SKCDC EDUCATION and FAMILY SERVICES MONITORING and SUPERVISION GUIDANCE
Our children need to go to school prepared and ready. These are the steps we have developed to ensure we get there.
INTRODUCTION
The primary objective of monitoring and supervision is to provide ongoing support and technical assistance to the Teachers, Assistant Teachers, and Home Visitors as they deliver Child Development and Education Services. Monitoring and supervision, as well as self-reflective practices, play a critical role in professional development.
Classroom monitoring enables the Center Supervisors and Program Managers to identify the strengths of a teaching team and see where they might be encountering some difficulties. Guidance and support for the classroom team will be based upon observations. Discussions and action plans are created to enhance the quality of services provided to the children and their families.
The health and safety of the children enrolled in our program is paramount. Routine inspections of the facilities, materials and equipment are foundational to support this endeavor.
SKCDC’s monitoring and supervision practices come in many forms, as outlined in this document.
STRATEGIES
Classroom/Socialization Observations
The Program Managers/Center Supervisors are required to conduct formal classroom and socialization observations on an ongoing basis.
Head Start classrooms are observed in September using the SKCDC Head Start Comprehensive Classroom Observation which assesses the Overall Physical Environment; Daily Schedule, Routine and Structure; Curriculum; Teacher-Child Interactions; Health and Nutrition; Safety; and Interest Areas of the classroom. The Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) tool is used from October to December to monitor classrooms in the areas of Emotional Support; Classroom Organization; and Instructional Support. Follow up observations are completed using the SKCDC Head Start Interim Observation which continues to asses at the same areas.
Early Head Start classrooms are observed using The Implementation and Planning Tool for The Creative Curriculum for Infants, Toddlers & Twos. In September, observations are conducted and look at Responsive Environment; Routines; and Experiences. Observations completed in October/November and February/March monitor Caring and Teaching using the same tool.
Home Visitors are observed two times per year in the socialization and home setting using a form based on the PIWI (Parents Interacting with Infants) model and designed especially for that program option.
Additional observations are completed in the fall by our Mental Health Consultants and ongoing throughout the program year as needed by the Disabilities/Mental Health Manager and agency consultants.
All observations are documented on the appropriate forms and are maintained by the supervisors. Teachers receive copies that are stored in the Classroom Monitoring Binder. Home Visitors file copies on site.
Classroom Meetings
Teachers conduct formal Classroom Meetings on a monthly basis, including the months in which Assistant Teacher receive formal supervision. These meetings last up to one hour in length and focus on a series of topics, which may include:
§ Review classroom curriculum
§ Review individualization/child observations/assessments
§ Family engagement
§ Work plan for the classroom
§ Other topics as deemed appropriate
All classroom meetings are documented on the Classroom Meeting Monthly Report form and maintained in the Classroom Monitoring Binder. In place of classroom meetings, teachers in preschool collaboration attend grade level meetings throughout the year to discuss curriculum and consistency across classrooms.
Staff Meetings
The Center Supervisors are required to conduct staff meetings on a quarterly basis. These meetings focus upon a series of topics, which may include:
§ Agency/center Updates
§ Special Events
§ Training Opportunities
§ Other topics as deemed appropriate
In Home Based, staff meetings are conducted monthly by the Home Based Supervisor. In preschool collaborations, staff meetings are conducted bimonthly by the Program Manager. All meetings are documented in minutes and maintained with the Center/Home Based Supervisor. Copies are submitted to the Program Manager. Teachers maintain copies in their Classroom Monitoring Binder.
Individual Supervision Meetings
Center/Home Based Supervisors are required to conduct at least one formal supervision meeting per month with Teachers and Home Visitors. Documentation of this meeting is recorded on the Documentation of Supervision/Technical Assistance for Teacher/Center Supervisor form. Teachers are required to conduct one formal supervision meeting with each Assistant Teacher on a quarterly basis at a minimum. These meetings last up to an hour in length, focus upon the individual needs of each staff person, and are documented on the Documentation of Supervision/Technical Assistance for Assistant Teachers form. Any interim meetings that are conducted are documented on the Documentation of Supervision/Technical Assistance form. Documentation of all meetings is maintained on site, in a confidential space separate from the Classroom Monitoring Binder. Copies are submitted to the Program Manager as requested.
