SCROLL DOWN FOR FREE EVENTS THIS SUMMER
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PRE-K UPDATE
JUNE 24, 2020
The Long Island Pre-K Initiative is proud to be part of Long Island's Regional Technical Assistance Center for Pre-K and Early Education (LI-RTAC). Visit its web page for links to all partner organizations. Many have important COVID-19-related resources to offer:  www.nassauboces.org/rtac 

Regents and SED are holding Reopening Task Force meetings; Governor has appointed "Reimagining" Advisory Council
Four virtual meetings are being held this month to gather information that will be used to develop guidance and regulatory changes that may be needed before the new school year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the same time, the Governor has appointed a Reimagine Education Advisory Council, which will be examining how to "help districts reimagine schools as they prepare to reopen while protecting health and safety, and how virtual learning can bridge the gap and supplement face-to-face education when schools reopen."

A press release about the State Education Department (SED) Reopening Task Force meetings quotes Interim Commissioner Shannon Tahoe: "The monumental impact COVID-19 has had on New York coupled with the diverse landscape of our state makes the task of developing a framework to reopen our schools a significant undertaking." 

During the meetings, which began last week, groups of about 200 stakeholders from four regions of the state are providing input on areas such as health and safety, special education and digital equity and access. The final meeting is this morning, Wednesday, June 24, and covers Nassau and Suffolk Counties as well as New York City. The feedback from all four meetings will then be synthesized and the SED will present guidance documents to the Board of Regents for discussion at its July 13, 2020 meeting.

Educators also have an opportunity for offering feedback by emailing the Governor's Reimagine Education Advisory Council.

"Over the last few months, many early childhood educators have been involved in robust conversations about how early education and K-12 schools might be better aligned as we consider how to reimagine education in New York State--and across the U.S.," says Lucinda Hurley of The Long Island Pre-K Initiative. "You are invited to share your thinking and insights, too."

Share your ideas and concerns about reopening schools with the Reimagine Education Advisory Council:


YOUR CLASSROOM
Children will be processing this unprecedented spring through play--and we need to be supportive
The spring of 2020 has been full of "tumultuous" events, notes Emily Kaplan, writing for Edutopia. And young children will be making sense of COVID-19, racial protests and economic depression the way they know best: through play.
Cute little toddler african american boy playing funny game as doctor holding stethoscope listening to toy_ mixed race black preschool child kid pretending nurse treating fluffy patient at home

Kaplan interviewed numerous experts for her article, including psychologist Seth Aronson, who told her, "One of the functions play serves for kids is it allows them to approach something that might be frightening in a way that makes it less frightening and more understandable."

And, in fact, writes Kaplan, adults generally don't need to worry that children will play out scenarios they're not prepared to deal with. "The very instinct to explore a subject in play likely means that the child is ready--and perhaps needs--to do so."

So how can adults support healthy use of play to process difficult events? For one thing, don't criticize what the child is doing. "Sometimes children's play can inspire uncomfortable feelings in adults, which is perfectly fine as long as adults don't convey to children that their play is shameful or wrong." 

Is there a time to worry? Only if the play doesn't change over time, according to play expert Nancy Carlsson-Paige. "If the same troubling event is rehashed over and over, with the same outcome each time--intervention, or psychological attention, may be merited." Read the full article.
 
BOOKSHELF
From humor to gardening to activism or crafts, the school librarians have a book list for you this summer
The editors at School Library Journal love a good book list--and so do we, since their picks are often collected in unique ways. 

For example, there's a list of 11 picture books that they find are just more fun when read together, such as Girl Versus Squirrel. This story about escalating attempts to keep squirrels out of birdfeeders will strike a chord with many Long Islanders.

Another list collects 37 picture books that depict #BlackJoy---that is, that with " their exuberant illustrations and positive prose, offer portraits of Black joy, within and beyond the African diaspora." The 37 include The King of Kindergarten and Grandma's Purse.

Click here to review all the lists--you're sure to find something of interest.
COVID-19
Western Suffolk BOCES has built an extensive online toolkit of free resources for teachers and parents--check it out!
Early education? Nutrition? The needs of English Language Learners? Free resources on more than 20 topics have been collected by Western Suffolk BOCES into a COVID-19 toolkit--and new ones are being added all the time. For example, the "Early Education" section includes a link to "Book by Book," a website for nurturing young readers, as well as access to Sesame Street's recent racism town hall. "Nutrition" includes information about local food pantries. And there's a rundown of specific practices to help English Learners from the National Center for Educational Evaluation. Click here.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Last chance to sign up for "Choice Time" workshop with Renee Dinnerstein

Conversations about Choice Time and How to Support Play When Teaching Virtually
Date: Wednesday, July 1, 2020
Time: 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m

Presenter: Renee Dinnerstein is the author of Choice Time: How to Deepen Learning Through Inquiry and Play. She has over 50 years experience as an early childhood educator.


These virtual learning opportunities focus on special education

Caregivers, educators and families will all find topics of interest in the workshops being offered this summer by the Long Island Regional Partnership Center and Early Childhood Family and Community Engagement Center. Click here for full descriptions and to register. The topics are:

Planning for the Transition from Preschool Special Education to Kindergarten
Date: Thursday, July 9, 2020
Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Function Based Thinking for Preschool, Parts 1 and 2
Dates: Tuesday, July 21 and Wednesday, July 22, 2020
Time: 11:00 a.m to 1:00 p.m.

Positive Behavior Supports for Home, School and Community
Date: Tuesday, July 28, 2020
Time: 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Explicit Vocabulary Instruction for Parents
Date: Wednesday, July 29, 2020
Time: 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Plannning for the Transition from Early Intervention to Preschool Special Education
Date: Wednesday, August 12, 2020
Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.


Long Island's Early Childhood Leadership Initiative is bringing Elena Aguilar to you

If you're not familiar with the name of this national expert on educational leadership,
perhaps you know the title of of one of her books, which include  Onward: Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators.  The Leadership Initiative is hosting Aguilar as its first "Speaker Series" event, so she can share her 25 years of experience as a teacher and coach with you.

Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Leadership
Date: Monday, June 29, 2020
Time: 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Registration: This event is free but  registration is required. Click here.

About Us
The Long Island Pre-K Initiative is a collaborating partner in the state-funded Regional Technical Assistance Center, which supports Pre-K and early childhood education on Long Island. The other collaborating partners are the three Long Island BOCES, the Child Care Council of Nassau, Inc., the Child Care Council of Suffolk, Inc. and the Family Leadership Network. 




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