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Early Childhood Programs Recognized for Exemplary Practice
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Early Childhood Programs Recognized for Exemplary Practice

Each year, the Kansas State Department of Education recognizes programs throughout Kansas which have incorporated an innovative component into their early childhood special education program. Programs have the opportunity to submit an application to be peer reviewed and considered for recognition. It was announced at the Kansas Division for Early Childhood conference in Wichita on March 5, 1998 that The Center Preschool and Bright Futures Children's Program demonstrated exemplary service in the area of School / Community Collaboration for the 1997-1998 school year.

The Center Preschool, Pittsburg, Kansas
The Center Preschool in Pittsburg, Kansas is recognized for its efforts in the area of school / community collaboration. Three providers of health care and educational services in the community established this center dedicated to the development and enhancement of the community's children. Through the efforts of these three programs and through collaboration with additional services and organizations (14 in all) the Center is a facility dedicated to providing high-quality child care, preschool, family education and comprehensive health services.

The Center houses a multiplicity of family-related services. Locating all needed services in one facility strengthens the support that many families need to provide an environment that helps develop a healthy child ready to learn. The following services are housed in one readily accessible facility located in a building used as an elementary school for 75 years:

  • Quality, affordable child care for children birth-12 years
  • Developmentally appropriate preschool for children ages 3-5
  • After-school and summer programs for youth
  • Comprehensive services for children with special needs
  • Family health care services
  • Social and mental health services
  • Comprehensive adult education services
  • Parent education
  • Coordination of existing services

All services are offered through collaboration of existing providers, and the center merges early childhood efforts and family focused efforts to ensure that agencies in the community are effectively and efficiently offering services that are developmentally appropriate and accessible to all children and families.

Contact Person:

Monica Murnan
The Center Preschool
1700 N. Locust
Pittsburg, KS 66762

(620) 235-3150

Bright Futures Children's Program Wellington, Kansas
Bright Futures Children's Program in Wellington, Kansas is recognized for its efforts in school/community collaboration. This program has evolved from an isolated preschool for children with disabilities to a collaborative community effort in which three separate preschool programs have been blended to provide developmentally and individually appropriate services. These blending efforts have been between the special education service program, a community preschool program and the Head Start program. With the blending of programs, the classrooms are designed to have Early Childhood Special Education and Head Start teachers teaching side by side. Each classroom includes instructional staff funded by Head Start and one funded by special education. In addition, the special education teachers and Head Start teachers collaborate to serve the individual needs of all children. The outcome of this collaborative effort is the delivery of services in preschool settings which are typical for young children.

Contact Person:

Mary Beasley
Bright Futures Children's Program
2410 North A Street
Wellington, KS 67152
(620) 326-8906

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Back to the Spring 1998 Newsletter