Early Childhood Special Education
About Early Childhood Special Education
Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) provides services for children from ages 3 – 5 with significant developmental delays. Each of these children will have an Individual Education Program (IEP) which addresses their individual needs. There are ECSE classrooms at the SPS Early Childhood Center, Truman, and Wanda Gray elementary schools as well as the Shady Dell Early Childhood Development Center.
Click here for information on the new Early Childhood Center that opened in January, 2011.
ECSE Organizational Chart
Announcements
Through the support of Community Foundation of the Ozarks and the Foundation for Springfield Public Schools, the Springfield Public Schools Early Childhood departments were very fortunate to be part of the high-impact grants that were announced on September 15, 2010. The Early Childhood Departments received a total of $24,677 in grants from the foundations. Of that total the Early Childhood Special Education department received $8,677.00 to purchase a literacy curriculum and $6,000.00 for Parents Involved in Education: Reading Resources to assist our parent education training. We are so thankful to the Foundations for providing us with the opportunity to expand and improve our resources for preschool children and their families. -
We are pleased to announce the ECSE program in conjunction with Wonder Years (Director of Early Childhood Missy Riley) have embarked on a new literacy curriculum. We are excited about the Emerging Language Literacy Curriculum (ELLC). It provides developmentally appropriate language and literacy practices for preschool children. It is especially powerful for children who are at risk for later learning problems or with language delays or impairments. ECSE and Wonder Years recently hosted a 2-day workshop for teachers in order to launch this new curriculum. We were fortunate to have one of the authors and initial implementers give an in-depth introduction on site to our teachers and staff. Please watch this site for more information as we move forward with the new curriculum.
Mission & Philosophy
The Early Childhood Special Education program (ECSE) is part of the Springfield R-12 district. The program strives to meet the mission and vision of the district and incorporate the highest level of early childhood effective practices and standards in order for our youngest children to achieve their highest potential.
We believe:
- In providing a continuum of services and access to a wide range of learning opportunities, activities, settings, and environments. Our goal is to provide integrated learning activities and environments for young children with disabilities and to provide these experiences in the least restrictive environment.
- The growth and development of all children is maximized in a setting that is supportive of each child’s individual efforts and abilities.
- Parents and families to be their child’s first and foremost teacher and an integral part of the ECSE program
- Diversity is celebrated and the talents and strengths of each child are recognized and nourished.
- In providing a supportive environment that fosters development at a pace appropriate to each individual child and where children can explore and initiate their own learning.
- In providing an environment that reinforces and celebrates the child’s developmental accomplishments and guides the practice of newly acquired skills.
- In providing supports which emphasize a variety of learning materials, an enriched and responsive language environment, quality research-based literacy experiences, technology and resource materials for staff, parents, and the community.
- In promoting a positive behavioral support system to build self esteem, self confidence, and the ability to make appropriate choices and decisions. This enhances a child’s ability to form positive social relationships with other children and adults and increases their ability to become caring, dependable, and responsible learners.
The ECSE program, parents, families, and community all share in the responsibility of ensuring the success of each child participating in the program. It is through this partnership we can foster the most positive outcomes for all.
ECSE Forms
Classroom Observation Procedures
Confidentiality Agreement for Classroom Observations
Other Special Education Department Forms
Intensive Intervention Classrooms
More information about the Intensive Intervention Classrooms
Behavior Support Team
The ECSE Behavior Support Team is there to assist teachers and case managers with students who are identified as having acute behavioral concerns.
About the Behavior Support Team
Behavior Support Team referral form
Integrated Classroom Program
The ECSE Integrated Classroom (IC) program was born out of the knowledge that “children learn best from other children”. Children accepted as IC students are invited to attend the ECSE program as role models who can demonstrate appropriate speech and language skills as well as appropriate social and play skills. In order to be considered for the IC program the child must first be referred by Parents as Teachers.
The Integrated Classroom program was recently profiled on KOLR10 News. Click the link to view the report.
More information about the Integrated Classroom Program