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After three months of silence at Pre-K 4 SA’s Education Centers due to COVID-19, cheers, laughter and excitement finally filled the outdoor air.
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As Spring Break 2020 approached, Pre-K 4 SA students and their families were ready for a well-deserved break. However, no one realized spring break would extend into distance learning from home through the end of the school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pre-K 4 SA acted quickly by collaborating with the San Antonio Food Bank and began food distributions the following week at its four education centers for families needing support. Leadership and teachers knew the importance of providing families with the healthy meals and snacks the children were accustomed to receiving during the regular school day. At the same time, the Pre-K 4 SA family engagement team acknowledged that parents and children would need more support and resources than ever.
Pre-K 4 SA believes in the importance of supporting families to help children have a successful learning foundation. Because education would continue at home, parent liaisons from Pre-K 4 SA’s education centers needed to find innovative ways to provide families a helping hand.
At the start of the school closure, the family engagement team quickly learned which parents could not attend the food distributions due to lack of transportation or poor health. Food items and first aid supplies were delivered to those Pre-K 4 SA families that needed assistance but could not make it to one of the centers. Each week, the team continues to reach out to parents to ensure they have food and their necessities are covered.
The family engagement team also researched local resources to share with families. Parent liaisons provided information related to diaper banks, rental assistance, and how to navigate eviction notices. One main source of information and support services Pre-K 4 SA shares is the City of San Antonio-Municipal Government Facebook page. On this page, the Emergency Assistance program supports the San Antonio community by paying rent, mortgage, internet and utility payments. Families can also qualify for a program that helps them receive direct cash assistance to help them with groceries, medical and gas expenses.
“With Pre-K 4 SA, our families feel they have a good support system that helps them and cares for them during this time of need,” said Virginia Sandoval, family engagement supervisor at Pre-K 4 SA.
The family engagement team began connecting with parents via Zoom video conferencing to continue the Parents as Partners sessions. This program was designed by Pre-K 4 SA to allow parents to engage in conversations collectively and to provide support to one another. The family engagement team saw the necessity to continue Parents as Partners during this time of uncertainty. Maria Montiel, parent liaison with the Gardendale Early Learning program, hosts weekly Zoom meetings for parents to connect and continue their support group. In an effort to accommodate parents’ schedules, Montiel creates flexible evening times for parents.
Montiel noticed that many parents were experiencing anxiety and other mental health struggles. The family engagement team came together and created a bi-weekly, hour-long exercise Zoom class just for parents. The team believes that by helping parents stay active together, they can combat the anxiety which has been triggered by this global pandemic. If you are a current Pre-K 4 SA parent and would like more information about the Parents as Partners program or exercise Zoom class, you may contact Virginia Sandoval at 210-206-2904.
“Parents as Partners is such a great program with the latest resources! I was struggling during this time but I was able to reconnect with other families which provided me with support and encouragement,” said Cassie Jones, a Gardendale Early Learning program parent. “In return, I felt I could also help other families experiencing distress during this pandemic by helping create a Zoom Family Fit program for all parents.”
Parent liaisons are continually performing home visits with families in an effort to connect them with teachers to continue high-quality early learning for the children. When needed, electronic devices, such as iPads, have been distributed to families for children to continue their learning from home and communicate with their teachers.
Additionally, Pre-K 4 SA just launched its Online Resource Center, providing families with more high-quality instruction material. Our educators collaborated to bring together instructional videos to not only share with Pre-K 4 SA families, but with the entire San Antonio community. In the Online Resource Center, you will find intuitive learning videos, read-alouds, bilingual instructions, and activities to support our youngest learners to continue their education at home.
Pre-K 4 SA wants parents to know that if they need anything—related to pre-k or not—to reach out to their child’s teacher or a parent liaison from their designated center. They are ready to help and connect families with needed internal and community resources.
“The traditional school year may be over for our children, but our families will remain a part of Pre-K 4 SA forever because of the bond we have created over the last few weeks,” said Felicia Williams, parent liaison at Pre-K 4 SA.
Families across San Antonio and the country are dealing with significant changes to their daily lives due to COVID-19.
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Your outdoor space offers a world of learning experiences your children will enjoy.
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Since Pre-K 4 SA’s inception, the program set out to make an impact in early childhood education by also creating a comprehensive grants program.
Each year, Pre-K 4 SA provides $4.2 million in grants to add teachers, training, and technology to San Antonio’s early childhood landscape. These funds create more access to a high-quality curriculum for San Antonio’s 4-year-olds via public, parochial and child development centers.
