Welcome to Open House

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A Smooth Transition to Kindergarten
Miami-Dade County Public Schools Prekindergarten
Program for Children with Disabilities 2012-2013
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• I have always known
• that at last
• I would take this road,
• but yesterday
• I did not know that
• it would be today.
• Narihira

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• Transitions are difficult for most of us. But
  the better prepared parents and children are, the
  easier the process of moving from one program to
  another becomes. This presentation will
  hopefully prepare you, the parents, for your
  childs transition to Kindergarten. This way you
  will be able to make sure your child feels
  welcomed and at ease in the new Kindergarten
  program.

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The Transition Process for Students with
Disabilities

• The transition to Kindergarten begins in October
  and November of the current school year.
• At a ReevaluationTeam (RT) meeting teachers,
  psychologists, parents and other professionals
  determine if your child needs to be re-evaluated.
• If your child was previously determined eligible
  for Special Education as Developmentally Delayed
  (DD), the IEP team would have to make a new
  eligibility determination before his/her 6th
  birthday.
• For those DD children who will be six years old
  on or before December 1 of their Kindergarten
  school year, the Prekindergarten Program will
  begin the re-evaluation prior to your child
  transitioning to Kindergarten. If your child
  will turn 6 after December 1 of their
  Kindergarten school year, then the re-evaluation
  will occur during Kindergarten.

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Kindergarten 101

• The goal for the Pre-K student with disabilities
  is to attend his/her home school for Kindergarten
  with the necessary supports and services.
• Some children may require more specialized
  classrooms in order to meet their individual
  needs. These classrooms may not be at your home
  school but in a different school in your region.
  This determination is made at an IEP transition
  meeting.
• Prior to the end of the Pre-Kindergarten school
  year, contact the assigned school and
• Ask about Kindergarten Orientation.
• Make sure all immunizations are up to date.
• Complete the registration at the new school. Take
  a copy of the new IEP which you received at the
  transition staffing. Do this as soon as possible
  before the end of the school year.

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Kindergarten Classroom Options for Students with
Disabilities

• General Education - Regular Kindergarten
  Classroom
• Consultation special education teacher provides
  face-to-face support to the kindergarten teacher
• Support Facilitation special education teacher
  provides direct service to student with
  disabilities in the regular kindergarten
  classroom for part of the instructional period
• Co-teaching special education teacher provides
  direct support to students with disabilities in
  the regular kindergarten classroom the entire day
  or for a subject i.e. language arts, math
• Resource Room Instruction in a separate
  classroom with a special education teacher.
• Self-Contained or Separate Class All children
  in the classroom are children with disabilities.
  Students are taught by a special education
  teacher. There are separate classrooms for Autism
  Spectrum Disorder, Emotional/Behavior
  Disabilities, Intellectual Disabilities,
  Orthopedically Impaired, or Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing.
  
• Separate Day School All students in the school
  are students with disabilities. Students are
  taught by a special education teacher. Merrick
  Educational Center at Ruth O. Kruse and Neva King
  Cooper Educational Center are the only separate
  schools for kindergarten students.

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Parents of VPK or Role Model Students

• This information is for parents whose child is
  already enrolled as a
• Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS)
  Voluntary Prekindergarten
• (VPK) student or a role model. Parents should
  call their home or
• neighborhood school in April to let the school
  know that their child
• may be attending for the next year.
• Ask about Kindergarten Orientation.
• Make sure all immunizations are up to date.
• Complete the registration at the new school.

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Help Your Child Be Independent!

• Kindergarten classes have 18 students in a class.
• Kindergarten classes usually have just one adult,
  the
• teacher. For that reason it is important that
  your
• child be as independent as possible. Here are
  some ways
• you can help
• Shoes with zippers or velcro.
• No belts on pants
• Elastic waist band pants that your child can
  manage to totally pull up and down on his/her
  own.
• Lunch foods packaged that your child can easily
  handle (i.e. containers that open easily with
  velcro).

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School Hours

• Most Kindergarten school hours are 820 A.M.
  150 P.M. There may be some individual arrival
  and dismissal times at specific schools. Ask
  what the hours will be at your childs school.
• There is no supervision of children before 800
  A.M. on school grounds. If your child needs to
  arrive earlier, inquire about the before school
  care program (ask about fees).
• Every school has very strict policies about
  tardiness (arriving after 820 A.M. or picking up
  your child after 150 P.M.).

