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Community Partnerships​

To strengthen education, supports and services for children and families from early childhood programs into early elementary settings.

• Innovating to Align Early Childhood Services (2014: FSG)
  
• Toolkits for Building and Strengthening Community-Based, Cross-Sector Early Childhood Collaborations (Plan, Partner, Act)
  

​Conference Background

The B-3 Continuity Conference welcomes school districts and community leaders working towards birth-to-third grade alignment strategies in their community. The conference provides an opportunity for community teams to come together to learn and explore best practices for birth-to-third grade alignment strategies. General sessions focus on systems alignment work and particular focus on strengthening preschool programs. Multiple breakout sessions will be provided to target key strategies for those serving children across the zero-to-age-eight continuum (check out the forthcoming agenda to see sessions geared toward different stakeholders). Additionally, communities are given structured time to connect within their local teams to think critically about work happening locally.

The conference provides a great opportunity to connect with others across the state also focused on the birth-to-third grade continuum. Communities that have participated in the past can testify that the conference has created a community of B-3 practice that supports their everyday work.

Conference Goals

Sustained and aligned early childhood programs, birth through third grade (B-3), have the potential to be an educational game-changer. To support this work, the Illinois Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development (OECD), the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), and the Center for the Study of Education Policy (CSEP), is pleased to announce an opportunity for community and school leaders to participate in the Illinois Birth Through Third Grade (B-3) Continuity Conference.

The Illinois Birth-to-Third (B-3) Continuity Project is hosting its fifth and final conference. The B-3 Conference is open to school districts and community leaders working towards birth-to-third grade alignment strategies in their community. Communities are encouraged to come as teams with representatives from early childhood, K-12 schools, and the broader community. Entities holding Preschool Expansion Grants and Preschool for All Expansion Grants should be included within applying communities.

Conference Themes: This conference is collaboratively planned by CSEP, ISBE and OECD to build the capacity of early childhood and elementary education staff to provide informed leadership about research-based practices to develop an effective system of supports and services for children birth-through-third grade.

1. Expand knowledge of developmentally appropriate educational practices across the birth through third grade continuum with a focus on sustainable and cost-effective implementation that involves leveraging resources among schools and the community to build a continuum of high-quality early learning environments.
2. Enhance their understanding of the structures, practices and supports needed to increase alignment within and across communities and school districts to best support children and families, including family engagement that continues into the early grades, supported transitions, data-driven improvement, joint professional development, curriculum and instruction, assessments, comprehensive services and community partnerships.
3. Identify technical assistance needs and resources to enhance their community’s capacity and to prepare and support children and families from birth through third grade.
4. Learn from experts and colleagues in an inclusive and dynamic forum to network, share information and build skills.

​Conference Materials​

Wednesday, June 12

​Preschool Expansion and Preschool For All Expansion (PFAE) programs are invited to gather on Tuesday, February 26, 2019, for a Birth-to-Third Grade networking event. The Birth-to-Third Grade (B-3) Continuity Project is hosting this event in Normal. Preschool administrators and program’s family support specialist are encouraged to attend this event together.

The event will deliver insight to birth-to-third grade alignment strategies, provide expansion updates, and include an opportunity to network with others across the state working on a birth-to-third grade continuum. Participants will be some of the first to see the release of the upcoming report, Birth-to-Third Grade Continuity Project: Looking Back Moving Forward, Reflecting on the First Four Years. Communities that have been a part of the Preschool Development Grant – Preschool Expansion will share lessons learned in B-3 alignment and specifically in family engagement.

B-3 networking event​

Tuesday, February 26, 2019

9 a.m.–3:15 p.m.
Radisson Hotel & Conference Center Bloomington-Normal
8 Traders Circle, Normal, IL 61761

Agenda

Presenter Information:

• Pat Chamberlain
  Pat Chamberlain works as a consultant with school districts and agencies on issues related to optimizing the educational opportunities for young culturally and linguistically diverse children and their families. She has worked in a variety of capacities including as a bilingual teacher, a professional development specialist, a bilingual special education supervisor, a director of Early Learners program, and in Higher Education. One of her most recent project has been working with the Illinois Governor’s Office of Early Childhood as the Director of the Award for Excellence Project for Linguistically and Culturally Responsive practices.
  
