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Head Start, Early Head Start & Child Care Program

Policies Procedures

Manual

TABLE of CONTENTS

Pages

Individualization Plan ……………………………………………………………………………...... 3-5

Biting Policy…………………………………………………...... 6-8

Discipline Policy…………………….…………………………………..….……………………………………..……..9-13

School Readiness (SR) Plan …………………………………………………………………………………………….14-16

Field Trip Policy …………………………………………………………………………………………………...... 17-19

Transportation Services Plan ……………………………………………………………………………………………20-28

Staffing Ratios & Playground Safety Policy ………………………………………………………………………...... 29-31

SR Parent, Family and Community Engagement Plan Policy ………………………………………………………………32

Transition Plan Early Head Start …………………………..………………………………………………………………..33

Transition Plan Head Start ……………………………..……………………………………………………………………34

Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment, Attendance Plan…………...... 35-46

Emergency Menu Policy……………………………………………………………………………………………………..47

Parent Committee By-Laws and Procedures ………………………………...... 48-49

Parent Meeting Policy…………………………………………………….………………………………………………50-51

Parent Fundraiser Policy …………………………………………………………………………………………………52-53

Fundraiser Approval Form ………………………………………………………………………………………...... 54

Fundraiser Tracking Form ……………………………………………………………………….…………..………………55

Fundraiser Check Tracking Form …………………………………………………….……………………………………..56

Donation Form ………………………………………………………………………………………..……………………..57

Civil Rights Complaints…………………………………………………………………………………………………..58-59

Home Visit Policy……………………………………………………………………………………………...... 60

Mental Health Support for Pregnant and Postpartum Women Policy………………………………………………………..61

Edinbaugh Postnatal Depression Scale ………………………………………………………………………………….62-64

Individualization Plan

(Includes IEP Process, IFEP Process, Curriculum Planning)

Policy

Yurok Tribe Early Head Start/Head Start will provide individualized services to children to meet each child’s unique characteristics, strengths and needs.

Screening Tools:

ASQ’s: Developmental and Social/Emotional 1-year to meet first 45 day screening Desired Results: 3-year

Timelines:

Head Start children will be screened four times per year: Within the first 45 days of entry per child; based on enrollment date

Early Head Start children will be screen within the first 45 days of entry per child and then follow the regularly screening schedule: based on enrollment date

Home Visits and/or Parent/Guardian Meetings will be conducted four times per year to develop and update goals and objectives

Procedure

Step One: Screenings

  1. Individualization will be begin with enrollment procedures by meeting the parents/guardians of a child to determine the strengths and needs of the child.
  1. Within 45 days of entry to Early Head Start/Head Start a child will be screened in the following areas:
  2. Developmental
  3. Social/Emotional
  4. Physical
  5. Hearing
  6. Vision
  7. Dental

Step Two: Individual Family Education Plan

  1. Results from screenings will be complied into statistical information and from this information the teacher will meet with the parents/guardians to develop goals, Individual Education Plan for each child to determine a plan of action to create goals and objectives to strengthen areas of need and to reinforce areas of strengths.
  2. The goal and/or Individual Child Education Plan will include goals and objectives that have been developed by both the parents/guardians and the teacher targeting on School Readiness.
  3. The goals will include all areas of the HS/EHS Framework both in strengths and needs.

(Individualization Plan Continued)

  1. During the first home visit an EHS Individual Care Form will be completed with parent input for each EHS child and the Family Service Coordinator will complete the Individual Family Service Plan.

Step Three: Individual Education Plan for Children with Special Needs

  1. Screenings of individual children may indicate further screening needed by a professional in a defined area such as medical, social/emotional or physical.
  2. Once a teacher has identified the need for a child to have additional screening by a professional, the teacher must do a written referral to the site Family Service Coordinator.
  3. The Family Service Coordinator will contact the parent/guardian of the child explaining the need to provide a written referral to a professional for further screening.
  4. If the parents/guardians agree to the referral the parents/guardians will be asked to sign the written referral. The Family Service Coordinator will then process the referral and request follow-up documentation of the referral outcome.

·  Families have the right to refuse a referral to an outside agency for assistance. The staff will do their best to reassure the families and try to explain the need for the referral. If a family refuses the FSC will continue to try at another time; completing documentation of this on Child Plus.net.

