Iowa Early Learning Standards Webinar

You should have received an email reminding you of the Iowa Early Learning Standards webinar being held on Monday, March 11 from 10:00 -12:00.  I'd strongly suggest that you attend the webinar.If the time isn't convenient, register anyway, it will likely be recorded and you can watch it at a later date.  If you do not have the information to get registered, just send me an email and I will send it to you again.  I am particularly interested in the new document, Alignment to the Iowa Core - to connect preschool learning with Kindergarten curriculum.  If you're having trouble finding the new IELS, go to www.iowaaeyc.org
 

The new DAYC-2 is here!

I have ordered a new DAYC-2 manual for each person since many of us are not in the office to share copies.  A manual along with a photocopy of each of the developmental areas will be van mailed to your office this week. (Photo copies are only for our learning session). Since there is no formal training for the updated assessment, I have assigned a part of the manual to each person.  Please prepare your part and come to the March 15 department meeting ready to share out/ report on your section.  Of course, if you have time, you are welcome to review any and all of the sections.  At the meeting you will be able to pick up a set of forms and start using it.

Live Binder

Gale and I recently added additional documents to Live Binder.  You can access it at www.livebinder.com
Access Key aea8ECSE.

There you will find a new tab, Nutrition with many of the important documents to use as part of the nutrition assessment/services.  Under the Early ACCESS tab, you will find Julianne Woods Family Assessment information as well as the family assessment tool developed by Green Hills AEA.  Our Jan. dept. meeting notes are found under the Dept. tab.  And Tots n Tech is a new website listed under the website tab.  Please take a tour through live binder and forward me additional documentst that you would like to see posted.  It's nice to be able to go to one location and find many, many things. 

Assessment - DAYC -2, AEPSI

The new DAYC-2 has been ordered for the department.  Updates and changes include subdomain scores for receptive and expressive language within the Communication domain and fine and gross motor scores  within the Physical domain.  Items were reworded for clarity and the ceiling rule was simplified.  Examiner's manuals have been purchased for each person and a set of (25) scoring forms for each domain has been ordered for each office.  Please use up the old DAYC forms and do not re-order; borrow from one another until the new ones arrive.  We will discuss the changes at the next dept. meeting as there is no training currently being offered.

Currently all the ECSE teachers and the AEA Early ACCESS service coordinators have an online account established with AEPSI.  Additionally 9 SLPs, 3 OTs, and 5 PTs have accounts.  If there are other service providers that would like to be part of the team, please have them contact me and they can get set up in the system.   

Each teacher is expected to use the online AEPSI for 4 students. Currently, we have 46 of the 80 license being used; use your discretion on "what" children to enter and "when". 

Department Data

So what data do we have to report at the FED X meeting on Wednesday?  100% of the ECSE teachers have used either the SEAM or AEPS tool to assess the social emotional area of development.  1000% of the teachers are able to write a functional  IFSP or IEP goal based on the assessment and use the Goal Functionality Scale or the RGORI tool to reflect on the quality of the goal.  Progress data is currently being collected on the goal on a quarterly basis.  Eleven of the fourteen ECSE Birth to 3 teachers have had a peer complete the Key Indicators of Family Guided Routine Based Intervention scale, which scores evidence based practices indicated during the observation. 

We currently have a teacher trained from each zone (Lynn Eby, Randi, Nicole, Deb Shelton, Tammy, and Carla) to complete the STAT tool.  The Screening Tool for Autism in Toddlers & Young Children (STAT) is an interactive assessment tool used to screen for autism in children between 24 and 36 months of age. 

The tool has 12 items and takes about 20 minutes to administer.

Tasks assess key social and communication behaviors including:

·   imitation

·   play

·   requesting

directing attention

AEPSI

As of today, we have 32 children listed in AEPSI and have purchased 80 license.  Remember there will be a live webinar on the management of the AEPSI on Jan. 18 during our department meeting.  I know how crazy, busy everyone's schedule has been and I trust that after that date, the license will be put to good use. 

Department work

Have you remembered to submit your progress data on IFSP/IEP social/emotional goals?  This was actually due by Dec. 21 for the 1st quarter.  Now that the holidays have come and gone, could you please remember to do so? 

Secondly, you are to submit the Key Indicators of Family-Guided Routines based Intervention scale.  What am I talking about?  In case you need refreshing, it is a scale that is to be completed on a home visit by a peer.