• Julie Kallenbach
  Julie Kallenbach, Ed.D, facilitates projects in Early Childhood (Birth to Third Grade).  Focus and research interests are developmentally appropriate practice, play-based learning, authentic assessment, birth to third grade continuity, and project management to support positive outcomes for children and teachers.  Her work roles have included presenter for NAEYC, the Center for the Study of Education Policy at ISU, Birth to Third Continuity Project, Implementation Consultant and Coach for ISBE on the KIDS project, Director of Early Learning Initiatives in Elgin School District U-46, principal, special education supervisor, diagnostician and teacher.  
  
• Dr. Tweety Yates
  Tweety Yates, Ph.D., is retired from the University of Illinois, but continues to work on grant projects at U of I and Vanderbilt University. Her work has primarily focused on social emotional development, early literacy and parent-child interaction. Tweety has provided professional development on topics related to infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their families for over thirty years. Her past work experience was as a teacher, home visitor and parent-child group facilitator. She is a Past-President of the Division of Early Childhood (DEC) of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), a member of the Pyramid Consortium Model Faculty and part of the Leadership team for the Illinois Pyramid Initiative. ​
  

• ​Aligning PreK and Kindergarten Assessment and Instructional Practices and Learning
  On November 28, 2018, Pat Chamberlain and Julie Kallenbach presented a day long training on Developmentally Appropriate Practices. Teams of PrK and Kindergarten represented teams attended together to talk about alignment of practices and collaboration between the two.
• Learning Objectives:
  • Understand the purpose of Birth to 3rd Continuity
    
  • Examine the components of Developmentally Appropriate Practice across the curriculum
  • Practice observational assessment (unpacking measures and evidence)
  • Compare curriculum framework/units of study  across grade levels
  • Share instructional targets in math and language arts (number sense and writing)
  • ​Understand Crosswalks between KIDS and Preschool Assessments (Gold, DRDP, COR, Work Sampling, ELS)
• Seminar Materials:
  
• Aligning PreK and Kindergarten Assessment and Instructional Practices and Learning Presentation Handout
• Stages of Play Rubric
  
• KIDS EL Instrument Crosswalk - 14 Required Measures
• KIDS EL Instrument Crosswalk - 5 Readiness Domains
• DRDP Correspondence to Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards (IELDS)​
  
  
• What to Look for in a Developmentally Appropriate Classroom
  On April 13, 2018, Pat Chamberlain and Julie Kallenbach showed in a webinar that a developmentally appropriate classroom using a play-based learning model is purposefully and in tentionally planned by teachers to address standards.  
• Learning Objectives:
  • How does playful learning impact positive intellectual and academic outcomes for children?
  • ​How are Developmentally Appropriate Practices evident in the Danielson Framework?
• Seminar Materials:
  
• What to Look for in a Developmentally Appropriate Classroom Presentation Handout
• What to Look for in a Developmentally Appropriate Classroom Self Assessment
  
• What to Look for in a Developmentally Appropriate Classroom Webinar Recording
  
  
• I Believe in Play; Sharing our Successes and Planning Next Steps for Positive Student Outcomes
  On March 21, 2018, Pat Chamberlain and Julie Kallenbach presented a day long training on Developmentally Appropriate Practices. This training was recorded and a discussion guide was developed to allow for all or parts of the training to be replicated during professional training time.
  The Discussion Guide outlines the video recording with options for local facilitation of discussions or the ability to see how others during the training work through the activities. Handouts from the session are provided below and the NAEYC book Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs is utilized for the training. It is suggested that you review the Discussion Guide before planning your professional development time and determine the right fit for working with your group.
• ​Learning Objectives:
• Reinforce proven practices that incorporate learning in play.
• Planning for the adult's role in child-directed play to promote students' social and emotional growth.
• ​Practice planning standards-based units that incorporate play.
• ​Seminar Materials:
  