  1. Once the referral and follow-up process is completed. An Individual Education Plan will be developed with the parents/guardians permission. The Individual Education Plan will be developed by a team, which should include but not be limited to:

·  Parents/Guardians

·  Early Head Start/Head Start Teacher and Family Service Coordinator

·  Parents/Guardians Support People of their choice

·  Team Professionals

All IEP or IFSP team members must be approved by the parents/guardians.

  1. The IEP or IFSP must be conducted in the parents/guardians primary language.
  2. The IEP or IFSP will include goals and objectives to meet the child’s individual need.

Step Four: Compiling Information

  1. Once the children have a written Goal Form (teacher)or IEP (Team) and IFSP (Family Service Coordinator) the teacher will
  2. Use of information for curriculum lesson plan and individualization

·  Summarizing all children’s strengths and needs

·  Use the summarizing to develop curriculum through lesson plans to meet the individual needs of the child’s goals, IEP or IFSP

(Individualization Plan continued)

Step Five: Physical Learning Environment

  1. The teacher will set up the classroom physical environment to meet the needs of all children including children with special needs.

Step Six: Type of Curriculum In Use

  1. Early Head Start: The teacher will use Creative Curriculum which include language and culture. The teachers will include parent/guardians suggestions and ideas whenever possible.
  2. Head Start: The teacher will use Houghton Mifflin (Klamath site) and Creative Curriculum which include language and culture. The teachers will include parent/guardians suggestions and ideas whenever possible.

Step Seven: Weekly Lesson Plans

  1. The teacher will develop their weekly lesson plans that will include individualization of each activity to meet the goals, IEP and IFSP.

Step Eight: Tracking

  1. Desired Results online tracking

ASQ Online Tracking

Child Plus.net online tracking

Step Nine: Parent/Guardian Involvement

  1. Parents/Guardians will be presented with the weekly lesson plans at the parent committee meetings, they will be included in the lesson planning and will be encouraged to review and sign off on the weekly lesson plans.

Biting Policy

Yurok Tribe HS/EHS/CC believes that when a child bites or is bitten, a strong emotional response is sure to follow. Children and adults alike may experience overwhelming feelings of fear, anger, frustration, and guilt. Biting by a child of any age cannot be tolerated. It is not safe, socially acceptable, or conducive to a positive environment for children. And most of all – biting hurts.

Why Do Children bite:

Most biting occurs among toddlers who have limited language skills or ways to express their feelings. Preschoolers, too, may occasionally bite when they have become so frustrated; have limited development to express their feelings; to protect his/her play space; to defend against other children; they want another toy from another child, may be feeling stressed, or overly tired that they have lost all control.

The Yurok Tribe HS/EHS believe a preventive approach to biting is the best approach to try to keep biting from happening through these steps;

Action; Prevention Staff Responsible: Teaching Staff/Director

·  Training: Will be provided to all staff and parents/guardians during each program year and as necessary to learn techniques to prevent biting in the classroom and outdoor environments and techniques on positive actions if a child does bite.

·  Environment: Ample space will be provided, enough equipment & materials will be provided to keep all children occupied.

·  Adult child ratio EHS: 1:4 ages 0 to 3 years

·  Adult child ratio: 1:7 for children ages 3-4 years of age; 1:8 for children ages 4-5 years of age.

·  Adult Modeling: Demonstration words and phrases children can use to express their desires and feelings

·  Positive Reinforcement: Praise, cooperative behavior

Action: When a child Bites 1st Incident Responsible Person: All Staff

·  Must intervene quickly, calmly, and firmly.

·  Will reassure the child who bit and the victim.

·  If possible, the staff member will keep both children at their side while inspecting and treating the child who was bitten. (By keeping the child with you who bit while treating the child, who was bitten, allows for the child who bit to see his/her consequences of biting another child.) Apply applicable first aid procedure to the child who was bitten.

·  Must let the child know who bit, that biting is not acceptable at any time.

·  Will encourage but do not force the child who bit to comfort the victim with words, hugs, or pats. Demonstrate that gentleness and kindness are expected.

·  Will assess what lead to the biting and teach the children alternative actions. Give the children words (if child/toddler is able too) they can use to ask to have a turn with a toy such as “Can I have that next?” Or “It is my turn now.” “You are in my space.”

(Biting Policy Continued)

·  Will suggest acceptable ways a child might express his anger or frustration such as pounding some clay or drawing a picture.

