Department of Early Childhood Education Philosophy Statement
The Dickinson-Iron Intermediate School District Department of Early Childhood Education has long espoused the philosophy that the parent is the most important influence in the development of the child.  We view the child and the family as a total entity replete with strengths and needs.  As a result of these beliefs, we recognize that we, as an Intermediate School District Department of Early Childhood Education, cannot meet all the needs of the child and family.  The family deserves to have at its disposal, a full spectrum of service agencies and programs.  Therefore, the Dickinson-Iron Intermediate School District Department of Early Childood Education believes that it is essential to create a service model that will, together with the family, provide for optimum early intervention as a means to allow the full potential of the child.
 
Early Head Start Home Based 0-3
Early Head Start supports parents in their effort to provide their children with:

• Safe and Nurturing Environments

• Stable Place of Residence

• Access to Health Care

All of this is provided through regular home visits, parent education and playgroups.

Comprehensive Curriculum in Early Head Start Home Based Program
The Florida State University (FSU) Partners for a Healthy Baby curriculum addresses the multifaceted needs of expectant and parenting families. Partners for a Healthy Baby is a "two generational" curriculum that addresses the needs of both the parents and the child. We know that unless the family is stable, they cannot possibly meet the health and developmental needs of their young children. For that reason, Partners for a Healthy Baby covers a wide array of issues related to Family Development and Family Health & Safety, and includes content that addresses Preparing and Caring for Baby/Toddler; and Baby's/Toddler's Development. With 671 Purposes and corresponding Parent Handouts to choose from, Home Visitors can individualize visits to address the specific needs of each family.

​​School Readiness
The Office of Head Start has recently put a greater emphasis on School Readiness. Our Early Head Start staff along with Head Start staff, support staff, and administration staff have developed School Readiness Goals.
These goals were formulated to provide a process which will assist parents with transition to appropriate preschool experiences. School readiness goals work to build upon the social, emotional, physical and cognitive skills of all children as they transition from home to preschool.
Our program partners with families to help every child learn and reach his or her protentional to be ready for school. 

Head Start - 3-5
What We Teach - Curriculum Content

A Comprehensive Curriculum
In the HighScope Preschool Curriculum, learning is focused on the following eight content areas, which are based on the dimensions of school readiness identified by the National Education Goals Panel.  HighScope's curriculum content area are:

- Approaches to learning
- Social and emotional development
- Physical development and health
- Language, literacy, and communication
- Mathematics
- Creative arts
- Science and technology
- Social studies

While learning in these content areas prepares children for later schooling, HighScope takes the learning process beyond traditional academic subjects by applying methods that promote independence, curiosity, decision making, cooperating, persistence, creativity, and problem solving in young children.

Key Developmental Indicators (KDIs)
In the HighScope Preschool Curriculum, learning in these eight areas is guided by 58 key developmental indicators (KDIs) that meet all state standards.  Each KDI is linked to one of the dimensions of school readiness, and each is a statement that identifies an observable child behavior reflecting knowledge and skills in those areas.
 
Teaching Practices in the HighScope Preschool Curriculum
Adult-child interaction.  In the HighScope approach teachers and children are active partners in the learning process.  This balanced approach to adult-child interaction — also called "intentional teaching" — is critical to the effectiveness of the program. It includes techniques for encouraging learning in specific content areas as well as strategies for helping children resolve conflict.

Daily Routine
A Framework for the Day's Events that Supports Children's Security and Independence
Following a consistent routine day after day gives children the sense of security they need to make choices and take risks, which opens the door to exciting learning opportunities.

Each HighScope program decides on the daily routine that works best for its setting, schedule, and population.  The following components are always included in the routine, although the length and order of the segments vary from program to program.

Daily Routine Components
Plan-do-review sequence - (planning time, work time, recall time).  This three-part sequence is unique to the HighScope Curriculum.  It includes a 10- to 15-minute period during which children plan what they want to do during work time (the area to visit, materials to use, and friends to play with); a 45- to 60-minute work time for children to carry out their plans (or shift to new activities that interest them); and another 10- to 15-minute period for reviewing and recalling with an adult and other children what they've done and learned.

Daily Routine Components
- Planning time (10-15 minutes)
- Choice time (45-60 minutes; includes cleanup time at the end)
- Recall time (10-15 minutes)
- Small-group time
  (15-20 minutes)
- Large-group time
  (10-15 minutes)
- Outside time (30-40 minutes)
- Transition times
- (including arrival and departure) (variable)
- Eating and rest times (variable)
- Adult team planning time
  (20-40 minutes)

Small-group time - During this time, a small group of children meet with an adult to experiment with materials, try out new skills, and solve problems.  Adults develop a small-group activity based on children's interests and particular skills, materials, or content areas that suit children's developmental learning needs.  Though the adult plans the activity and sets it in motion, children make choices about how to use the materials and freely communicate their ideas.

