January 2009 Education Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes

Education Advisory Committee September 15th, 2010 Meeting Minutes

Members Present Rosie Macias, El Valor Amy Labb, Albany Park Maria Gonzalez, DFSS Camille Gant, Westside Holistic Derbert Plaza, Catholic Charities Allen Rosales, Christopher House Melisa Larson, Onward House Arlan Williams, HBH Kim Shelton, LSSI Alexander Anderson, HBH Yolanda Johnson, T.R.U. Lucille Brown, Healing Temple Dion Rogers, CYC Barbara Tucker, Marcy Newberry Erica Olmeda, Onward House Weilian Xin, Chinese American Ilian Espinoza, El Hogar Evelyn Lang, Chicago State Jolene Martin, CRCL Verlene Vanderbilt, Onward House Luz Maria Macias, CRCL Pat Jackson, North Avenue Jan Stepto Millett, City Colleges Donyale Morrison, Home of Life Kimberly Cothran, Chicago Commons Isaly Morgan, Mary Crane Center Kim Green, Lee’s Cuddles n Care Ruth G. Davenport, CPS Clara Maynie, South Shore United Sandra Gonzalez-Murray, DFSS Celia Wills, Marcy Newberry Assoc. Bridgett Scarborough, Easter Seals Anya Robinson, DFSS Ricky Spain, Onward House Jennie Domingo, CPS Samuel Delamis, HBH R. Dobbs, Gads Hill Margaret Jordan, DFSS Carmen Butron, Stroger EHS Dianne Congress, Home of Life Licia Palmore, CCCS Latasha Pamela Flowers-Thomas, CCCS Seung Jin Yeo, Korean American Virgen Velez, Erie House Tawanda McKinney, MELA Greta Towers, Healing Temple Tasha Arrington, YMCA Jasmine Marshall, Salvation Army Yoya Smith, Community Learning Ctr. Theresa Valach, Beacon Therapeutic Monique Campbell, Hull House Grace Clear, Erie House Zenida Castillo, El Valor Linda McLaren, N.U.S.H. Jessica Garcia, El Valor Marsha Hightower, SCCS Kristina Vogt, Beacon Therapeutic Duane Kirksey, Dorothy Sutton Branch Danielle Niermann, Mary Crane Lucy Taylor, DFSS Leslie Janes, CRCL Laura Young, DFSS Rhonda Freeman, MFS LaTia Collins, CPS Ernestine Carr-Thomas, Salvation Army Leah Jowers, CYC Althea Parker, CLC Allison Walker, Harold Washington Luz Laurel, El Valor Mary Kaleta, Harold Washington Jody Anderson, DFSS Isolda Davila, DFSS Denise Jordan, DFSS Chantivia Robinson, CNH Nephateri Neal, Onward House Carrie Clark, DFSS Becky Ruby, Howard Area Polly Graham, YMCA Latasha Griffith, YMCA

I. Welcome Committee members were welcomed by Education Advisory Committee Co-Chair Kim Shelton, LSSI.

II. Identification of note taker Laura Young, DFSS, was identified as note taker.

IV. Reading and Approval of Minutes The minutes from the June 16th, 2009 Education Advisory Committee Meeting were distributed and reviewed. The following corrections were noted – Grace Clear and Zeniga Castillo should be added to the list of attendees. Leah Jowers, CYS motioned to approve the minutes. Jan Millett, City Colleges, seconded the motion.

V. Presentation: “Gateways to Opportunity” – Mark Obuchowski Mark Obuchowski presented on the following programs available through Gateways to Opportunity, the Illinois Professional Development System

 Great START Wage Supplement Program  Gateways to Opportunity Scholarship Program  Professional Development Advisor Program  Gateways to Opportunity Registry  Gateways to Opportunity Credentials  Illinois Trainers Network

Those interested in learning more can visit www.ilgateways.com

VI. Administrative Update – Denise Jordan, DFSS As part of the new Head Start Act, HHS will conduct unannounced site visits to grantees and delegate agencies. DFSS received a call from HHS on Friday afternoon, September 9, informing the Grantee of a site visit scheduled for Monday, September 12. The visit was specifically scheduled to check on disabilities because the Grantee requested a waiver for disabilities but only received a partial waiver.

Committee members who have not provided their email address should make sure it is received for future communication between meetings. Email addresses are needed immediately as the location for the October Education Committee Meeting is to be determined and therefore an email will be going out with location information. DFSS/Children Services Division in partnership with the Chicago Public Library will host a “Literacy Day” event that will feature noted children’s picture book author, Mem Fox. Each Delegate Agency will be asked to send at least one teacher to this event at DFSS central office on Friday, October 8th.

The annual DFSS/Children Services “Back to School Kickoff” event was held on August 3, 4, and 5 at Kennedy King College. Although this 3-day event focused a lot on education, this was the first time other service component areas were included (Health/Mental Health, Disabilities, Nutrition, Family and Community Partnerships). This was also the first time that the Grantee was able to document and store online professional development training through the COPA registration process.

The most recent cohort of teacher/teacher assistants attending the “Back to Basics” training series has just completed. In an effort to continue and build upon the beginning series, there will now be two more “steps”, “Beyond the Basics”, and a third series still in development. In January 2011, another “Back to Basics” series will begin for a new group of teachers, as well as the first “Beyond the Basics” series for teachers/teacher assistants who completed “Back to Basics”.

The RELAY project has recruited and selected its second cohort of Education Coordinators/Site Directors for the next program year. The following Delegate Agencies were selected: Onward House, Centers for New Horizons, Gads Hill, Easter Seals, Chinese American and St. Augustine. We want to congratulate them and support them in any way we can.

On September 24th, 2010 DFSS will certify Head Start/Early Head Start enrollment numbers to the Office of Head Start. Delegate agencies should ensure that all teachers meet qualification requirements, as DFSS will not certify slots in classrooms that do not have qualified staff. DFSS staff will be making phone calls to Delegate agencies to discuss the status of teacher qualifications this week. Delegates should ensure that accurate HR information is entered into COPA. In many instances the incorrect field is selected for major.

“The Value of Home Visits in Head Start” brochures are available by request for anyone who is in need; please contact your SSC for copies.

VII. CLASS Update CLASS assessment results were distributed via CD to all Delegate Agencies. A consultant will attend the October Education Advisory Committee Meeting to provide more information on the professional development opportunities associated with the CLASS results.

VIII. GOLD Update DFSS has asked Education Coordinators and Teachers that participated in the West Side Tech GOLD training to complete the Administrator/Teacher Functionality Orientation and turn in the thank-you confirmation email to their S.S.C. to receive Goals and Objective Posters and Assessment Opportunity Cards. The confirmation email may be returned through September 30th to receive the posters and cards. Entire groups may view orientations together and sign the thank-you confirmation email together as well.

Education Coordinators must be assisting their sites/partners/teachers with logging in and using the GOLD system. If they have trouble, they should contact their S.S.C. There is no cost to using the GOLD system or completing the orientation.

Professional Development on the GOLD system is being planned to occur on a monthly basis. Users should also explore the sandbox and complete the series of modules.

Some issues with GOLD as described by participants – Only 10 sites at a time are visible by the administrator, navigation of the system is difficult as the “action” pull down menu changes according to the page that is being viewed – providing TA over the phone is difficult.

IX. School Age – Sandra Gonzalez-Murray The School Age Subcommittee will meet on October 21st, 2010.

X. Early Head Start – Anya Robinson Check COPA for Early Head Start Workshops.

The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, October 20th