• I Believe in Play; Sharing our Successes and Planning Next Steps for Positive Student Outcomes Video Recording 
• I Believe in Play; Sharing our Successes and Planning Next Steps for Positive Student Outcomes Discussion Guide
• I Believe in Play; Sharing our Successes and Planning Next Steps for Positive Student Outcomes Presentation Handout
• Stages of Play Jigsaw Template
• Stages of Play Rubric
• Self Assessment - What to Look for in a DAP Classroom
  
  
• Play-Based Learning: The What, Why & How  
  On March 7, 2018 and November 9, 2018 Pat Chamberlain and Julie Kallenbach presented a day long training on Developmentally Appropriate Practices.
• Learning Objectives:
  • Understand the purpose of Birth to 3rd Continuity
  • What:  Define features of play-based learning
  • Why:  Apply brain-based principles to classroom design and instructional planning to improve student outcomes
  • ​How:  Analyze observational data to refine the teacher’s role in scaffolding student play
• Seminar Materials:
  
• Play-Based Learning: The What, Why & How Updated Presentation Handout (11/9/18)
• Play-Based Learning: The What, Why & How Presentation Handout (3/7/18)
• Calendar Time for Young Children: Good Intentions Gone Awry
• Why I said Goodbye to Calendar Time
  
  
• 5 Things You Must Do to Support Dual Language Learners from Birth through Kindergarten
  On January 29, 2018, Pat Chamberlain and Julie Kallenbach presented a webinar about the foundational components of high-quality birth-through-kindergarten programming that build upon the assets of dual language learners and their families.
• This webinar examined answers to:
  
  • Who are your dual language learners?
  • What are effective models?
  • Is your environment culturally responsive?
  • What strategies support student growth?
  • How can you get to know your families?
• ​Webinar Materials:
  
• 5 Things You Must Do to Support Dual Language Learners from Birth through Kindergarten Presentation Handout
• 5 Things You Must Do to Support Dual Language Learners from Birth through Kindergarten Webinar Recording
  
  
• Why Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP) Impact Student Outcomes Webinar
  Julie Kallenbach presented an introduction to DAP and how it can improve student outcomes December 7, 2017.
• ​​Learning Objectives:
  • Overview of DAP – 5 guidelines for effective teachers
  • Integrating DAP into the B-3 Continuum
  • Intersections between DAP and PFA/E guidelines
  • How to get started using DAP
  • Tools and resources for learning more
  • Information about upcoming trainings
• ​Webinar Materials:
  
• Why Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP) Impact Student Outcomes Webinar Presentation Handout - please note there are links to many resources within the presentation
• Why Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP) Impact Student Outcomes Webinar Webinar Recording
  
  
• Play-based learning webinar
  Elgin Area School District Unit 46 has implemented play-based curriculum in their all-day kindergarten classrooms. They shared their development, implementation and initial results on December 1, 2016.
• Topics included:
• Curriculum and Resources
• Challenges and Successes (getting it approved, schedules, buy-in, etc.)
• Professional Development
• Dual Language Kindergarteners
• Benefits
• 1st Grade Alignment for next year
• Webinar Materials:
  
• Play-based learning Presentation Handout 
• Play-based learning Handout 
• Play-based learning Webinar Recording​​​
  

Learning Objectives:

​​​Webinar Materials: 

• Documentary: It Takes A Village: How Community Organizations, Schools, & Families Can Support Early Literacy. This 19-minute program highlights how community organizations can incorporate literacy development into their work with children and how they can effectively partner with school districts to promote early childhood literacy.
• Quick reference guide: On Course for Reading Success: Best Practices for Teaching Beginning Readers. The guide identifies research-based instructional practices for teaching beginning readers, along with the level of evidence behind the practices and core literacy skills to target for early screening and progress monitoring.​