Harlandale ISD is one of several school districts in San Antonio that has benefited tremendously from Pre-K 4 SA’s resourceful grants program. In 2016, HISD opted to partner with Pre-K 4 SA, making early childhood education a priority for the district. As a result, both administrators and teachers receive continuous professional learning in early childhood education, and outdoor learning classrooms are under construction.
There are a total of 13 pre-kindergarten classrooms throughout the Harlandale district, which currently has 65 pre-kindergarten teachers who teach 3- and 4-year-olds. In total, the district provides an early education to approximately 1,025 children. It also has a partnership with Avance, a federally funded program, which assists in instructing 438 of the children from within the district.
Diana Wagner, an early childhood coordinator at HISD and a former early childhood education principal, appreciates Pre-K 4 SA for providing an ongoing series of professional learning, not only for teachers, but also for school administrators. Wagner believes instructing administrators is an important factor for early childhood educators to understand and collaborate to provide high-quality education.
“I’m a former principal of 10 years and an early childhood major. I have learned a great deal of how (early childhood education) has progressed since I’ve been in college,” said Wagner. “I believe ongoing education (in early childhood education) is essential. I think that without having the administrators present for that continuum of learning between pre-k and kindergarten, there will continue to be a disconnection.”
Wagner is currently attending two of Pre-K 4 SA’s professional learning series, one for teachers and the other one for administrators. She has gained a better understanding and knowledge base by attending both. The teachers’ series has taught her to become a better classroom observer and able to understand more of the educator’s needs. As an administrator, she can have conversations with principals and explain what the needs are within the classrooms throughout the school district. This has been advantageous since these series programs are helping administrators and teachers to be more cognizant of how to help children build a strong academic foundation.
Another area that Pre-K 4 SA’s grants are assisting HISD is with the creation of new outdoor learning environments. There are currently three outdoor learning classrooms under construction at Gillette, Rayburn and Collier Elementary schools. Outdoor learning is important because it gives children the time to interact with nature while teachers encourage their sense of wonder and curiosity. Teachers also serve as partners in play, observe children, and facilitate individual learning while addressing all aspects of the Texas Pre-Kindergarten Guidelines. These new outdoor learning environments will not be limited to pre-kinder and kinder students, but will serve other elementary students on these campuses. Students within HISD will have more tools and resources to improve physical activity, gross motor development, attention spans, executive function, cognitive abilities and environmental awareness.
Pre-K 4 SA also recognizes parents as an essential factor for their children’s success. Pre-K 4 SA partners with families and the community to provide diverse, fun, and educational opportunities that encourage active engagement in a child’s academic, social and emotional, health and nutritional needs.
HISD also uses Pre-K 4 SA grants funding to help parents and families understand the importance of staying actively engaged in their child’s education. Wagner also realizes that in the district there are many 3- and 4-year-olds who are not being enrolled. With a focus on parents, the district plans to create more community outreach opportunities to educate families about the importance of early childhood education.
Wagner is delighted to see that the district she works for chose to submit a proposal to become an active grant recipient of Pre-K 4 SA’s grants program. In less than three years, she has seen how impactful this program has become in HISD. She has noticed the positive ripple effect from Pre-K 4 SA’s professional learning and grants programs occurring throughout the district.
“This program helps administrators become proactive instead of reactive. It allows staff, administration, teachers and parents to be unified and on the same page,” said Wagner. “I love partnering with Pre-K 4 SA because the initiative is about 4-year-olds and that is my passion. I’m just glad to be a part of the whole thing.”
Over the past 30 years, creativity and the arts have been systematically removed from the core K-12 education system.
However, according to the Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning through the Arts, “integrating the performing arts into early childhood education is a highly effective way for young children to learn and for early childhood educators to teach.”
The Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning is a program developed by the Wolf Trap Foundation and is funded by a major grant from the U.S. Department of Education. It uses art-based techniques to improve the foundation for all sciences, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
In 2016, theArtsFund became an affiliate of the Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning. That same year, Pre-K 4 SA became a partner and hosted 10 artist residencies and training sessions. Residencies are defined time periods during which artists from an array of arts backgrounds use their artistic fortes to provide teachers with creative tools to incorporate the arts into their curriculum. Pre-K 4 SA quickly began to implement these learning models into the classroom, which resonated well with its “learn through play” curriculum.
A new Wolf Trap pilot program will begin at Pre-K 4 SA in February 2020 and will last for a total of eight weeks. The pilot program will focus on the following growths: reflection time for staff and resident artists, variety in the techniques used, and teacher support upon the completion of the residency.
