All together now!

              Summer 2004 Vol. 10, No.2
Providing quality care and education for all children
NNaattuurraall EEnnvviirroonnmeennttss
TOC
All Together Now! is published three times per year.
Letters, contributions, subscription requests, or reprint
requests should be sent to
All Together Now!
521 South Greensboro Street, Suite 100
Carrboro NC 27510
919.966.0059 • FAX 919.843.5784
email Molly_Weston@unc.edu
www.fpg.unc.edu/~atn
23,500 copies of All Together Now! were printed at a
cost of 42¢ each.
3 Concept Implementing Infant-Toddler Services
in Natural Environments
by Pat Wesley
6 Policy Update Child Protective Services/Early Intervention:
New Collaboration
by Karen Takas
7 PFI Faces by Molly Weston
8 Research Early Grade Retention: Is It Worth It?
by Diane Early PhD, et als 10
10 Books Reviews
by Molly Weston
12 Trainings Calendar of Training Events
14 Family Focus Some Things Never Change
by Debra Downey
16 Feature Making Memories at Fit For Fun
by Molly Weston
20 Ask PFI Community Opportunities—Get Going Now!
by Susan Dean
22 KidSeen&Heard KidSpeak
24 Programs Reaching the 5 Stars
The latest programs to receive 5 stars
Editor’s Notes
Sometimes my work carries over into my personal life.You know how
it goes. Soon after I returned from Wilmington where I did the inter-view
for this issue’s feature article, I was telling some friends about the
wonderful children’s play space I had just visited.Not only did they look
at me as if I were from Mars, they asked the question, “Why would
anybody spend that much money on a place to play?” The best answer
to that question well known in the early childhood environment is,
“The most important work for young children is play.”
As early child care professionals, you know how play strengthens chil-dren’s
abilities and learning. They develop social skills, language, fine
and gross motor skills, cause and effect rationale, reasoning, imagina-tion,
memory—and the list continues! Not only does play bring educa-tional
benefits, it brings pure joy—both to the child and to the adult
who’s there to witness and participate in that first tower that doesn’t
fall, the first ball that makes it in the basket, and the realization that
“just because I can’t see it, it doesn’t mean it’s not there.”
Play joyously with the young children you encounter every day. After
all, it’s one of the biggest perks in your job!
—Molly
A publication of
Partnerships for Inclusion
Pat Wesley, Director
Editor Molly Weston
Designer Gina Harrison
Photographer Don Trull
Proofreaders Dave Sanel
Editorial Board & Contributing Agencies
Kathy Baars NC Public Schools Early
Childhood/Exceptional Children
Karen Chester NC Interagency Coordinating Council
for Children Ages Birth to Five with
Special Needs
Mabel Dillard Family Support Network
Karen Ferguson NC Division of Child Development
Gina Harrison FPG Child Development Institute
Katherine Laveck NC Division of Early Childhood,
a division of the Council for
Exceptional Children
Ron Moore Head Start
Duncan Munn Early Intervention Branch
Pat Wesley FPG Child Development Institute
In the last issue of ATN! we described
natural environments and talked about
why they are good for young children. In
this article we will explore ways of imple-menting
services in natural environments
and evaluating these services. A variety of
strategies can be used to develop, deliver,
and support services within everyday
routines, activities, and places.Let’s look at
some strategies for developing new oppor-tunities
in natural environments, first
contacts with families, child evaluation,
and IFSP development.
Keys for successful delivery
in natural environments
One of the driving forces behind natural
environments is the philosophy of having
the services fit the child and the family rather
than requiring the people to fit the services.
By following this philosophy from the
initial contact with the family and continu-ing
through the entire process of service
delivery, early intervention providers build
on the strengths of the child and family.
The focus of early intervention is on the
child’s functional participation in daily
routines and activities and, for infants and
toddlers, on the family’s participation in a
variety of community activities that are
natural for them, including those that
occur in the home. The family and the
early intervention provider write an Indi-vidual
Family Services Plan (IFSP) that
reflects their concerns and priorities for
the child.