·  Document the incident for both parents/guardians; do not give the name of the biter or victim out. Send note home. If the skin is broken on the first bite, the victim’s parent/guardian is to be notified in person by any means as soon as possible.

Action: 2nd Biting Incident by the same child Person Responsible: All Staff

·  Must Intervene quickly, calmly, and firmly

·  Will reassure the child who bit and the victim

·  If possible, the staff member will keep both children at their side while inspecting and treating the child who was bitten. (By keeping the child with you who bit while treating the child, who was bit to see his/her consequences of biting another child.) Apply applicable first aid procedure to the child who was bitten.

·  Must let the child know who bit that biting is not acceptable at any time.

·  Will encourage but do not force the child who bit to comfort the victim with words, hugs, or pats. Demonstrate that gentleness and kindness are expected.

·  Will assess what lead to the biting and teach the children alternative actions. Give the children words they can use to ask to have a turn with a toy such as “Can I have that next?” Or “It is my turn now.” “You are in my space and/or “Stop.””

·  Will suggest acceptable ways a child might express his anger or frustration such as pounding some clay, running/jumping or drawing a picture.

·  Document the incident for both parents/guardians; do not give the name of the biter or victim out. Follow Incident report process. If the skin is broken on the first bite, the victim’s parent/guardian is to be notified.

Positive Behavioral Plan must be completed with the parent & guardian, teacher and mental health professional. Update according to the recommendations of the team.

Action: 3rd Biting Incident Responsible Person: All Staff

·  Must Intervene quickly, calmly, and firmly

·  Will reassure the child who bit and the victim

·  If possible, the staff member will keep both children at their side while inspecting and treating the child who was bitten. (By keeping the child with you who bit while treating the child, who was bit to see his/her consequences of biting another child.) Apply applicable first aid procedure to the child who was bitten.

·  Must let the child know who bit that biting is not acceptable at any time.

·  Will encourage but do not force the child who bit to comfort the victim with words, hugs, or pats. Demonstrate that gentleness and kindness are expected.

·  Will assess what lead to the biting and teach the children alternative actions. Give the children words they can use to ask to have a turn with a toy such as “Can I have that next?” Or “It is my turn now.” “You are in my space.”

(Biting Policy Continued)

·  Will suggest acceptable ways a child might express his anger or frustration such as pounding some clay or drawing a picture.

·  Document the incident for both parents/guardians; do not give the name of the biter or victim out. Send note home. If the skin is broken on the first bite, the victim’s parent/guardian is to be notified.

·  Positive Behavioral Plan must be updated with the parent & guardian, teacher and mental health professional continue to be update according to the recommendations of the team.

·  A staff person may be assigned to monitor the child one-on-one, observe and document if child/adult ratio can be maintained.

Discipline Policy

Yurok Tribe HS/EHS/CC believes a preventive approach to discipline is the best approach, children learn through natural and logical consequences problem solving Discipline Policy will follow these steps:

·  Prevention

·  Natural Logical Consequences

·  Problem Solving

·  Redirection

·  Positive Reinforcement

·  Positive Behavioral Plan

All actions taken will be determined by the infant/toddler/ child’s developmental age.

Positive Behavioral Plan may be necessary to teach a child to develop safe, socially responsible behavior that respects the feelings and property of others. Positive Behavioral Plan may be considered when a child bites, scratches, hits, kicks, refuse to follow classroom rules etc.

Yurok Tribe HS/EHS/CC uses the word discipline other than punishment because they are not the same. Discipline is guidance and teaching that promotes positive behavior. Punishment is a penalty imposed in reaction to unacceptable behavior. Positive discipline is more effective than punishment because desirable behaviors that last a lifetime must come from within the child rather than be imposed by external force.

All behaviors which require prevention, natural or logical consequences, problem solving, redirection, positive reinforcement or a disciplinary plan of action must have a written incident report filled out.

Behaviors, which are repeated, shall be reported to the Site Coordinator. The Site Coordinator , teaching staff and parents will evaluate the behaviors and determine strategies to address the behavior. If the team determines it, the Yurok Tribe’s Early Head Start/ Head Start/Child Care’s mental health professional will be included in the process along with the Head Start Director and/or Assistant Head Start Director.

Action: Prevention Responsible Staff: Site Coordinator per site

·  Training:

Will be provided to all staff and parents/guardians during each program year and as necessary to learn positive classroom management through positive disciplinary methods.