Learning from Partnerships in Demonstration Communities

Last year Jamie attended a special needs preschool in his school disctrict as well as a Head Start program at another location. Today he is in one blended classroom with other four-year-olds, receiving services from both programs through a new partnership in his community.

Nationally, a growing number of communities are working to meet the early childhood needs of children and families through community partnerships. Several successful partnerships are already underway in Kansas.

Kansas Recognizes State Champions

Tue, 2010-06-08 15:51 — admin

On Tuesday, May 25, 2010 State Champion Awards were presented as part of the opening session of the Region VII Head Start Association Leadership Conference.  The award recognizes leadership on issues that positively impact young children.  The state of Kansas chose to recognize Laura Cano, Jim McDaniel, and Dr. Robert Morton as their champions.  The three recipients are administrators with the three school districts involved in the Demonstration Learning Communities project funded by the Kansas Early Childhood Block Grant.  Mary Baskett, Executive Director of Kansas Head Start Association, introduced the recipients and presented the awards.

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Visitors from U.S. Department of Education Learn Firsthand about Kansas Preschool Partnership

Fri, 2010-04-30 22:35 — Becky Drews

“I was really impressed with the early learning program I saw in Rossville. Everything was so seamlessly integrated. The administrators, the teachers, and the parents deserve a lot of credit for what they’ve accomplished,” said Patrick Kerr, Senior Public Affairs Specialist for the Office of Communications and Outreach, U.S. Department of Education.

On March 25th, Kerr, along with Jacqueline Jones, Senior Advisor to the Secretary for Early Learning and John White, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Rural Outreach, from Washington DC, visited Rossville and St. Marys, Kansas, to learn about early childhood education programs in rural Kansas.

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Each partner program brought its strengths to our collaboration, so that we find we’re doing better things together than we were doing separately.

-- Ann McCullough, Principal, Kaw Valley USD

By combining state and federal resources, we are able to keep our program more stable and make the most of what we have, to provide the highest level of service.

-- Phyllis Marmon, Director (Rossville), Community Action, Inc., Head Start

In our new early childhood center, it’s amazing to see adults and children, sitting around a table in their classroom and eating a meal together, just like a family would eat dinner at home. That’...

-- Robert Morton, Ed.D., Superintendent, Coffeyville USD

The Hamm Early Learning Center is worthwhile and working!  It’s taking a lot of dedication, hard work and collaboration of all the partnerships.

-- Tammy Blaich, M.S., L.C.P., Four County Mental Health, Coffeyville

In the first two weeks that our son was here, they identified the things he needed help with and came to us... It's just so exciting to see him develop and change and become the little boy that we...

-- Foster Parent, Rossville

I think this project is an exemplary model for combining resources, dollar resources and people resources, to collectively do something stronger and better for kids and families.

-- Jim McDaniel, Superintendent, Kaw Valley USD

Wow! That first day of preschool was a doozy. I questioned whether it was necessary to serve the children both breakfast and lunch. It brought a tear to my eye when one of our staff told me about...

-- Beverly Newton, Director of Food Services, Rossville

Our bottom line is, ‘Are we doing what’s best for kids and families?'

-- Diane Hensley, Parent and Family Liaison, Liberal USD

I really like that our daughters are in classes with a variety of children -- different backgrounds -- everything. That is so important, because that's life.

-- Heather Heslip, Parent, Coffeyville

I also attend parent meetings now, especially since there is someone to help me.  I come as often as I can.  The meetings are very full of helpful information.

-- Luisa Ensaldo, Parent, Coffeyville

Read more...

Local and state K-12 leaders are finding that collaborating with community-based providers such as Head Start programs, child care centers and faith-based organizations can help them develop and implement high-quality pre-k programs that meet the needs of young children and their families in a comprehensive way.

Read the report, "Beyond the School Yard: Pre-K Collaborations with Community-Based Partners".

 

School districts across the nation are blending preschool classrooms.  Mary Baskett, Executive Director of Kansas Head Start Association, and the Demonstration Learning Communities project are featured on Early Ed Watch, a blog from New America's Early Education Initiative.

Read the article, "All in One Classroom: Blending Head Start and Non-Head Start Students".