The development of the IFSP follows a
collaborative process of
w identifying child outcomes,
w understanding the family’s routines and daily
activities,support network,and community,
w determining which child outcomes can
be addressed best through which family
routines and activities, and
w identifying services and supports that
can be provided within those routines
and activities to maximize the child’s
opportunities to learn through the natu-ral
experiences of daily life.
w A good Individual Education Plan (IEP)
for children ages three to five years
should reflect many of these features.
It is almost always necessary for early
intervention providers to expand their
services to include consultation with other
early childhood service providers and
adults in the community to help them, as
well as the child’s parents, to facilitate
learning opportunities for the child in
Implementing Infant-Toddler Services in
Natural Environments
by Pat Wesley
Pat is director of
Partnerships for
Inclusion. She has
worked in the early
childhood field for
more than 25 years.
She and her family
live in Chatham
County.
Concept
ALLTOGETHERNOW! 3
natural settings. Ideally, the philosophy of
providing early intervention services,
including assessment, as part of the
routines and daily activities of children
and families should be embedded in
agencies’written materials related to early
intervention, and in all planning discus-sions
with families and service providers.
It is also promoted through public aware-ness
strategies and activities.
New opportunities
How can early intervention providers
enhance the service system at the commu-nity
level to increase opportunities in
natural environments?
w Identify key players who could
contribute ideas about the delivery of
services in natural environments such as
families, early interventionists, thera-pists,
child care providers (center and
home), and staff of community agencies
who serve all children. In North
Carolina, such people may serve on
Local and Regional Interagency Coordi-nating
Councils.
w Involve these key people in planning and
conducting a community forum about the
benefits to children and families of provid-ing
services in a way that does not disrupt,
but rather makes the most of their every-day
routines, activities, and locations.
w Identify what resources exist in the
community that could include young
children with special needs and what
additional resources are needed. Identify
which resources are used already and if
there are other resources of which
people may not be aware.
w Work with community groups to estab-lish
new inclusive opportunities such as
toddler story time at the public library,
stroller- or wheelchair-accessible nature
trails, wee-ones swim time at the public
pool, infant-toddler play equipment at
the community parks, and other recre-ational
activities.
w Provide opportunities for community
and agency professionals and families to
share the experiences, successes, and
challenges they encounter as they
deliver or receive services.
w Compare notes with other early inter-vention
programs, staff, and leaders
from different communities.
w Identify what resources are needed to
include children with special needs and
their families in naturally occurring
community opportunities (such as assis-tive
technology, materials or curriculum
adaptations, and equipment).
w Identify fiscal and policy barriers to
intervention practices in natural envi-ronments.
w Develop a plan to coordinate early inter-vention
outcomes and activities with the
goals and activities of programs in the
community at large.
w Create and sustain opportunities for
professionals in early care and educa-tion
as well as in early intervention to
receive training together to support all
children’s learning.
Contacts with families
How can early intervention providers
convey the essence of natural environ-ments
to families? How can they gather
information about the family’s typical
routines and activities that can be used to
determine where, when, and how services
and supports will be delivered?
w Meet with families at a time and loca-tion
convenient to them.
w Before the meeting, provide them with
information about early intervention
services, making sure that all written
materials provide examples of how serv-ices
can be embedded within typical
routines, activities, and places.
w Revise intake forms to reflect the natural
flow of conversation between the profes-sional
and family.Consider ways that the
form can facilitate discussion about the
4 Vol. 10, No. 2 • Summer 2004
family’s concerns, routines, and ideas
about their child.
w Think about the information needed
from the family. Is there a way to obtain
needed details about the pregnancy,
birth, and medical history without
asking the family during the first contact
with them? Doing so relieves the family
from having to repeat information they
have provided before.
w Ask questions about
• what a typical day is like
• activities the family enjoys at home
• the child’s favorite activities and toys
• the types of community outings that
are typical for the family
• opportunities the child has to interact
with other children
• the child’s strengths and challenges
• how the family thinks their child
learns best
• what is most enjoyable/most challenging
• what has been tried that works/doesn’t work
�� where the family wants to spend time
with the child
• what questions the family hopes the
child’s evaluation will address
• anything else the family wants to add
to give a complete picture of their
child.
