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PRE-K UPDATE
SEPTEMBER 23, 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 

Developmental screening is available free for every child, thanks to this Long Island nonprofit
People have misunderstandings about what developmental screenings are, according to Melissa Passarelli, Director of Programs for Docs for Tots, the parent organization for Help Me Grow-Long Island. "They're not the kind of evaluation a professional does to diagnose a problem. They can indicate that there may be an issue, but they're also an opportunity to celebrate growth and to engage families in their child's learning."

Help Me Grow offers a free online tool--"Ages and Stages"--for parents to complete, with different questions depending on the child's age. The questions are organized according to different domains, such as communication, gross motor skills and problem solving. And the
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survey is available in Spanish as well as English.

"People assume that pediatricians are checking the child's development," says Passarelli. "But that's not always the case. In fact, New York State ranks 49th in developmental screening practices by doctors."

Teachers can also use the tool, and Help Me Grow has worked with Pre-K programs who want to help parents understand how their child is doing. In one program, for example, Help Me Grow trained staff in the use of the tool. Teachers then sent parents the URL or a paper copy to fill out before parent-teacher conferences. (If the parents didn't complete the screening, the teacher did.) "This offered a snapshot in time and an opportunity for teachers to talk with parents about skills they could be working on with their children." Sometimes parents and teachers both complete the screening tool, which can open up critical conversations.

If the developmental screening does reveal a potential issue, Help Me Grow can refer parents to the appropriate professional for next steps. "Our specialists speak Spanish and Haitian-Creole, as well as English."

Help Me Grow also offers a helpline that parents can call (516-548-8424). The biggest need right now: diapers. "Public benefits don't pay for diapers and they're super expensive," says Passarelli. "Because of COVID-19 related job loss especially, this is a big area of need for families." Help Me Grow keeps track of  Long Island charities that provide diapers and regularly refers people to them. "All of our services are free and the programs we refer people to are also free," Passarelli emphasizes. Click here to learn more.
BOOKSHELF
Did you know that Ruth Bader Ginsburg once chewed 100 sticks of gum? Picture books that tell her story
The news has been full of information about the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. You can satisfy your students' curiosity about this historic figure with
one of the children's books already written about her.

When Ruth Bader Ginsburg Chewed 100 Sticks of Gum by Mark Andrew Weakland describes Ginsburg's childhood, including "fun facts" that will interest youngsters. It's one in a list of 14 titles from the website bookroo.com.

For the younger children, I Look Up To...Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a board book about her life. It's included in a list of a dozen picture book biographies of "truly amazing women from ReadBrightly.
YOUR CLASSROOM
Here are hundreds of free ideas for taking your teaching outside this fall
UK's Creative Star Learning* and educator Sue Dixon (author of The Thinking Child) have
teamed up to make available hundreds of recommendations for learning outdoors. From 25 suggestions for outdoor phonics to 100 ideas for literacy or math, there is sure to be an activity that appeals to you. The lessons are all aligned with UK rather than US standards, but each description specifies the desired learning outcomes.

The lesson plans all emphasize active learning--for example, performing a familiar story, carrying out a scavenger hunt or even acting out a word. Click here for the page that provides links to the various collections of ideas plus related blog posts.

*Creative Star Learning is the company founded by Julia Robertson, a former teacher from Scotland and the author of Messy Maths.

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Chalk challenge, animal hide and seek and six other "no touch" outdoor games 
In "Animal Hide and Seek' it's not the children who hide--it's plastic or stuffed creatures you've hidden around the playground in advance. To make it particularly exciting for your students, you can announce that the animals escaped overnight. "Not
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only does animal escape sound exciting, but children might also appreciate the opportunity to help the adults they care about solve a problem." 

So say the experts from Active For Life*. They've put together a list of eight activities designed to be both fun and socially distanced. "Chalk Challenge," for example, calls for drawing a path on the playground or sidewalk. The twist: different-shaped lines mean different movements--a zig zag could be skip and dots might indicate time to tip-toe. Children can follow the course one at a time or at appropriate distances.
Click here to find out what the other six games are.

*Active for Life is a Canadian nonprofit dedicated to getting kids off to a good start by developing "physical literacy." Want to know more about what that term means?
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Want more than a one-time webinar? The PLC and our new Book Club offer sustained experiences
Professional Learning Circles (PLCs) offer you the opportunity to meet regularly with other early educators, share expertise--and challenges--and learn from one another. Our first series of PLCs starts with an opportunity to have an open discussion; subsequent sessions will have a theme and will include an expert on the month's topic. The PLCs will take place once a month; you can register for one session or for as many as you like.

Professional Learning Circle: Time to Share, Explore and Learn From One Another
Date: Wednesday, September 30, 2020
Time: 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Click here to register and for information about the sessions scheduled for the rest of the year.


Our new book club will help you build tools for creating an anti-bias classroom--and will help you understand what that means for you and your students. The text is Don't Look Away: Embracing Anti-Bias Classrooms and your facilitator is Jacob Dixon, CEO of Choice of All and popular presenter on topics related to family engagement. After you register, you will be sent a free copy of the book and a journal.


Book Club: Don't Look Away
Dates: Tuesdays, October 6, 13, 20 & 27, 2020
Time: 7:00 p.m. to 8;15 p.m.
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From the Long Island Regional Early Childhood Leadership Initiative: a virtual panel discussion

Interdisciplinary Perspectives: Developing a Trauma-Infomed Approach to Your Leadership
Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2020
Time: 6:00 p.m to 7:30 p.m.
Click here to register

This event will offer diverse perspectives on leadership, and is being co-hosted by the three state Leadership Initiatives (New York City, Long Island and Buffalo). Panelists will include a trauma systems therapy trainer, an early childhood program director, a social worker and an assistant professor in the field of human development and education. Participants will gain insights about leadership and learn strategies for caring for staff, children and families.

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In this pandemic year, making sure we don't lose sight of developmentally appropriate practice
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the AASA (The School Superintendents Association), among others, are sponsoring a free webinar on a topic of great importance--making sure early educators don't forget what's developmentally appropriate for young children. The webinar covers all COVID-19 conditions--remote learning, hybrid programs and in-person instruction. Speakers include early educators Tamara Johnson, a member of NAEYC's executive board, and Tabatha Rosprey, National Teacher of the Year.

Early Efforts: Ensuring Developmentally Appropriate Practice Amidst A Global Pandemic
Date: Thursday, October 8, 2020
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Click here for more details and to register.
CORRECTION
In last week's e-newsletter (September 16) we incorrectly described the CDA Completion Program being offered by the Early Childhood Career Development Center. The program is for individuals who have already finished Child Development  Associate (CDA) coursework, and are now ready to prepare for the exam for the CDA credential. Starting Thursday, October 15, the virtual sessions will help early educators complete a portfolio and register for the exam. For more information or to sign up for the CDA Completion Program, contact lesley.lawrence@cuny.edu
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