Jessica Ambris, a Pre-K 4 SA teacher and Dr. Aurelia Rocha, a San Antonio Wolf Trap teaching artist, have been collaborating and refining the Wolf Trap program at Pre-K 4 SA for the past six months. Together they recognized that a vital aspect of the program should create a culture of professional dialogue and collegiality around new ideas and prior experience.
Since Wolf Trap has residencies from all artistic backgrounds, the teaching techniques will likely differ according to the artist’s talent. For example, a dancer will use dance and body movements to help children understand a concept, while a musician will use an instrument and music to teach children. With that in mind, there is much depth and versatility to using the arts in the classrooms.
“As a teacher, I’ve learned from one of our drama residencies and applied some of the techniques in my own instruction. My class was interested in learning the difference between frogs and toads. Using the imaginary costume closet, I remember the children were engaged as they acted out as if they were changing into either a frog or a toad,” said Ambris. “They would pretend to become their character by imagining specific traits such as smooth or bumpy skin. By using their imagination, children were able to apply what they had learned and really understand the differences between the two.”
Prior to this new pilot program, only one resident artist was assigned to one teacher and his or her classroom. Now, one resident artist will be in one classroom but teaching a cohort of five teachers. The training will last for nine weeks with a total of 21 sessions. Thereafter, there will be a 75-minute reflection time which will give time for teachers and resident artists to discuss and plan for the week. Then teachers will go into their own classrooms and implement the Wolf Trap strategies they are acquiring on a weekly basis.
Each week, all participating teachers will have the opportunity to share what is working for them and at the same time, share what has not been effective. As teachers come together and build this commonality, they will share ideas to build their artistic skills to deliver the lesson to their classrooms.
Using the arts to teach a curriculum should always be engaging and fluid. This new Wolf Trap pilot program will continue to help children use all of their senses to better learn the curriculum. Once the first Wolf Trap pilot program is complete and evaluated at the South Education Center, it will be duplicated into the other Pre-K 4 SA Education Centers.
Since its inception in 2013, our vision of Pre-K 4 SA has been to develop a world-class workforce through high-quality early childhood education in one generation.
To make this vision a reality, we needed to go beyond the traditional Pre-K curriculum that prepares our children for Kindergarten and concentrate more on preparing them for life. By including a focus on the development of executive function skills, we are preparing our children for success, beyond the preschool classroom to the executive board room and everywhere in between.
Executive functions are a set of cognitive processes or neurologically-based skills (i.e., mental control and self-regulation) that are necessary to perform functions that help us reach our goals.
Executive functions are sometimes referred to as the “air traffic controllers” of the brain. They take in and analyze the incoming data, filter out distractions and allow us to respond in the most effective, appropriate manner.
Many scientists and educators have developed their own working definitions and lists of key executive functions. The three most commonly discussed executive functions include working memory, inhibitory control which includes self-regulation, and cognitive flexibility.
Using the HighScope curriculum, teachers at Pre-K 4 SA also facilitate the development of initiative, emotional control, planning, organization, problem solving, and self-monitoring or evaluating.
Working Memory – This is the ability to hold information long enough to accomplish the task at hand, like following directions, staying focused during small group, or making a plan and following through with it.
Inhibitory Control – This involves the ability to stop a behavior or postpone it until a more appropriate time. For young children, this includes running to get something they want when running is not appropriate in the setting, grabbing an object from another child, or shouting out answers or inappropriate comments.
Cognitive Flexibility – This is sometimes referred to as “shift” because we need to be able to quickly shift from one focus to another and back again without totally breaking our concentration.
Initiative – Children need to be able to take initiative and begin projects, complete tasks on their own and express their own ideas.
Emotional Control – Children should be taught that all emotions are okay to experience and that there are socially acceptable ways of expressing them.
Planning – Children are taught to create and carry out a plan for their work time every day. As the school year progresses, the plans become more detailed and elaborate.
Organization – The classroom is set up for children to encourage independence. All materials and shelves are labeled so children can keep the room neat and tidy. Materials are also arranged by function to help children see how different objects can have a common use or purpose.
Problem Solving – Problem solving can be viewed in two ways. Children can solve problems with materials. They need to be persistent and feel safe in taking risks by trying multiple solutions and thinking outside that proverbial box. The other type of problem solving is with another child. Often the problem involves an object that both children want at the same time. We use six steps of conflict resolution to help the children identify the problem and come up with a solution both parties agree will solve it.