ALLTOGETHERNOW! 5
Child evaluation
Early intervention providers should talk
with the family about where they and their
child would feel most comfortable having
the evaluation conducted. Ideally, a travel-ing
evaluation team could visit the child at
home or in another setting familiar to the
child.
Begin the evaluation process with a
discussion of the family’s responses to
questions about typical routines and
activities. Ask the family if anything has
changed since the last contact with the
family.
Explain to the family how the evaluation
activities will relate to the family’s
concerns and to the child’s functioning in
daily life. Describe to the family several
ways they can participate in the evalua-tion.
For example, they may want to initi-ate
an evaluation activity, or be present in
the same room with the child. Gain as
much information as possible with the
least disruption of the child’s play.
Do not repeat assessments or portions of
assessments that have been completed
recently by other providers. Use toys and
materials that are familiar or comforting
to the child and allow time for the children
to explore them.
Depending on how the family chooses to
participate in the evaluation, provide an
ongoing explanation of each evaluation
activity during the evaluation, including
specifics about what area of concern is
being addressed. Link the evaluation
activity to skills needed in daily activities.
Talk with the family about the evaluation
process.Ask the family at the beginning of
the evaluation and throughout the process
whether the child seems to be having a
typical day in terms of his abilities and
interactions. Ask if there is anything the
child did or did not do during the evaluation
that surprises the family.Discuss the desired
outcomes for the child in real life situations.
Conclusion
By working with children and families in
the environments that are most natural
for them,we increase our chances of being
responsive to their strengths and needs. ATN!
Families can give information that will help to include services
in their child’s most comfortable and natural environment.
6 Vol. 10, No. 2 • Summer 2004
Some major changes have occurred
in federal legislation that will have a signifi-cant
impact on early intervention in North
Carolina. The legislation is the Child Abuse,
Prevention, and Treatment Act (CAPTA).
Specifically, the law stipulates that chil-dren
under three years of age with
substantiated abuse and neglect be
referred for early intervention services.
Similar provisions will be in the reautho-rization
of Part C of Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).This has
additional implications for us at Together
We Grow, the state Infant-Toddler
Program, since such children are auto-matically
eligible for services under the
atypical development category.
About 30% of such children are already
being served by early intervention.
However, given the total number of chil-dren
with substantiated abuse and neglect
in North Carolina, estimates indicate an
additional 5,100 will be referred to early
intervention over the next year.
To prepare for these expectations, the Early
Intervention Branch is chairing, with the
Division of Social Services, an interagency
planning team.The team will develop recom-mendations
in the following areas:
w identification of possible service providers
w recommended practices in referral,
screening/evaluation, and service deliv-ery
procedures, and
w infrastructure issues such as personnel
development and child & program data
needs.
Activities and services will begin in August
according to a phase-in plan,with all coun-ties
participating by May 2005. The Plan is
a joint Proposal issued by the Divisions of
Social Services and Public Health in
collaboration with Prevent Child Abuse
North Carolina, The North Carolina Inter-agency
Coordinating Council, and the
Child Protective Services/Early Intervention
New Collaboration
by Duncan
Munn
Duncan E. Munn
Head of Early
Intervention Services,
NC Division of Public
Health.
Policy
ALLTOGETHERNOW! 7
Division of Mental Health, Developmental
Disabilities, and Substance Abuse
Services. At the local level, there will be
extensive collaboration between the county
Departments of Social Services (DSS) and
the Children’s Developmental Services
Agencies (CDSA).
National research shows that children
benefit greatly from early intervention. If
child care providers, physicians, or other
individuals in the community, suspect
child abuse or neglect is occurring, they
should contact their county DSS. If the
agency reaches a finding of “substanti-ated”
or “in need of services” for a child,
this agency can then offer a variety of
services and supports.
With parental permission, the child is
referred to the CDSA for a comprehensive
multidisciplinary evaluation. Based on this
evaluation, child and family goals and activi-ties
are set out in the Individualized Family
Services Plan (IFSP). If the child is in a child
care setting, staff from that program are
included as part of the IFSP team.