Early Head Start Lead Teachers conduct monthly supervision meetings with the Teachers. These meetings are documented on the Documentation of Supervision for Teacher/Center Supervisor form. Copies are submitted to the Program Manager and maintained on site, in a confidential space separate from the Classroom Monitoring Binder.
Clinical Consultation
Clinical consultation takes place on a regular basis throughout the program year and is facilitated by one of SKCDC’s Mental Health Consultants (MHC). Staff are grouped based on the program option in which they serve children and families. The purpose of clinical consultation is to discuss challenging situations staff experience and for the MHC to support staff in processing those events in a reflective manner.
Communities of Practice
A Community of Practice is a group of people with a shared interest, passion, or profession that collectively gain knowledge by engaging in regular interactions and communication with one another. SKCDC facilitates Communities of Practice for a variety of staff including Assistant Teachers, Early Head Start staff and Home-Based Home Visitors, and Head Start Teachers in relation to the OWL curriculum.
Coaching
Coaching is a research-based, cyclical process in which it is a coach’s responsibility to support the Teacher in identifying areas or skills to improve upon. The process begins with identifying a goal; it then moves into the observation phase; and finally a reflection and feedback meeting takes place between the coach and the Teacher.
Health and Safety Inspections
The Center/Home Based Supervisors are required to complete the Safe Environments Monitoring Report on a monthly basis. It is critical that this report is created with integrity each month to ensure the safety and accuracy of all building systems. Playgrounds are monitored for safety issues on a daily basis by completing the Daily Playground Checklist. Teachers and Home Visitors are expected to support these processes with ongoing monitoring of all systems within their classroom and the center as a whole. All inspections are documented on the appropriate forms. The Safe Environments Monitoring Report is submitted to the Project Director by the 5th of each month. Copies are maintained on site. The Daily Playground Checklist is maintained on site. The Health and Safety Screener will be completed annually by the Health and Nutrition Manager or a designee. Copies of the completed screener are maintained on site with the Center/Home Based Supervisor and in the Classroom Monitoring Binder.
Curriculum Plan/Individualization
Plans are completed weekly by the Teacher and monthly for socializations by the Home Visitor (see SKCDC Education and Family Services Implementation for additional expectations regarding completion). The Supervisor reviews and approves plan sheets weekly. Copies, without individualization, are posted. Plan sheets, with Individual Child Planning, are filed in the Classroom Monitoring Binder at the end of each week and are filed on-site for Home Based.
School Readiness Assessment Results
School readiness data is collected at the end of each assessment cycle. Child outcomes are reviewed in partnership with families to determine the effectiveness of curriculum planning and to assess modifications that may be necessary to effect positive growth and development for all children. Copies are maintained in the Classroom Monitoring Binder and on site for Home Based.
Child File Maintenance
Children’s files are reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure they are complete and that follow-up occurs where there are gaps. A file review checklist is provided to support this process. Teachers are responsible for completing an initial file review as maintaining the child files is primarily the responsibility of the Teacher/Home Visitor. Ongoing monitoring and follow-up by teachers, supervisors, and managers is conducted either on-site or in Child Plus and is documented on the file review checklist or in a Child Plus documentation. The initial file review is completed at enrollment; following file reviews are completed in the fall and spring. If a child is enrolled in late summer or fall, the enrollment file review suffices for the fall file review.
Withdrawn Files
Teachers and Supervisors are to ensure that withdrawn files sent to the main office within two weeks of vacancy, including child observations, assessments, and development and learning reports printed out from TSG.
Health Services
The provision, tracking, and monitoring of health services is an essential function of the agency and is critical to ensuring children’s school readiness. Teachers and Home Visitors review the status of health services on a monthly basis utilizing the reports in the Child Plus system. Follow-up for needed services becomes part of the goals developed in partnership with families and includes specific timelines for completion.
Contents of Classroom Monitoring Binder – SUMMARY:
Health and Safety Checklists
Staff Meeting Minutes
School Readiness Assessment Results
Plan Sheets/Individual Child Planning
Classroom Meeting Minutes
Classroom Observations
4 Updated 8/19/16