Self-Monitoring – Of course there are multiple opportunities throughout a typical day for children to quickly reflect on a decision, action or piece of work, but HighScope curricula creates dedicated times in daily schedules for such reflection. After children make and carry out their daily plan, they are given the opportunity to reflect on how closely they followed their plan (what worked and what didn’t work), if they changed their plan altogether, and why.
We know people are not born with the skills, but the ability to develop them. Therefore, we take advantage of every opportunity to set the foundation upon which our children can build. Pre-K 4 SA recognizes the importance of these executive function skills to be successful throughout life.
Written by: Erin Burnett, assistant director of Curriculum and Instruction
At the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year, districts across San Antonio welcomed more pre-kindergarten children into their elementary schools than ever before.
Districts expanded from half-day to full-day programming for 10,487 children, which is a 9% increase over the previous year. The expansion of district pre-k programs came as a result of the passage of House Bill 3 (HB3) on June 11, 2019.
The landmark legislation provides funding for full-day pre-kindergarten for 4-year-olds who meet one of the longstanding eligibility requirements established by the state. Although HB 3 does not increase the number of children eligible for pre-k, it is an important step forward for early learning in Texas.
Although the growing number of pre-kindergarten classrooms is a win, the impressive outcomes that early education promises are only possible when programs are high-quality. School and program leaders are essential to establishing the conditions necessary to make this kind of quality possible. Research shows principals alone can account for 25% of a school’s impact on student learning and have the second largest in-school impact on student achievement after teachers.
In a report by New America, principals in a focus group said the most important part of their job is helping teachers provide high-quality instruction. However, many principals had no experience in early childhood education and they shed light on how little their preparation programs equip them to be instructional leaders for the early grades.
For the past two years, Pre-K 4 SA has partnered with the New Teacher Center (NTC) to launch the first Early Learning Leadership Program (ELLP) in San Antonio. Program participants are comprised of principals, district leaders and instructional coaches across seven districts (Edgewood ISD, Northside ISD, Northeast ISD, Harlandale ISD, Southwest ISD, East Central ISD, San Antonio ISD) and the Archdiocese of San Antonio. The program has reached 150 school and program leaders which have impacted more than 3,500 children within our city.
The program is offered through two options: a nine-hour overview course and a nine-month intensive course, with most leaders opting into the longer intensive program.
“The Early Learning Leadership Program provides a unique opportunity for principals to focus on early childhood through professional learning and collaboration with other principals,” said Julia Schneider, director of early childhood in Northeast Independent School District. “It is changing the way our principals evaluate environments and instruction in their early childhood classrooms.”
The program includes six three-hour seminars, which focus on brain development, executive function, growth milestones and teaching practices that encourage language development and emerging math skills. It also includes “walk and talks” led by the ELLP team with principals to tour the program’s pre-k and kindergarten classrooms and to put to practice the knowledge participants are receiving through the seminars. ELLP team members also assist in answering any questions and overcoming challenges.
In addition, two observational walks with small groups of principals also take place. During these observations, a focus on an early learning problem of practice is posed by the group to guide the conversations. The group might look at the language teachers are using with children or how classroom environments are arranged.
One key element of the interactive sessions is demystifying concepts like “developmentally appropriate practice” and “playing to learn” by engaging principals in play! Betsy Fox, senior director of early learning partnerships at NTC, who leads the ELLP initiative with Pre-K 4 SA said, “Principals don’t often see the connection of play to learning. It’s about shifting the beliefs about how young children learn best.”
Whether participants are building brain architecture from pipe cleaners, or towers with straws and play dough, they are learning about how young children develop foundational academic, social-emotional and executive function skills. It’s important to work together and share knowledge about high-quality early childhood education in order to help San Antonio’s youngest learners.
Written by: Larissa Wilkinson, director of Professional Learning and Innovation
As its eighth year approaches, Pre-K 4 SA called together its alumni, families, staff and stakeholders to reflect on the organization’s accomplishments and celebrate the progress it continues making in San Antonio.
Each year, Pre-K 4 SA hosts many events such as a Grants Showcase, an annual Gracias San Antonio: Children Are Citizens Art Exhibit to raise money for a local non-profit, as well as free professional learning workshops. The largest event planned to date was Pre-K 4 SA’s first Family Reunion. It was a special time to celebrate the power of pre-k and to see how alumni families are succeeding after Pre-K 4 SA.
After many hours of planning, the San Antonio Food Bank Pavilion was selected, and the date was set for Saturday, October 19, 2019. More than 800 Pre-K 4 SA families and children attended the event. Together they enjoyed healthy food, fun activities, and most importantly made unforgettable memories.