Persons with questions, ideas, or recom-mendations
regarding this plan should
call Duncan Munn at 919.715.7500 exten-sion
251. They can also call JoAnn Lamm,
with the Department of Social Services, at
919.733.4622 or email her at
JoAnn.Lamm@ncmail.net.
If you suspect child abuse or neglect ,
report it immediately to Child Protective
Services, the local police department, or
the Department of Social Services. Within
48 hours of a finding of “substantiated” or
“in need of services” for a child under
three years of age, DSS will refer the child
to Early Intervention Services. For more
information on how and where to file a
report, call the National Child Abuse
Hotline (1-800-4-A-Child®). ATN!
NC Division of
Public Health,
WCHS, Early
Intervention Branch
Prevent Child
Abuse North
Carolina
NC Division of
Social
Services
NC Division of Mental
Health, Developmental
Disabilities, &
Substance Abuse
Services
North Carolina
Interagency
Coordinating Council
Early Intervention &
NC’s Infants &
Toddlers with
Substantiated Abuse
& Neglect:
GETTING
STARTED
Hispanic, or Native American children.
Retention rates among special education
students were higher than among non-special
education students.
Costs
It is easy to think that retention has no
costs—special appropriations are not
required, and there is generally no
mention of the impact of retention when
discussing per child appropriations
during budget deliberations. In fact,
however, retaining children is expensive.A
retention decision obligates state and local
governments to an additional year of
education for each retained child at a cost
of more than $7500.Multiplying $7500 by
the number of children retained (22,343
children in 2001–02) equals more than
$170 million—a huge expense often made
without discussion of alternatives that
might cost less or be more effective.
Grade retention research
Extensive research on retention in grade
indicates:
by Diane Early,
FPG Child Development Insti-tute,
UNC-CH; Mary Bush-nell,
NC Child Care Resource
and Referral Network;
Richard
Clifford, FPG Child Devel-opment
Institute, UNC-CH;
Engin Konanc, NC
Department of Public Instruc-tion;
Kelly Maxwell, FPG
Child Development Institute,
UNC-CH; Sharon Palsha,
FPG Child Development Institute
and School of Education, UNC-CH;
and Lucy Roberts,
NC Department of Public
Instruction
Early Grade Retention
Is it worth it?
Research
8 Vol. 10, No. 2 • Summer 2004
Early childhood leaders across
North Carolina are concerned with grade
retention in early elementary school.
Often, the choice seems to be between
retaining children who are not succeeding
or passing them on to the next grade with
their peers. In this article we’ll highlight
trends in retention in kindergarten
through third grade in North Carolina and
discuss the implications of and alterna-tives
to this practice.
Retention over time
Rates of retention in the early grades in
North Carolina have risen steadily during
the past decade,more than doubling since
1992. This means that 22,343 children
were retained in kindergarten through
third grade in 2001–2002. Kindergarten
and first graders are most likely to be
retained. Retention rates have increased
dramatically for all grades during the past
10 years. Boys in North Carolina were
more likely to be retained than girls (4.7%
of girls were retained compared to 6.3% of
boys).Asian and white children had lower
rates of retention than African American,
ALLTOGETHERNOW! 9
w Retention in the early elementary
grades, especially before second grade, is
harmful. Students retained in first grade
have been found to do worse academi-cally
and socially compared to other
low-performing students who were not
retained. Negative effects have also been
found for kindergartners who were
retained.
w Retention should entail specific inter-ventions
targeted towards a student’s
weaknesses. Research has shown that
retention in itself does not positively
affect achievement.
w In several studies, students who were
retained in school were more likely to
drop out compared to similar low-performing
students who were not
retained. Students who are retained tend
to continue their low academic perform-ance,
to dislike school, and to be older
than their classmates. These factors
taken together may alienate students
and lead to school dropout.
Research Conclusion: Retention in the
early elementary grades generally does
not have long-term benefits for
students and may have unintended
negative consequences.
For more information about this research
see the NCERC report at http://erc.north-carolina.
edu/docs/publications/social-promo.
pdf.
Alternatives to retention
Schools can implement several effective
interventions to help low-achieving
students:
w Employ assessment tools to identify
children who need extra support as soon
as possible so that interventions are in
place early, usually within the first quar-ter
of the school year.
w Create teams of regular education teach-ers,
special education teachers, and other
specialists to develop interventions that
work in the child’s regular classroom.
