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Large group of happy kids, boys and girls playing with blocks in kindergarten class constructing simple houses
PRE-K UPDATE
DECEMBER 6, 2018
Here's the latest news from The Long Island Pre-K Initiative, your source for  expert training and useful resources:  www.nassauboces.org/pre-k

Registration now open: Explore engaging read-alouds
with JoEllen McCarthy

Literacy From The Start--Thinking,Talking and Learning Together
In this workshop, participants will explore a variety of texts, titles and tips that emphasize the power of read-alouds. In addition to fostering a love of reading, read- alouds promote passion, enthusiasm and a curiosity for pictures and words.
Teacher At Montessori School Reading To Children At Story Time
Participants will identify "heartprint" books that can be layered with conversations to contribute to caring classroom communities. They will learn strategies that enhance all read-alouds and leave with an abundance of title suggestions and a framework for choosing and selecting texts. 
Presenter: JoEllen McCarthy, literacy specialist, national consultant and Book Ambassador for The Educator Collaborative, a K-12 professional learning community. Click here to learn more about her.
Registration fee: $35 per person
 
Date: Thursday, March 28, 2019
AM Session: 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Eastern Suffolk BOCES, Patchogue
PM Session: 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Western Suffolk BOCES, Wyandanch

Only a few seats left: Free ECERS training
ECERS stands for Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale and is a preferred--and practical--tool for assessing best practices in Pre-K and kindergarten classrooms. The Scale covers areas such as space and furnishings; program structure; language-reasoning; and parent-staff relationships. In addition, the revised edition contains
inclusive and culturally sensitive indicators for many items. This training, presented by Stephanie Dockweiler, will introduce the tool, its format and how to score it. Participants will be able to return to their classrooms and conduct their own assessments.

Each participant will receive a free copy of the ECERS scale (revised edition) and a copy of the book All About the ECERS, which offers illustrations and explanations of the various indicators.

Date:  Thursday, March 14, 2019
 Time:  8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
 Location: Eastern Suffolk BOCES, Holbrook

Click here to register (There is no fee, but seats are limited)

Hate homework in Pre-K? This twist could change your mind
It's the Let Grow Project, a challenge from the advocacy organization Let Grow. And it's simple: instead of taking home a worksheet, students are assigned to ask their
girl sweeping the floor in the kitchen at home
parents if they can do one thing they feel ready to do by themselves that they haven't tried yet. It could be walking the dog, setting the table, matching clean socks...almost anything.

Resources for parents and teachers are provided online, including a handout with numerous suggestions for a "homework assignment." On Long Island, the Patchogue-Medford Public Schools piloted "Let Grow Thursdays" last spring, and schools around the U.S. are being invited to join in.

"Doing a little less for our kids is not negligent," says the organization's mission statement. "It's a vote of confidence in them"

Is it really ADHD? New Harvard study finds kids turning 5 right before kindergarten are more often diagnosed
A physician/economist from Harvard Medical School analyzed insurance claims for 407,000 children and the findings are troubling: children with birthdays in the month before the cutoff date for kindergarten were 34 percent more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than those born in the month after that date. (Children in the study live in states that  require  them to be 5 by September 1 for kindergarten.)

"We think...it's the relative age and the relative immaturity of the August-born children in any given class that increases the likelihood that they're diagnosed as having ADHD."  Read more.

It's not just screen "time": the health issues that get overlooked when talking about technology in the classroom
With all the talk about how much screen time is ok for children, we've forgotten to pay attention to safe use of laptops and electronic devices in our classrooms. So says an article from Maryland advocacy group Screens and Kids.

For example: do you know the safety guidelines issued by manufacturers themselves? Dell, for one, recommends using an external keyboard if laptops are to be used for an extended time.

Little kid using laptop computer sitting on white background. Close up at kids hands. Childhood lifestyle.
"How the devices are configured, the lighting in the room and the glare on the screens, the lack of recess and sunlight (which profoundly increases myopia risks in growing kids who are already predisposed to nearsightedness) and homework on a device...play just important a role in negatively impacting our children's health as the amount of time they're on the devices."

Even something as simple as taking frequent breaks can help, according to writer Cindy Eckard, who reminds educators of their responsibility to provide safe learning environments. Read more.


This week's job listings for early ed on Long Island

For the Economic Opportunity Commission of Nassau Head Start

Full-Time Early Childhood Specialist
Part-Time Professional Development Coordinator
EOC of Nassau Head Start, Wantagh, Freeport, Hempstead, Rockville Centre, Roosevelt, Westbury, Five Towns (Lawrence), Long Beach

Full-Time Teacher
Full-Time Teacher Assistant
Full-Time Teacher Aide
EOC of Nassau Head Start, Wantagh, Freeport, Hempstead, Rockville Centre, Roosevelt, Westbury, Long Beach


For the Long Island Head Start positions listed below
E-mail resumes to humanresources@liheadstart.org

Full-Time Teacher Assistant
Full-Time Family Advocate--Bilingual
Full-Time Family Advocate
Long Island Head Start, various

Full-Time Teacher
Long Island Head Start, Huntington

Full-Time Teacher II (Infant/Toddler)
Long Island Early Head Start, Patchogue

Part-Time Family Advocate--Bilingual
Long Island Head Start, North Fork

Full-Time Parent Involvement Specialist--Bilingual
Long Island Early Head Start, Islip, Patchogue

Full-Time EHS-CCP Family Service Worker--Bilingual
Full-Time Nutrition Specialist
Long Island Head Start, Central Administration, Patchogue

Full-Time Teacher Aide
Long Island Head Start, various, Islip Early Head Start

Here's how to add your school's staffing needs to this list:
 
Send an e-mail to prek@nasboces.org with the subject line "List our position."
 
In the body of the e-mail, include the following information:
 
For our records:  
  • Your name
  • Your position
  • Your e-mail and phone number
For the listing in our e-newsletter  
  • The name of your school and the town it's located in. You can include your web address, if you have one.
  • A very brief description of the position or positions you want to fill. (For example: "Part-time Teacher Assistant" or "Full-time Pre-K Teacher."
  • Information about how potential applicants should contact your for details or to apply. (For example: "Call Jane Smith at 631-xxx-xxxx" or "Send e-mail to jane.smith@schoolname.org") 
It's important to understand that:
 
We will not include information about salary. We will not include any descriptions of your school or program, although we can include a link to your school's web site.
 
We will publish your information a single time. If you still have openings, you can e-mail us again with the details and we will run the information again.
 
Our e-newsletter is typically sent out on Wednesday mornings. However, it may be mailed on a different day, depending on content or technical considerations. 
 
The Long Island Pre-K Initiative reserves the right to edit information; space in the e-newsletter is very limited.
 

About Us
The Long Island Pre-K Initiative is a grant-funded project that seeks to strengthen partnerships between school districts and community-based organizations and to share information about research, policy and best practices for early learning. Administered by Nassau BOCES, it is supported with expertise from The Early Years Institute and funds from the Rauch and Hagedorn Foundations. Our partners: Eastern Suffolk BOCES, Western Suffolk BOCES, and the Child Care Councils of Nassau and Suffolk.






NASSAU BOCES DEPARTMENT OF STRATEGIC INITIATIVES
71 Clinton Road, Garden City, NY 11530-9195
Phone: (516) 396-2220  Fax: (516)-396-2355
www.nassauboces.org