Dr. Sarah Baray, CEO of Pre-K 4 SA, began the presentation of speeches by inviting Ivyahna Slack, a first grader, and Elisa Maria Jaime, a fifth grader to the stage. These two Pre-K 4 SA alumni expressed how much Pre-K 4 SA has helped them build a strong foundation in their education. Elisa Maria Jaime delivered her first speaking points in English and finished her speech in Spanish.
Former City Manager Sheryl Sculley spoke about the program and how impactful Pre-K 4 SA continues to be for San Antonio. San Antonio’s First Lady Erika Prosper also shared her experience of how her son attended Pre-K 4 SA and how this program is preparing future generations for a bright future for our city.
The large orchard behind the Food Bank’s pavilion held numerous children’s activities, including moon bounces, hayrides, face art, dancing, bowling, pumpkin painting and more. Children were all given a Pre-K Power Passport and after completing an activity, they received a stamp of completion. Once the passport was filled, they received a prize.
All alumni were called to gather and stand in front of the stage to capture a group photo. Gathering the children was no easy task, but with the help of parents and personnel, Pre-K 4 SA’s photographer had the opportunity to capture unforgettable moments of Pre-K 4 SA’s alumni together in one place.
Many of the Pre-K 4 SA personnel volunteered their time and local high school students also helped monitor the activity stations for the children to have a great time. In a post-event survey, all families expressed how much fun the event was for the entire family. Pre-K 4 SA was also happy to see the positive responses and suggestions for a future event next year.
“My daughter completed Pre-K 4 SA three years ago but she still talks about her teachers, friends and memories from Pre-K 4 SA,” said Raquel Aguirre, Pre-K 4 SA parent. “This was such a great idea and time for the both of us. Thank you for all you’ve done for my family! We look forward to next year!”
Pre-K 4 SA opened its doors in 2013 and eight years later, its personnel were excited to see how children and their families were ecstatic to participate and come together to celebrate the power of pre-k.
It was not too long ago that social and emotional learning (SEL) in pre-k was thought of as sharing, playing nicely with others, and doing what your teacher asked. While these skills are definitely part of SEL, they are only the very basics of what we know to be foundational skills that impact cognition, academic learning, relationships and wellness.
Very often we think of development as occurring in isolated categories, with developmental milestones in areas such as language, cognition, and social and emotional skills being associated with specific ages. In truth, you really can’t separate them. They occur simultaneously and impact each other along the way.
The brain of a child during the early childhood years is undergoing such rapid development that it’s crucial educators address SEL in the same manner they address language and literacy, with research-based curriculum and dedication to effective teaching strategies.
The Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional and Learning (CASEL) defines SEL as “the process by which individuals acquire and apply knowledge and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, feel and show empathy for others, set and achieve goals, form relationships, and make responsible decisions.” Social and emotional learning skills include five core competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision making.
The outcomes associated with well-developed social and emotional skills are significant. School-age children have better academic performance and reduced disciplinary issues. Long-term outcomes include an increased likelihood of having healthy relationships, good mental health and stable employment. Meanwhile, there is a decreased likelihood of using drugs and being incarcerated. Studies have shown that employers specify competencies directly associated with social and emotional skills as critical in a highly-skilled 21st century workforce.
At Pre-K 4 SA, social and emotional learning is embedded in our HighScope curriculum. HighScope’s approach to teaching SEL is through effective teacher instructional practices that include positive adult-child interactions, and emphasize active participatory learning, regular routines and attention to an optimal learning environment. Children learn conflict resolution skills in the classroom as they navigate what is often their first classroom experience.
Pre-K 4 SA’s Social and Emotional Learning Team, comprised of behavior specialists and a licensed specialist in school psychology, supports SEL for all children and works to promote accessibility and meaningful inclusion for children with special needs. The SEL Team maintains a strong focus on helping children develop self-regulation skills that are crucial to building other SEL competencies such as relationship skills and responsible decision making. When children are able to self-regulate, they are better able to focus their attention, respond appropriately when upset, and learn new material. This contributes to a reduced need for more restrictive educational settings.
One of the most important aspects of solid social and emotional learning is parent involvement. Parents and caregivers are the experts on their child, as they know their child best. They provide teachers with valuable information that allows the school team to work together with them for best results. This coordinated effort between school, families and communities is what ensures success.
Written by: Maria Bayoumi, Pre-K 4 SA’s licensed specialist in school psychology