Team members can use the child’s
Personalized Education Plans [PEP] to
guide and coordinate their work.
w Establish procedures for regular
communication among team members
and coordinate regular and special
education staff to support student
achievement.
w Inform parents as soon as problems are
identified and encourage their active
involvement in designing the child’s PEP,
especially in identifying strategies they
can implement at home.
w Offer after school support by using
volunteers to augment regular school
personnel.
w Offer enriched summer experiences as a
way for students to catch up and have
concentrated instruction in a smaller
setting. Key to successful summer
programs is presenting material in new
ways to maintain student interest and
meet the needs of children with various
learning styles.
w Provide intensive early literacy experi-ences
for all children, with a special
emphasis on those who begin school
with few literacy experiences.
w Provide intensive training on a particu-lar
intervention, such as Reading Recov-ery
or Math Grade Strategies for all staff
members about interventions for low-achieving
students.
w Make connections with community
resources such as area community
colleges and universities to help support
low-achieving students. When volun-teers
from the community are involved,
they are trained so that they approach
instruction in a way that is consistent
with the philosophy of the school.
w Encourage a “can-do” attitude to try to
do everything possible to avoid student
failure. Encourage staff members to
never give up on children who are strug-gling
to succeed.
To learn more about this early school reten-tion,
visit www.fpg.unc.edu/~pir.
ATN!
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
10%
12%
African American Asian Hispanic Native American Mixed Ethnicity White
Percent Retained
Male
Female
Ethnicity and gender were strong early retention factors in North Carolina’s Class of 2002.
Beach Is
to Fun
by Pat Brisson
illustrated by
Sachiko Yoshikawa
Henry Holt
ISBN 0-8050-7315-9
Remember those tests where you had to
figure out the relationships of words to
each other? This beautifully illustrated
rhyming book will give youngsters a head
start on thinking about words. One spread
has a swimming pool full of kids with one
mom in the foreground rubbing a child
with a towel. Two birds are flying by (one
is perched on a startled boy’s head). The
poem reads,“Water is to wet as towel is to
dry. Arm is to swim as wing is to fly.”
Imagine the delight when a youngster
finishes that sentence for you!
The
Making of
My Special
Hand
by Jamee Riggio Heelan,
OTR/L
illustrated by Nicola Simmonds
Peachtree
ISBN 1-56145-186-X
Madison was born without a left hand.
This is the story of how she was fitted with
an electric prosthesis, or helper hand.
When she was just a toddler she met
Jamee, an occupational therapist (and the
author) and Jack, a prosthetist who made
the hand for her.Madison tells all the steps
involved in getting the new hand—from
making the mold through fitting the hand
to teaching Madison to use it and teaching
Mom to care for it.Because Madison is the
narrator, this is a book that even very
young children can understand. I’ll bet
even most adults will learn something too!
10 Vol. 10, No. 2 • Summer 2004
Looking after Louis
by Lesley Ely
illustrated by Polly Dunbar
Albert Whitman & Company
ISBN 0-8075-44757-8
Sometimes inclusion just meets the letter
of the law. Fortunately for Louis, who has
autism,he’s in a class where other children
are sensitive and his teacher encourages
his success. The story’s narrator is the
young girl who sits by him. She tells us,“I
look after him,” even though he has an
aide. When Sam, the soccer star, accepts
Louis’s overtures toward his classmates,
Miss Owlie makes accommodations for
the group that would astonish Maria
Shriver. Looking after Louis is the Rain-man
for preschoolers!
