Strategies for Sustaining Inclusive Practices: Lessons Learned from State and Community SpecialQuest Teams

Welcome!

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Kathy WhaleyNECTAC

Strategies for Sustaining Inclusive Practices: Lessons Learned from State and Community SpecialQuest Teams

Welcome to Strategies for Sustaining Inclusive Practices: Lessons Learned from State and Community SpecialQuest Teams.

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Outcome

Participants will learn from the experiences of teams at the state and community levels

that have utilized the SpecialQuest approach, materials, and resources to

create and sustain effective early childhood inclusive practices.

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Agenda

• What is SpecialQuest?

• Principles of Sustainability – lessons learned from state and community teams

• Questions and Answers

• Reflections

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Presenters

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Linda Brekken Director, SpecialQuest Birth-Five

Susan Stewart SpecialQuest Birth-Five Community of Practice & Curriculum Coordinator

Pat CameronMassachusetts’ SpecialQuest State Leadership Team Liaison and Section 619 Coordinator in the MA Department of Early Education and Care

Pam WildnauerAssistant Head Start and Early Head Start Director and a member of the Massachusetts Fall River Community Team

Holly Wilcher Early Childhood Mental Health Educator and the Liaison for the Colorado SpecialQuest State Leadership Team

Rosie MorenoEarly Childhood Supervisor for the Eagle County Health and Human Services Department and a Member of the Eagle County Community Team in Colorado

How to Participate

Chat

Poll

Telephone

Email

Listening

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located in lower right corner—ask questions throughout

we will reveal at time of poll

available at the end—we will have phone Q & A

if you didn’t use chat or phone to ask a question

It’s ok to just listen

How to Participate

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Windows UsersClick the "Panels" tab & select reset to default.

Mac UsersClick the “Participant’s” tab.

What is SpecialQuest?

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What is SpecialQuest?

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The SpecialQuest Community

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The PIP/PEP Cycle

Adapted From Fixen & Blasé, NIRNhttp://www.fpg.unc.edu/~nirn/ 11

Colorado’s State Leadership TeamHolly Wilcher

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• Office of the Lt. Governor• Head Start State Collaboration Office• Director of the Division of Child Care• Colorado Department of Education• Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment• Colorado Part C System: Early Intervention Colorado • Higher Education• Head Start and Early Head Start programs• Colorado PEAK Parent Center• Parents• SQ B-5 Community Graduates and Ambassador• DU: Fisher Early Learning Center

Colorado’s State Leadership TeamHolly Wilcher

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Our Vision

Early childhood inclusion in Colorado will embody the values, policies, and practices that support the right of every infant and

young child and his or her family, regardless of ability, to participate in a broad range of activities and contexts as full

members of families, communities, and society.

Adapted from Division of Early Childhood and National Association for the Education of Young Children joint position statement on Inclusion.

Colorado’s State Leadership TeamHolly Wilcher

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• Informed RFP for Center for Best Practices on Early Childhood Social and Emotional Competence and Inclusion

• SpecialQuest Approach adopted within college coursework

• SpecialQuest Approach being embedded within required training for Part C personnel development:

– Service Coordinators– Developmental Intervention Assistants/Para

SpecialQuest Colorado Progress

Eagle County, Colorado – Community TeamRosie Moreno

• Rural Community

• School District Characteristics

• Goals and Action Plans

• Graduate Community

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Eagle County, Colorado – Community TeamRosie Moreno

SpecialQuest 2003-2007

Achievements

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• Head Start Association• Head Start State Collaboration Office• Dept. of Public Health (Part C)• Dept. of Early Education and Care (619)• Dept. of Elem. & Secondary Ed (big B)• Higher Education• Head Start and child care programs• Parents

Massachusetts State Leadership TeamPat Cameron

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Our Vision

Recognizing that all children

are born with possibilities,

families and children birth to five

will have access to high quality,

child- and family-centered

inclusive settings

in a seamless system of

coordinated supports and services.

Massachusetts State Leadership TeamPat Cameron

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Three demonstration sites• Citizens for Citizens Head Start

• Holyoke Chicopee Springfield Head Start – Migrant Program

• Cape Cod Child Development Program

Six colleges/universities• UMass/Boston

• Lesley University

• North Shore Community College

• Wachusett Community College

• Bristol Community College

• Cape Cod Community College

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SpecialQuest Demonstration Sites

Colleges & Universities using SpecialQuest materials

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Southeast Region

Low-Income

Multi-cultural

Fall River, Massachusetts – Community TeamPam Wildnauer

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Enrollment

Options

Locations

Staff

Citizens for Citizens, Inc. – Early Head Start/Head StartPam Wildnauer

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Original Team

State Leadership Team Member

Current Team

2007 SpecialQuest Graduate TeamPam Wildnauer

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To achieve and sustain

a local, integrated and collaborative

system between community providers,

including families, that supports children

birth to five in reaching their full potential.

Fall River’s VisionPam Wildnauer

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Questions

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?use the chat tool to ask a question

Change literature

Six principles

Principles + Strategies = Staying Power

Principles of Sustainability

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Principles of Sustainability

• Clear direction and vision

• Administrative support

• Active involvement by all

• Reciprocal community partnerships

• Time and practice

• Continuous Improvement

Sustain the Quest

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Clear Direction and VisionSustainability

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Administrative SupportSustainability

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Active Involvement by AllSustainability

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Reciprocal Community PartnershipsSustainability

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Time and PracticeSustainability

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Continuous ImprovementSustainability

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Colorado’s Experience

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• Colorado has adopted an Early Childhood Systems Building Framework

• Office of the Lieutenant Governor staffs an Early Childhood Systems building team

• Team membership from Office of the Lt. Governor ensures SpecialQuest is represented at state and local levels

SpecialQuest Work within Early Childhood Colorado Framework

Colorado’s Experience

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Colorado’s Experience

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Principles of Sustainability

• Vision• Administrative Support• Active Involvement by All• Reciprocal Community Partnerships• Time and Practice• Continuous Improvement

Questions for Colorado

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? use the chat tool to ask a question

Massachusetts’ Experience

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Principles of Sustainability

• Vision• Administrative Support• Active Involvement by All• Reciprocal Community Partnerships• Time and Practice• Continuous Improvement

Questions for Massachusetts

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?use the chat tool to ask a question

Final Questions

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? Press *7 to un-mute

Questions?webinar@specialquest.org

Follow-Up Materialswww.specialquest.org/webinar

Follow-up

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http://www.specialquest.org

Additional Resources

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http://www.specialquestlibrary.org

Web-based SpecialQuest Multimedia Training Library

Use the chat feature to share one thing that you heard on this call that you plan to

carry forward into your work.

Reflections

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SpecialQuestQuestions: webinar@specialquest.org

Follow-up: www.specialquest.org/webinar

NECTACPrevious Calls: www.nectac.org/webinars.asp#2009preschool

Inclusion Institute: www.nectac.org/~meetings/inclusionmtg2009/splash.html