|
|
|
|
School
Readiness Council
Actions
|
NORWALK SCHOOL READINESS COUNCIL
MEETING
MAY 12, 2004
ATTENDANCE: Betsy Bain, Chair; Gerrie Degnan; Kendra Mitchell; Mary Helen Burk; Ann Tomlinson; Linda Wilock; Devon Rayment; Mary Peniston; Lynn Sadlon Moritz; Curtis Law; Victoria Schilling; Maryhelen Burk; Janet G. Hodge; Pat Balaban; Chris Dudek-Ratushnuk; Carlin Hill; Lauriston Avery; Beatrice Krawiecki; Shari Konn-Andrade; Marilyn Lewis.
STAFF: Barbara Smart.
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 9:45am.
APPROVAL OF MARCH MINUTES
** MS. BURK MOVED TO APPROVE THE MARCH MINUTES.
** THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
UPDATES
SCHOOL READINESS
Ms. Wilock passed out the program grid for FY 2004-2005 and said that it is substantially the same as last year except for NEON Head Start. This year NEON will have 137 full day/full year slots and no extended day slots. The State wants to add an additional category. It would be either a school day/part year or school day/full year. Payment for the slot would be pro rated.
Ms. Wilock said that the report from the March monitoring has been received. She said that all of the issues are fixable. Most of the issues on the municipal level relate to financial management or policies. These are already being addressed. The policy issues will be discussed later in the agenda. There are many commonalities among the provider issues, mostly having to do with training. Mary Budrawich will work with providers on those issues. The response to the report is due back to the State on June 25.
QUALITY ENHANCEMENT
Ms. Wilock said that there is no new news on this item. As far as she knows, she said the grant amount will be close to the $63,933 that was received last year. She hopes that the grant award will be received earlier this year.
KIDS START SMART: THE NORWALK DISCOVERY INITIATIVE
Ms. Peniston said that the program will receive a grant from the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund for the next four years. The break down will be as follows, $50,000 for the first year, $40,000 for the second and third years, and finally $30,000 for the fourth year. She also said that she talked with United Way and they are considering funding part of the plan. They would fund $63,000 this year, but the funding would be with a possibility of a multi-year commitment to Kid Start Smart.
Ms. Bain said that on May 26, 2004 there is a Good News Breakfast in the Community room at City Hall from 8:00-9:00am to celebrate the next phase of Norwalk’s efforts to make stronger connections between early care and education and the early years of elementary school. This will be an opportunity to inform the community about the grants that Norwalk is receiving to support early childhood initiatives.
Ms. Peniston announced to the committee the opening of two new part-time positions: a Parent Engagement/Discovery Coordinator and an Early Childhood Specialist—Consultant.
Ms. Peniston said that one new part of this program will be to promote literacy. The Housing Authority has provided space for Norwalk Reads. They already have $900 for books. Ms. Sadlon suggested that the day care providers can attend story time or sing-a-longs at the center. Ms. Bain said that it is a wonderful time for the center to be open due to the temporary closing of the South Norwalk Public Library.
Ms. Bain reminded the committee about the Community Conversation on “What Should Universal Pre-Kindergarten Look Like” that will be held on May 17, 2004 at Grace Baptist Church from 6-9pm.
APPROVAL OF SCHOOL READINESS POLICY
Ms. Wilock presented three policies that need revision if we are to be in compliance
with the issues raised in the monitoring report. They are:
Policy 1: Regarding Accreditation And Program Evaluation
Policy 2: Regarding Programs Receiving Accreditation Deferral
Policy 3: Regarding Excessive Student Absences
Ms. Bain said that she would prefer to have a June meeting to vote on these
policies after the School Readiness Providers review the proposed revisions.
After brief discussion, it was agreed that these policies will be voted on at
the June meeting.
SUBCOMMITTEES REPORT
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Ms. Bain said that the movement at the State level to increase funding for School Readiness prompted a discussion by the Executive Committee about the need to explore more thoroughly what the capacity in Norwalk is. Ms. Bain proposes a task force to look at capacity issues. Any one who is interested should contact her.
INFORMAL CARE
Ms. Sadlon said that 10%, or $6,393, of the Quality Enhancement money must be used to fund the Informal Care program. The program is currently sending trained specialists into the informal caregivers’ home. As of now there are 12 providers who are receiving visits. Of the 12 providers there are 16 children under the age of 3 and 12 children between ages 3-8. Also, some of the funds are being used to produce a newsletter. So far this year, four newsletters have been sent out in English, Spanish and Creole.
PROVIDER NETWORK
Ms. Degnan said that the reports from the monitoring visits on March 22-27 have been received. The responses are being written up even though a return due date has not been assigned yet. The reports were positive and there were not too many surprises.
Ms. Bain also asked when the next time State monitoring will take place. Many committee members responded to her by stating five years.
REVIEW AND SELECTION
Ms. Bain noted that the work of this committee was reported earlier on the agenda and thanked many people for all their work.
PROGRAM
Ms. Avery said that the May third conference was very good even though there
was no power for part of the event. Ms. Smart said that over 125 people attended.
TRANSITION
Ms. Bain said that this committee has been doing wonderful work. The expectation booklet has been finished and is ready to be printed and sent out. Ms. Bain asked about the State produced videos. There are two videos that deal with literacy. They are available in English and Spanish and each video is about 18 minutes long. They will be available for viewing at the next meeting.
Ms. Schilling said that the meeting at Stepping Stones was successful. Due to the fact that only one Creole parent came, the group would like to hold another meeting just for Creole speaking families.
NOMINATING
Ms. Smart said that the nominating process is underway. She will send a letter to members whose terms are expiring asking about their interest in being reappointed. She will schedule a meeting of the Nominating Committee to make suggestions to be forwarded to the Mayor and Superintendent.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Ms. Bain said that the next meeting will be on June 9.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:40am.
Respectfully submitted,
J. Marci Rosenberg
Telesco Secretarial Service
 |
 |