Grandpa’s Surprise
by Rosalind Beardshaw
Bloomsbury Children’s Books
ISBN 1-58234-934-7
When Stanley’s friend Jack gets a new
tricycle, he not only refuses Stanley a ride,
he taunts him with his new toy. Grandpa
remembers the days of soap box derbies,
and he and Stanley build a beauty from an
old wooden crate, the wheels from Stan-ley’s
stroller, and some leftover paint.After
Stanley, Grandpa and Bert the dog test
drive the new go-kart, all the glamour has
worn off Jack’s new trike and he’s now
willing to share. The marvelous illustra-tions
add much to the written words of
this delightful book.
books
ALLTOGETHERNOW! 11
by
Molly Weston
To check out books
reviewed in
All Together Now!
contact
the NC Early
Intervention Library
517 West Fleming Dr.,
NC School for the Deaf
Morganton NC 28655
828.432.5267
email
ncei.library@ncmail.net
www.ncei-eclibrary.org
The Learning Power of
Laughter
by Jackie Silberg
Gryphon House
ISBN 0-87659-268-X
What’s more beautiful than the sound of chil-dren’s
laughter? Ideas from the ever-creative
Jackie Silberg will help you stimulate learning
through laughter. Children will giggle their
way through body awareness, cognitive
thinking, dramatic play, and observation—
just to name a few areas.Making learning fun
is what it’s all about!
The Very Best
Daddy of All
by Marion Dane Bauer
illustrated by Leslie Wu
Simon & Schuster
ISBN 0-689-84178-7
The narrator of this delightful poetic trib-ute
to daddies recognizes all the special
things fathers do—from protecting their
families to comforting cries and combing
hair. The illustrations depict wild animal
fathers with their babies, until the very
last pages where the reader sees “the very
best” daddy with his very happy son.
Construction
Countdown
by K. C. Olson
illustrated by David Gordon
Henry Holt
ISBN 0-8050-6929-8
This rhyming countdown book is perfect
in many ways—concept of numbers,
colors, and recognition of things in today’s
streets and neighborhoods. I especially
like the “surprise ending” that will give
teachers an idea about how to incorporate
books into several curriculum areas.
Something
Might
Happen
by Helen Lester
illustrated by Lunn
Munsinger
Houghton Mifflin
ISBN 0-18-25406-4
Twitchly Fidget (a lemur) worries about
everything. He won’t participate in any of
the activities that entice his friends
because he envisions all sorts of horrible
results. Fortunately, Twitchly Fidget’s Aunt
Bridget Fidget comes for a vidgit, er-r, a
visit! Aunt Bridget’s no-nonsense attitude
gives Twitchly the impetus to try new
things—and he finds he likes them! If
you know a Twitchly Fidget, maybe this
lucky lemur can be of help!
Missing
Rabbit
by Roni Schotter
illustrated by
Cyd Moore
Clarion Books
ISBN 0-618-03432-3
Kara and Rabbit move from Papa’s house
to Mama’s house every week, but one day,
Kara decides to leave Rabbit to look after
Papa. Then she wants him back. It’s no
better when she decides to leave Rabbit to
look after Mama. Adults reading the tale
realize right away that it’s a story about the
effect of divorce on children. Hopefully,
children will recognize that even though
their parents may have two places to live,
the children will always have a loving
home with each of them.
12 Vol. 10, No. 2 • Summer 2004
September 16–18
The Art of Gentle Touch
Asheville
Emma Miller 828.631.9933
October 26–28
PFI On-Site Model of Consultation
Initial Training
Black Mountain
Brenda Coleman 919.962.7364
Dave Sanel 919.843.8041
November 8–10
PFI On-Site Model of Consultation
Initial Training
Salter Path
Brenda Coleman 919.962.7364
Dave Sanel 919.843.8041
November 17–19
PFI On-Site Model of Consultation
Initial Training
Asheboro
Brenda Coleman 919.962.7364
Dave Sanel 919.843.8041
2005
Jan. 13, Feb. 10, Mar. 10,
Apr. 14, May 12
PFI On-Site Model of Consultation
Follow-Up Seminars
Hickory & Salter Path
Brenda Coleman 919.962.7364
Dave Sanel 919.843.8041
• Training events are subject to
change.
• Call the contact number
before attending any training
events. trainings
ATN! Trainings
Change
When ATN! began, there was no
central directory of training events
and the internet was in its infancy.
Now information about workshops
and trainings are available many
places. On-line registration is a key
tool for many of you. Because ATN!
is printed only three times per year,
our information is sometimes out of
date by the time you receive it.With
this in mind, we will no longer
publish training information in this
spot in our magazine.
