we started this process! I was overwhelmed to add this project to our already FULL EC life here in Watertown. But I trusted the process.
We saw ready community partners from Head Start, Preschool/Child Care, Birth to 3, Family Center, CESA, ECSE staff. These folks were honest and kept on task throughout the nearly 2 years. Areas that we struggled with implementing changes are now focuses for change. This included more support in the community with options and less time in self-contained ECSE classrooms! Many of the areas dealing with observations, supporting communication in the natural environment, peers supporting social behavior, less adult directed - more child directed engagement, conducting interventions in natural settings etc. are all strengths due to specific changes in our delivery system.
Trainings on Itinerant Services, Routine Based Interviews, the CSEFEL resources, and grant dollars all helped to keep us focused and ready to consider changes. The ECSE staff was able to see beyond the classroom and ready to partner with the community to make incredible learning opportunities for children.
Playgroup became reality and probably the best thing we have ever done. Parent feedback demonstrated the value of peer modeling- for all children. Relationships built in playgroups continued outside the regular sessions. Amazing support from the Watertown Family Center, parents, district staff and administration. We are now looking at potentially serving children with speech and language needs in a 2nd playgroup with typical peers.
It is exciting to sit at a team meeting where I hear ECSE teachers volunteer their paraprofessionals to meet a child's needs at preschool not just slot the child into a district program.
We have many areas to grow in - diversity, Birth to 3 transitioning, but we have come a long way in inclusion and preventing and addressing challenging behaviors. There is also more sharing of services between Head Start and our district. Head Start has been most gracious in sharing trainings with our 4k and ECSE staff. Sometimes it takes more formalized assessement to see the needs and then to have time to consider possibilities.
The children we serve have more significant areas of need than ever before. There is a tremendous need to continue to look at community resources and to share what we have to create the best future for our students.
We have had the privlege of hosting many communities as they are planning their 4 year old Kindergarten programs. Always we learn from these visitors.
Sun Prairie, Poynette, Madison, Boscobel, Waukesha, Oregon. In addition support via email/phone to Baraboo. Scheduling conflicts prevented Franklin Schools visit. We continue to update the district Watertown 4 Kids ( 4 year old K) website for state-wide usage. We ask only that districts pass on any ideas or suggestions on how to do things better 
The Family Center held several EC parenting Love and Logic classes as did a local parochial 4 K partner. Resources for including all children were added to the EC Resouce Lending Library which is open to all Early Care and Education professionals in our community. Early Care folks are begging for additional training on addressing challenging behaviors in the care settings. DVD's, books, resources that can be checked out need to be available to them.
As a community- the free clinic is now open, and now we are working on expanding the Project KIND ( kids in need of dentistry) program. This discussion is an ongoing one for all of our EC partners. More work to be done!!
Christine Enockson, ECSE/4K Coordinator Watertown Unified School District
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