Multnomah Early Childhood ProgramMultnomah Early Childhood Program Looking Ahead May 22 – 26 Holiday weekend June 15 – 29 Program Break. June 30 – Services resume FACT Training

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Save the Date!

Multnomah Early Childhood Program

Looking Ahead May 22 – 26 Holiday weekend June 15 – 29 Program Break. June 30 – Services resume

FACT Training April 16

Clarendon Regional Learning Center

All Born (In) May 2

Holiday Inn at Portland Airport

FACT Training May 12

Kenton Branch of Multnomah County Librbary

Dear MECP Families, Spring is in the air and so is the excitement about Kindergarten. It will soon be time to register your child for Kindergarten. Please remember to contact your local school district before June, as school offices will be closed for the summer. To identify your local school district call 2-1-1. Families living in the David Douglas School District boundaries who have children children going to Kindergarten in 2015-2016 school year are invited to a Connect to Kindergarten event from 6-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 21st. If you do not know your designated school, please call 503-256-6526. Childcare will be available for siblings and there will also be Spanish and Russian translators present to support families. This event will allow families to meet Kindergarten teachers and the principal, tour the school, take a bus ride, receive Kindergarten readiness activities and fill out registration forms. Please remember to bring your child’s birth certificate, immunization records and proof of residence.

For more details about Oregon’s Kindergarten Assessment please visit: http://oregonearlylearning.com/kindergarten-assessment/home/ Under the requirements of the individuals Education Act (IDEA) 2004, the OregonDepartment of Education publishes an annual Early Childhood Special Education report card as part of the State Performance Plan. Take a peek at the report card housed on the David Douglas website at www.ddouglas.k12.or.us Happy Spring, Lisa Grotting

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APRIL 2015 MECP

Language Development Extending and expanding your child’s language

development

One great way to expand your child’s language development is to give them more opportunities to talk with you in meaningful contexts and about things that are important to them. Many times the adults in a situation do most of the talking—even when we think we are having a conversation with our child. Here is a simple way to give your child more opportunities to talk with you and develop their language skills.

W.A.I.T Ask yourself: Why Am I Talking?

Often times we ask questions or make comments to our children and we don’t give them time to respond before we either answer the question for them or move on to another subject. The next time you find yourself having a conversation with your child, try these steps instead.

C.A.R

Comment: “You are building a tall tower with blocks.” (wait)

Ask: “What else could you add to your tower?” (wait)

Respond with more: If your child says: “Tower.” You can respond with more, “I see you made a tower. “ (wait)

Giving your child wait time to respond can seem

unnatural at first, but with practice, it can become a powerful tool you can use to help build your child’s language skills. Check out the following link for more information about this language building strategy.

http://www.walearning.com/products/language-is-the-key/car-strategies/ Language tips from the Language Development Specialist Leah Robinson (503) 256-6500 x 4748 [email protected]

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APRIL 2015 MECP

From our Autism Specialists:

Spring is here! Below are some upcoming activities for families with a child with ASD. In honor of April being Autism Awareness month, Sunday Sensory Time at The Children's Gym will be free the entire month of April. Sunday Sensory Time is held on Sundays from 10:30-12:30. The entire gymnastics floor is set aside for children with sensory needs to explore, climb, swing, flip, roll, and have fun! Each child is required to have an adult with them at all times; coaches are on hand to make sure each child (age 2 years and up) has a successful experience. Please pre-register early online. The Children’s Gym, 1625 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, OR 97232 www.childrensgym.com, [email protected], 503-249-JUMP (5867)

Autism  Society  of  Oregon's    13th  Annual  Autism  Walk!   Sunday,  April  19,  2015  

 Oaks  Amusement  Park  in  SE  Portland    Fun  starts  9am  ~  Walk  begins  10:45am  ~  Rides  open  11:30am

Walk  is  1/2  mile  paved  loop  (fully  accessible) http://www.firstgiving.com/asoautismwalk/2015-autism-walk

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APRIL 2015 MECP

PBIS Corner:

Many families find bedtime and nap time to be a challenge. Further, many young children with developmental delays experience some kind of sleep difficulty. Sleep problems can make infants and young children moody, short tempered and unable to engage well in interactions with others. Sleep problems can also impact learning. When a young child is sleeping, her body is busy developing new brain cells needed for her physical, mental and emotional development. Parents also need to feel rested in order to be nurturing and responsive to their growing and active young children. Here are a few proven tips for making bedtimes and naptimes easier for parents and children.

For more information: http://challengingbehavior.fmhi.usf.edu/do/resources/documents/life_easier_bedtime%20and%20tipcard.pdf

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APRIL 2015 MECP

Finding Childcare: First Steps Finding childcare can be one of the most stressful tasks of raising a small child. Oregon averages some of the most expensive childcare in the country, and many centers have long waiting lists. However, there are resources to help you find care that fits your child’s individual needs, and sometimes, even your budget. Start your search by calling Child Care Resource & Referral. These guys have the countywide list of licensed childcare in the county: http://www.ccrr-mc.org/ 503-491-6200

The CCR&R will give you a list of programs that fit your criteria, but they can’t give opinions or recommendations. That makes the next step scheduling a tour and time to ask questions. Here are some examples of questions you might want to ask:

• Have you worked with children with delays or disabilities in the past? • How are families involved in the program? • How do you and your team continue your professional development? • How do you help children when they have challenging behaviors? • May I have a copy of your policies and/or Parent Handbook? • Are all kids group by ages, or do you keep children in rooms with younger kids if they are not

potty trained or experience delays in their development? For more about finding care call CCR&R and check out these websites! http://www.sncs.org/downloads/parents/FindingChildCareChecklistSpecialNeeds.pdf http://oregoninclusivecc.org/child-care-info/choosing-child-care/ http://www.neighborimpact.org/ChooseCareEN09-30-11.pdf

MECP APRIL 2015

10th Annual All Born (In) Best Practices & Cross-Disability Inclusion Conference

Description: This is an exciting day for parents, caregivers, and professionals working to end segregation in neighborhood schools and the community. Come celebrate and learn how we can use Universal Design for Learning and Best Practices to reach and teach every child. Share, learn and make connections so that we can all go forth to open the eyes of the wider community to the fact that our children are all born “in”. The ABI Conference features 35 workshops in 4 sessions, numerous keynote speakers, entertainment, art sale, and much more.

Registration fees: $80 for professionals, $60 for parents Includes morning refreshments and a boxed lunch. Limited scholarships may be available. Oregon & Washington clock hours are available, and credit hours will be available through Concordia University.

• No childcare provided • All attendees must register!

Saturday, May 2nd, 2015 8:30 am - 5:30 pm, check in at 7:45 Holiday Inn Portland Airport 8439 NE Columbia Boulevard, Portland http://www.nwdsa.org/events/event-form/all-born-in-conference-2015-registration/10759/tickets