Our next issue will list websites and
phone listings for organizations that
have current information on train-ings,
conferences, and events that
may interest our readers. If your
organization would like to be listed
as a source of events, please email
your listing to
Molly_Weston@unc.edu.
ALLTOGETHERNOW! 13
Early Intervention
Organizational
Changes
Recent data show that child care centers are the fastest
growing source of referrals of children under three with suspected special
needs to early intervention services.This is an exciting development in identi-fying
children early! Child care center staff are important partners in working
with children who have special needs in many ways—referral, planning, and
carrying out services.
Recent statewide changes in how early intervention services are organized
have resulted in more direct procedures for where such children under
three years of age should be referred. Formerly these referrals went to the
Area Mental Health Center. Effective July 1, such referrals should go to the
Children’s Developmental Services Agency (CDSA), formerly known as the
Developmental Evaluation Center.The CDSA is responsible for evaluating
children referred and working with other community providers such as
child care centers in developing and carrying out intervention plans for chil-dren
who meet the eligibility requirements. North Carolina’s CDSAs are
below.
Asheville . . . . . . . . . . . .828.251.6091
Boone . . . . . . . . . . . . .828.265.5391
Charlotte . . . . . . . . . . .704.336.7100
Concord . . . . . . . . . . . .704.786.9181
Cullowhee . . . . . . . . . .828.227.7490
Durham . . . . . . . . . . . .919.560.5600
Elizabeth City . . . . . . .252.338.4044
Fayetteville . . . . . . . . . .910.486.1605
Greensboro . . . . . . . . .336.334.5601
Greenville . . . . . . . . . . .252.328.4480
Hickory . . . . . . . . . . . .828.466.5594
Morganton . . . . . . . . . .828.438.6263
New Bern . . . . . . . . . . .252.514.4770
Raleigh . . . . . . . . . . . . .919.662.4600
Rocky Mount . . . . . . . .252.443.8858
Sandhills . . . . . . . . . . . .910.997.9240
Shelby . . . . . . . . .704.480.5440 x 210
Wilmington . . . . . . . . .910.251.5817
Winston-Salem . . . . . . .336.774.2400
Useful Web Sites
Charlotte AHEC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.cltahec.org
Division TEACCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.teacch.com
Early Childhood Link at UNC . . . . . . . . . . .www.cdl.unc.edu/link/trainmenu.htm
Early Childhood Low Incidence NetworK (LINK) . . . . . . . . . . . .www.ec-link.org
Exceptional Children's Assistance Center . . . . . . . . .www.ecac-parentcenter.org
FPG Child Development Institute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.fpg.unc.edu
Family Support Network of North Carolina . . . . . . . . . . . . . .fsnnc.med.unc.edu
North Carolina Partnership for Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.ncsmartstart.org
NC Division of Child Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.ncchildcare.net
NC Early Intervention Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.ncei-eclibrary.org
NC Healthy Start Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.NCHealthyStart.org
NC Immunization Branch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.immunizenc.com
Parent Training & Information Center . . . . . . . . . . . www.ecac-parentcenter.org/
Partnerships for Inclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.fpg.unc.edu/~pfi
Smart Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.calsplus.net/ncpc
Teaching Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.teachingbooks.net
TelAbility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.TelAbility.org
Together We Grow Training Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . .www.ncei.org/ei/index.html
US Consumer Products Safety Commission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.cpsc.gov
Wake AHEC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.wakeahec.org
14 Vol. 10, No. 2 • Summer 2004
It’s hard to believe that my son turned
10 in March. Having two adult daughters,
it is not so much the aging process but the
challenges we have faced and the strides
he has made that amaze me.We reached a
milestone this year. For the first time, we
celebrated his birthday with a party with
friends and peers in a community setting.
To most, that’s not a big deal. To me, it is a
reminder that all the skills we have
worked on for the last five and a half years
are becoming a part of who he is.
Our beginning is one of those horror
stories about the delay of a child getting
early intervention. It’s one of a parent’s
communicating to physicians about
concerns surrounding that child’s devel-opment
and not being taken seriously, and
being given the “wait and see” advice.