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School Hours

• If your child will be absent from school, you
  must send a letter with your child upon his/her
  return explaining the absence. Children with
  more than ten absences may be contacted by a
  school social worker.
• Most elementary schools offer after school care
  programs from 150 P.M. 600 P.M. There is a
  charge for this care and you should inquire about
  it when registering your child.

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Kindergarten Routine

• During the Kindergarten day, there is no rest
  time and usually no
• snack time. The children spend all day with the
  Kindergarten
• teacher. The day often includes the following
• Language Arts Block (2 hours) (includes Reading,
  Writing, Handwriting and Phonics).
• Math Block (60 minutes) (includes math concepts
  and math application).
• Science
• Social Studies
• Art
• Music
• Recess

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ScreeningFlorida Kindergarten Readiness Screener

• The Florida Kindergarten Readiness Screener
  (FLKRS) is a state assessment program that is
  designed to gather information about the
  readiness of all children entering Kindergarten
  in the public school. This instrument is also
  administered to private school kindergarten
  students who participated in the Voluntary
  Prekindergarten Program (VPK) the previous school
  year.
• The FLKRS includes two screening instruments.
  The Early Childhood Observation System (ECHOS), a
  developmental screening tool, and the Florida
  Assessments for Instruction in Reading (FAIR),
  measuring letter naming phonemic awareness.
• It is given within the first 30 school days of
  the kindergarten year.

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Curriculum and Standards

• There are Kindergarten grade level expectations
  for either the Common Core Standards or the
  Sunshine State Standards. These grade level
  expectations cover
• English Language Arts
• Mathematics
• Science
• Social Studies
• Art
• Health
• Physical Education
• All Kindergarten classrooms throughout the
  county use the
• same Reading Program Houghton-Mifflin.
• www.floridastandards.org

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Grades

• In kindergarten, students are graded based on
  progress towards meeting grade level expectations
  (Common Core Standards and Sunshine State
  Standards).
• E Excellent Progress
• G Good Progress
• S Satisfactory Progress. Progressing
  toward grade level expectations
• M Minimal Progress
• U Unsatisfactory Progress

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Modified Curriculum for Students with Significant
Cognitive Disabilities

• For the student whose IEP team has determined
  that a modified curriculum needs to be accessed,
  the student will be graded on progress in the
  modified curriculum, as the Sunshine State
  Standards Access points.
• www.floridastandards.org

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Progress Report Cards

• Your child will receive a Kindergarten Student
  Report Card four times during the school year.
  You must sign and return report card to your
  childs homeroom teacher.
• Interim Progress Reports will be used by the
  kindergarten teacher to report childs progress
  mid-way between grading periods.
• Make sure that you communicate with your childs
  teacher on a regular basis about his/her progress.

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Home Learning

• All children are assigned Home Learning
  (homework). In addition, parents/guardians are
  asked to read each day with their child for 30
  minutes. Parents can assist with the Home
  Learning by providing a quiet space in which to
  work, explaining the instructions, and then
  allowing the child to do it on his/her own.
  There should be a consistent time set aside each
  day for Home Learning. Television and computer /
  video games should be limited, and if used,
  should be after Home Learning is completed.

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Transportation

• Miami-Dade County Public Schools does not
• provide transportation to and from school
• unless the student lives more than two miles
• from the assigned school. Arrangements for
• private bus service may be made. (Ask about
• fees) The school office usually has the phone
• numbers of private school buses that serve a
• particular school. The need for special
• transportation is made at the Individual
• Education Plan (IEP) meeting for a student
• with disabilities.

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Uniforms

• Most schools require uniforms. Parents may
  purchase uniforms at local uniform companies or
  buy school clothes in the appropriate school
  colors at most large Department Stores. The
  schools logo can be purchased at the uniform
  stores or at the schools PTA office and attach
  to the shirts.

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Breakfast and Lunch

• Breakfast is usually served by 800 A.M. and it
  is minimally supervised by the cafeteria staff.
  Breakfast is free for all M-DCPS students.
  Parents need to check the times for breakfast at
  their childs school.
• During lunch, children are expected to go through
  the cafeteria line, enter their lunch number, sit
  and eat without assistance, in less than 30
  minutes.
• There are usually one or two people supervising
  the cafeteria.
• For children in separate classrooms an adult
  usually sits with the children in the cafeteria.

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Some general suggestions prior to the start of
the school year.

