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School Readiness

Early Childhood and Family Education

ECFE Class Schedule

Cottontail Time Information

ECFE Fundraiser

Fathers Reading Every Day (FRED)

School Readiness General Information

Wabasso Area Early Childhood Coalition

Program Description

Wabasso School Readiness is a half-day preschool program that provides eligible children adequate opportunities to participate in developmentally appropriate activities that enable them to enter school with the necessary skills and behavior to progress and flourish.  Wabasso School Readiness is a District 640 Community Education program, operating under requirements by the state of Minnesota’s Department of Children, Families and Learning.

Eligibility and Enrollment

All children residing in the Wabasso School District or open enrolled who are four-years-old by September 1^st are eligible for School Readiness.  All eligible children will be able to participate; however, placement priority is given to those with the greatest needs, as identified through Early Childhood Screening.  Children who reside out of Wabasso’s district and have not open enrolled their children may register contingent upon there being openings in the program.

 Enrollment and registration procedures take place in late winter / early spring along with the Early Childhood Screening.  A child is considered to be enrolled for the following school year when a registration form and $10.00 non-refundable registration fee is received.

Class Days and Times

Children in School Readiness participate in either one of two half-day sessions.  Although School Readiness staff will attempt to ensure everyone is given their first choice of session times (a.m. or p.m.), some families may need to enroll in a different session due to one session being filled.

 Session times are:

Tuesday / Thursday AM            8:15 – 10:45 a.m.

Tuesday / Thursday PM            12:30 – 3:00 p.m.

 The School Readiness program follows the same school year calendar as Wabasso Public Schools.

Fees

There is a $50.00 per month fee for School Readiness.  Payments are due the first school day of each month.  Refunds are not given for days of school missed due to illness, vacation, weather, etc.  School Readiness will not turn down anyone due to the inability to pay.  Upon request, parents may fill out the Free and Reduced Lunch form; those who qualify for Reduced Lunch will pay $25.00 per month.  Individuals qualifying for Free Lunch will be able to participate at no charge.  Free and Reduced Lunch forms are available from the district office in August.

Transportation

Children in the school district or open enrolled into the district who are enrolled in the morning session may ride the regular school bus route to school.  Children in the school district or open enrolled in the afternoon session may ride the regular school bus route home from school.

  The School Readiness Program or Wabasso Public School does not provide mid-day transportation except for those children who qualify for Early Childhood Special Education services.  Parents must make arrangements to have their children picked up promptly at 10:45 a.m. from the morning session or brought to school between 12:20 and 12:30 p.m. for the afternoon session.

 Children riding the buses will be expected to follow the same bus and bus stop rules as the other elementary children.

Parent Participation

Parents must complete a parent participation requirement in order for their children to participate in School Readiness.  This is in part due to School Readiness funding from the state being contingent upon documented parent participation.  Parents have two options to fulfill this requirement:  volunteer in the classroom a minimum of four class periods or attend an ECFE class (5 to 8 weeks) with their child.  If a parent is unable to fulfill this obligation due to scheduling conflicts, they may meet with School Readiness staff to find an acceptable alternative.

Classroom Activities

Children enrolled in School Readiness will have opportunities to participate in a variety of activities that will help them progress in their social, emotional, physical and cognitive development.  Throughout the day, children will participate in large group activities (calendar, stories, music, etc.) and individually chosen learning centers (including dramatic play, blocks, writing, art, puzzles, games, math, language / pre-reading, science / discovery, sensory, etc.).  Activities will also include snack, sharing time, small groups and physical activities.

 Children will be introduced to a variety of academic concepts in a variety of ways with the goal in mind that each child will feel comfortable with “school”, their abilities to learn, and their abilities to get along with others.

