Transition to Kindergarten: A Collaboration

Transition to Kindergarten:A Collaboration RIDE Winter Leadership Institute RI Convention Center February 9, 2007

Transition to Kindergarten:A Collaboration Ready to Learn Providence Community & The Providence Public School Department

Statement of Purpose ●Partner with parents to share information regarding kindergarten registration and family activities encouraging kindergarten readiness. • Empower parents to view themselves as a vital resource to the early care education (ECE) and kindergarten teacher communities. • Facilitate shared professional development opportunities between the ECE community and Providence Public School District (PPSD) kindergarten teachers regarding kindergarten expectations and Rhode Island Early Learning Standards (RIELS). • Promote the sharing of information and activities amongst community resources, parents, and early care and PPSD kindergarten teachers. • Mobilize community resources to collaborate, share, plan and implement transition activities with the input of parents.

Committee Commitment R2LP Vision Statement: All children in Providence will enter school healthy and ready to learn.

Committee Membership • 15 members • Monthly meetings; rotate locations to be more inclusive • Subcommittees created as needed • Represents these community of adult learners: parents, early care administrators and educators, Providence Public Library management, PPSD senior & mid-management administrators, elementary school principals and literacy specialists, and staff of R2LP.

History of Committee ●The Providence Plan secured ELOA grant in 2003 to fund an Early Childhood Education (ECE) Facilitator position in PPSD ● Membership: Early Care Community and PPSD ECE Facilitator Focus: Revision of Kindergarten Registration Materials Elementary School Fair Kindergarten Registration Process • Develop Partnership between Early Care Community and PPSD Focus: Open Schools Week International Family Fun Day Principal Survey: role of PTO and individual school plans for transition activities Public Relations: Kindergarten Registration publicized on busses and in bus shelters (English/Spanish)

History of Committee Strategic Planning Focus: • Policy Considerations: T2K and R2LP Policy Committees discuss “change in kindergarten age of entry” policy and potential impact on children, families and the Providence early care community ● PPSD School Activities: R2LP’s Parent Activity Kits be introduced at school events, mapping of early care providers ● Providence Public Library: introduces concept of Calendar of Family Fun Activities for pilot in Summer 2005 • PPSD initiation of T2K Plans at Elementary School level • Statistical Information: Committee studies results of PPSD’s PALS assessments • Collaboration on Professional Development activities • Assessment Discussion: Committee and PPSD representatives discuss sharing of information on preschool age children with PPSD upon entry to kindergarten.

Committee Goals & Objectives • Joint Professional Development (JPD): Initiatives for PPSD Administrators & Educators with Providence EC Providers • CIS: Child Information Sheet • PPSD Kindergarten Registration • Parenting Education Initiatives

Joint Professional Development Activities • Courses for Administrators & Educators based on RIELS • Number of participants • Course requirements • College credit available

CIS: Child Information Sheet • Committee involvement • Based on RIELS • Review process • Final product in English/Spanish • Pilot project: Summer 2006 • Pilot outcomes and lessons learned • Plans for 2007

PPSD Kindergarten Registration • Training: February, 2007 on Kindergarten registration process & CIS implementation • Audience: 35 Providence Head Start Family Workers and 30 R2LP AmeriCorps members • R2LP and PPSD compose a joint letter supporting early Kindergarten registration. Letter to serve as an insert to R2LP and Providence Head Start newsletters (February 2007)

T2K Committee & PPSD Special Events Early Care Community Forum: • Co-sponsors R2LP T2K Committee & PPSD • When: Thursday, February 8, 2007 • Where: CCRI Auditorium, Providence campus • Time: 6:00 – 8:00pm • Participants: Providence EC community and administrators, PPSD Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Evans; PPSD senior management • Three Components: PPSD Plans for Kindergarten Registration 2007 PPSD Child Outreach Services Introduction of CIS

Parenting Education Activities Parenting Education Forum: ● Co-sponsors: PPSD Parent & Family Engagement Resource Center and T2K Committee ● Location: TBD ● When: A Saturday, May 2007 • Participants: parents and caregivers of children preparing to enter kindergarten; early care community, representatives of PPSD and Providence Public Library • Focus: • 3-5 workshops on Kindergarten readiness; summer activities for parents and children, and community resources

Parenting Education Activities PPSD Math & Literacy Nights: ● Co-sponsors: PPSD Parent & Family Engagement Resource Center and T2K Committee ●When: May 2007 ● Location: TBD ● Participants: parents and caregivers of children preparing to enter kindergarten; early care community, representatives of PPSD and Providence Public Library • Focus: Math and Literacy workshops on Kindergarten readiness; summer activities for parents and children, and community resources

Summary of Accomplishments • T2K Committee represents all key community stakeholders • Open and respectful dialogue • Strengthening & deepening partnership between PPSD & EC community • Increase in joint professional development activities for EC and PPSD communities • Building on strength of EC community relationships • Increasing parent education activities on transition issues • Institutionalizing CIS • Raising the awareness of Kindergarten transition issues

Where do you want to go from here?

Resources • Contact information: Mindy Mertz Providence Public School District 401.456.9132 mindy.mertz@ppsd.org Stanley Kuziel Ready to Learn Providence 401.490.9960 skuziel@provplan.org

Transition to Kindergarten: A Collaboration