• Visit the school prior to the first day.
• Locate the kindergarten classrooms, media center,
  cafeteria, and playground.
• Show your child where the bathrooms are located.
• Practice where you will meet your child at 150
  P.M. dismissal. Please note that most schools
  have very specific guidelines for pick up and
  drop off.
• Ask the school for the recommended school
  supplies needed for Kindergarten. Shop for these
  supplies together with your child.

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ContinueSome general suggestions prior to the
start of the school year.

• Put your childs name inside all personal items,
  i.e. lunchbox, backpack, sweater, jacket, and
  raincoat.
• Be sure your child goes to sleep at an
  appropriate time starting two weeks before school
  starts and wake child up early as if going to
  school.
• Be positive about going to Kindergarten. Your
  child will reflect your attitude. Smile as you
  drop him/her off. Leave the classroom after a
  few minutes. Be there promptly to pick them up
  at 150 P.M.
• Get involved in the school. Join the PTA.
  Attend Parent Academy Workshops. Sign up for the
  Parent Portal.

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Parent Involvement and Participation

• M-DCPS website www.dadeschools.net (click on
  Parents)
• Office of Parental Involvement
  http//parents.dadeschools.net/305-995-1233
• Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) join your
  childs school PTA
• Parent Portal This is your gateway to access
  secure parent information regarding your childs
  school program.
• Parent Academy year round initiative designed
  to help parents become full partners in their
  childs education
• www.theparentacademy.net
• 305-995-2680
• Riverdeep Home-Based Instructional Programs is an
  Internet access program that supports the
  classroom curriculum for use in the home. It is
  free with your childs ID number. If you dont
  have a computer at home, use your Public Library.

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School Choice

• Parents have many types of schools to choose
• Magnet Programs
• Charter Schools
• Controlled Choice Schools
• Bilingual Programs
• McKay Scholarships

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Office of School ChoiceAnd Parental Options

• 305-995-1922
• www.yourchoicemiami.org

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John McKay Scholarships for Students with
Disabilities

• Established to provide a student with
  disabilities the option to attend a public school
  other than the one assigned
• or
• Provide a scholarship to a private school of
  choice for a student with disabilities

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Eligibility Requirements for McKay Scholarship

• Prekindergarten special education student
  may be eligible to use McKay Scholarship starting
  in their kindergarten year if
• Student applied for the program prior to
  withdrawing from public school
• Student has an Individual Educational Plan (IEP)
• The prekindergarten student was enrolled and
  received special education in M-DCPS or another
  Florida county during the October and February
  funding periods prior to entering Kindergarten.

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Meaningful Consultation Private School Options

• If your child has an IEP and
• your child attends a not for profit private
  school and
• this not for profit school has at least a
  Kindergarten class
• We may be able to work with the Private
• School to assist and support your child.
• Speak with your staffing specialist at the
• Transition Staffing.

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North South District SPED Centers

• North
• North Regional (9952) Central Regional (9952)
• Ms. Kathryn Cadieux Ms. Alfredia Robinson
• MacArthur North Sr. High MacArthur North Sr.
  High
• 13835 N.W 97th Ave 13835 N.W 97th Ave
• 305-827-3025 786-412-3563
• Kcadieux_at_dadeschools.net alfrediaRob_at_dadeschools
  .net
• South
• South Central Regional (9953) South Regional
  (9953)
• Ms. Kathy Maguire Ms. Helene Chait
• SPED Center at J.R.E. Lee SPED Center at J.R.E
  Lee
• 6521 S.W . 62nd Ave. So. Miami 6521 S.W . 62nd
  Ave. So. Miami
• 786-268-4758 786-268-4757
• kmaguire_at_dadeschools.net chaith_at_dadeschools.net

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QuestionsAsk your childs pre- k special
education teacher orAsk your
pre-k staffing specialist
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Questions

• Dolores Mendoza and Cecilia Nunez
• Miami-Dade County Public Schools
• Prekindergarten Program for Children with
  Disabilities
• 305-271-5701
• dmendoza_at_dadeschools.net
• Cnunez_at_dadeschools.net

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Websites

• Miami-Dade County Public Schools
• http//www.dadeschools.net
• Miami-Dade County Public Schools/Division of
  Special Education
• http//ese.dadeschools.net

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• We are proud of all the children
• in our program. They have made
• tremendous progress and we
• know they will do very well in
• Kindergarten.

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• Be a STAR.

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We wish you well!