Large-group time - Large-group time builds a sense of community.  Up to 20 children and 2 adults come together for movement and music activities, interactive storytelling, and other shared experiences.  Children have many opportunities to make choices and play the role of leader.

Outside time - Children and adults spend at least 30 minutes outside every day, enjoying vigorous and often noisy play in the fresh air.

Transition times - Transitions are the minutes between other blocks of the day, as well as arrival and departure times.  Teachers plan meaningful learning experiences for these times, which keeps children engaged and minimizes disruption.

Eating and resting times (if applicable) - Meals and snacks allow children to enjoy eating healthy food in a supportive social setting.  Rest is for napping or quiet, solitary activities.  Since both activities happen at home as well as at school, adults in HighScope programs try to respect family customs at these times as much as possible.

Adult team planning time - This time happens every day in a HighScope program.  It can occur during children's nap time, before children arrive, or after they leave.  The teaching team meets to discuss their observations of children's developing abilities and interests, focusing on these observations as they plan activities and review the materials in the classroom.

Home Based preschool options use the Parents as Teachers Curriculum.  Parents as Teachers promotes the optimal early development, learning and health of children by supporting and engaging their parents and caregivers.  Parents as Teachers builds strong communities, thriving families and children who are healthy, safe and ready to learn by matching parents and caregivers with teachers who make regular personal home visits.  Home Based preschool options include a weekly home visit and 16 group socialization opportunities per year. 

Child Assessment
-    ASQ-SE2 - The Ages & Stages Questionnaire – Social Emotional (ASQ-SE2) is an early identification of social and emotional problems in infants and young children. ASQ-SE2 is a screening tool that identifies infants and young children whose social and emotional development requires further evaluation to determine if referral for mental health services is necessary.
-    DIAL 4 -  The DIAL- 4 is a developmental screening for 2:6-5:11 year old children. Children are screened in each of the performance areas (Motor, Concepts and Language). In addition to the DIAL - 4 performance areas, a child's self-help skills and social-emotional behaviors can be assessed by a parent or caregiver. A hearing and vision screening is also administered at this time.
-    DRDP - The Desired Results Developmental Profile is a developmental continuum from Early Infancy up to Kindergarten entry: The DRDP assessment instruments are designed for teachers to observe, document and reflect on the learning, development and progress of children, birth through 12 years of age, who are enrolled in early care and education programs and before-and-after-school programs. The assessment results are intended to be used by the teacher to plan curriculum for individual children and groups of children and to guide continuous program improvement.

Description of Transition Plan - Transition and Curriculum Committee  
The committee meets 2 times per year late Fall and Spring.  The committee meets generally November or December, again in February. This committee includes the local school districts, Kindergarten teachers, principals as well as Head Start and Great Start Readiness Program teaching staff, support staff, administration and Head Start and Great Start Readiness Program parents.

Sitting on this committee includes input from all participants attending on topics of transitioning from our programs to the public school programs as well as planning activities such as cooperative registrations.

School Readiness
The Office of Head Start has recently put a greater emphasis on School Readiness.  Our Head Start staff along with local teachers and administration have developed School Readiness goals.  The School Readiness goals were formulated to better prepare Head Start students transitioning on to local districts. In addition to the High Scope curriculum,  we also teach lessons using "Heggerty Phonemic Awareness Curriculum", Zoophonics Multi-Sensory Language Arts Program, and Second Step Social Emotional Learning Curriculum.  

• To further explain these curriculums, Heggerty teaches phonemic awareness.  An auditory training process that does not involve print.  The Zoophonics Multi-sensory Language Arts Program is a kinesthetic, multi-modal approach to learning all aspects of language arts, including vocabulary development and articulation, based on phonics and phonemic awareness.  The Second Step Curriculum teaches executive-function skills, the foundation for self-regulation and social-emotional competence.  The program focuses on teaching children to pay attention, use memory, and manage behavior. 

All of our classrooms use positive methods of guidance and behavior management to ensure safety.  This approach teaches children to have respect for themselves and others and to gradually learn self-control appropriate for their age and developmental level.  We strive to insure that:  childrens’ basic physical needs are met; Adults create a warm and caring atmosphere for children; adults encourage children to interact with and turn to adults and to one another for assistance throughout the day; children have opportunities to solve problems and act independently; children participate in resolving conflicts.