Required Forms

In addition to the registration form, children enrolled in School Readiness are required to have the following forms completely filled out and on file:

1.      Student Information Form

2.      Immunization History

3.      Snow Home Form

4.      Picture Release Form

School Readiness Advisory Council

The School Readiness / Early Childhood Family Education Advisory Council is made up of parents, early childhood staff, and community members.  It meets at least four times per year or more often as needed.  The council helps in making decisions regarding programming and meeting the needs of children and families in the district, as well as evaluating existing programs.  Please contact the School Readiness staff if you are interested in serving on this committee.

2007 - 2008 School Readiness/ECFE Advisory Council

Early Childhood & Family Education General Information

Program Description

Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) is a program for all families with children between the ages of birth and kindergarten enrollment.  It recognizes that families provide children’s first and most important learning environments and parents are children’s first and most significant teachers.   It is the mission of Early Childhood Family Education to strengthen families and support the ability of all parents to provide the best possible environment for the healthy growth and development of their children.  Wabasso ECFE is a program of District 640 Community Education.

Wabasso ECFE Offers:

ECFE Class Components and Guidelines:

“Traditional” ECFE weekly classes consist of three components including: parent/child interaction time, parent discussion and child interaction.  Please look below for descriptions and expectations for each of the three components. Components may vary depending on age groups.

1.     Parent/Child Interaction Time  - a licensed early childhood teacher plans age and developmentally appropriate activities for you and your child to do together in the classroom.  This is a time for you and your child to learn, have fun and enjoy being together.

2.  Parent Discussion Time – A parent facilitator leads the discussion group that focuses on topics suggested by the participants.  Occasionally, there may be speakers or special presentations during this time. Please offer the facilitator any suggestions you may have.

3.   Early Childhood Time – developmentally appropriate activities are led by a licensed early childhood teacher. 

Sibling Care

ECFE offers child care for siblings of children enrolled in regular ECFE classes.  Sibling care is free, but you must register so that we know how many children and therefore staff to plan for. You can register for sibling care by filling out that section on the registration sheet, letting staff know the week before, or calling the ECFE room (342-7195).  Sibling care is held in a separate room with children typically joining the class when parents separate. 

Registration

You can register for ECFE classes by filling out registration forms you receive in the mail, by calling the school, or by signing up at the fall kick-off or at the last class of each session for the upcoming session.  Please register early as class size may need to be limited for some classes.  Classes will be filled on a first come first served basis.  Please contact the school if you signed up for a class but will not be coming so that we can open a spot up for another family.  It is also important to register as some classes or activities may be canceled due to insufficient enrollment.  In this case, all registered families will be contacted and fees (if any) refunded.

Fees

Most ECFE classes and events will have a small fee payable at the time of registration.  ECFE fees are based on a sliding fee scale.  No one will be turned down due to inability to pay.  Please contact the ECFE coordinator to request information on free and/or reduced fees.  Children enrolled in School Readiness will have their ECFE class fees covered by their School Readiness tuition.

Forms

Children enrolled in ECFE classes are required to have an enrollment form and immunization form on file. Parents are also asked to sign a photo/video release form.  Children enrolled in sibling care will also need to have an immunization form filled out. 

Participants will also be asked to complete a confidential Participant Questionnaire for demographic reporting purposes.

ECFE Class Schedule

There is a $10.00 per family per session (Fall, Winter, Spring) registration fee for ECFE.  This will cover all ECFE classes and events for the session unless otherwise noted.  No one will be turned away due to inability to pay.  Sibling care is offered for younger and older siblings for $1 per time per child during ECFE classes. Punch cards for 6 times are also available for $5.00.  Please register for sibling care in advance.

  Contact Dawn Guetter at (507) 342 - 7195 or email guetted@wabassoschool.com to receive brochures describing upcoming classes and activities, as well as the registration form and information.

Early Childhood Advisory Council

The Wabasso ECFE/School Readiness Advisory Council is made up of parents, early childhood staff, and community members.  It meets at least four times per year or more often as needed.  The council helps in making decisions regarding programming and meeting the needs of children and families in the district, as well as evaluating existing programs.  Please contact the ECFE staff if you are interested in serving on this committee.

Community Education Information available at this link...Community Education