The early years
Unlike his sisters, my son CJ was a
modern-day baby. I had a diary of
prebirth pictures and videos.We knew he
was a boy. At the urging of my physician,
we had an amniocentesis done—and
everything looked good. I had my first C-section
when CJ decided the way he was
lying for the last nine and a half months
was no longer comfortable and he was
ready for the world.
I can still remember the day I took this
beautiful little boy home. He was dressed
in a newborn tux outfit! His nursery was
in black and white stripes with a dalma-tions
border, and he had enough clothes to
last him to 18 months.
I was excited to have another opportunity
to embark on this journey of shaping a
young life. CJ was a wonderful baby—he
was bright and had us laughing all the
time. One of his older siblings had been
identified as “gifted,” so when CJ began
speaking in full sentences at nine months,
we were sure we had a little genius.He had
some peculiar tendencies, but we
respected the individualities and idiosyn-crasies
of our children.
Little did I know that this perfect world—
along with his language—would disap-pear
shortly after CJ’s first birthday. I
would spend the next three and a half
FamilyFocus
Some Things
Never Change
by Debra
Downey
Debra lives in Wilm-ington
with CJ and
daughter Vikki, who
works with exceptional
children. Debra works
part-time with the
Family Support
Network of SENC, the
Advisory Council for
Special needs, and the
Student Support Team
Process Improvement
Committee.
This article is dedi-cated
to my mom,
Gloria Alphair
Williams. I wish she
could see CJ now.
Thanks,Mom!
teacher, it worked. CJ is now in fourth
grade, sharing a para-educator with three
other students. He wants to be an ento-mologist
when he grows up.
Would early intervention have made a
difference? We still struggle with speech,
sensory issues and behaviors. Even with
the remarkable progress he has made, I
know if we had started earlier, the journey
would have been different.
Conclusion
Some things never change. CJ is still a
beautiful young man.He is still bright—a
genius in his areas of interest. He is still
funny, a trait I predicted would get him in
trouble in school, and it does! There are
those who still question my parenting
skills. Even in my darkest days, my glass
has always been half full. The only thing
that has changed is that now I understand
the reasons for his uniqueness and I have
the tools and support to make our lives the
best they can be.
ALLTOGETHERNOW! 15
years in search of someone to validate my
concerns about his atypical behavior and
language loss. I was given a myriad of
reasons for his behavior:
“Boys develop later.”“You’re probably spoil-ing
him. If he doesn’t ask for food, just
withhold it and he will ask when he gets
hungry.”“You need to get this child under
control, before he gets totally out of
control.” “He’s so bright, there is nothing
the matter with him.”
At age four, CJ had a speech evaluation
which concluded that his language was
delayed or absent.
The journey
Life sometimes takes you where you
hadn’t planned to go. Shortly after his
speech evaluation, I received a call notify-ing
me that my mom had advanced cancer
and needed someone to be in the home
with her. This event was the catalyst that
had me leave our home in Georgia and
return to Wilmington.Driving north on I-
95, I had no idea that during the next year
I would be saying goodbye to my mom, to
my marriage of 24 years, and to the
dreams I had for my son.
At this point in our lives, I realized it was
important to determine whether a glass
was half full or half empty. One afternoon
I made a phone call that would change our
lives. This call, to the Exceptional Chil-dren’s
Office resulted in a referral to the
Developmental Evaluation Center (now
Children’s Developmental Services
Agency), who, in turn, referred me to
TEACCH (Treatment and Education of
Autistic and related Communication
handicapped CHildren). In one afternoon,
I had a possible reason for my son’s
language loss and peculiar behavior—
AUTISM. This was a bittersweet victory. It
validated that this wasn’t a bad parenting
issue, but now I was confronted with
something that would affect every aspect
of CJ’s life—and mine—and for which
there was no cure.
From this day on, I would be known affec-tionately
as “CJ’s mom.” There would be
countless meetings and mountains of
papers. I would have a new circle of
friends, new beliefs, greater wisdom and
knowledge. I would master the art of pick-ing
my battles, finding humor in every-thing,
and keeping going lest I be run over
by this little powerhouse.
CJ
The only word to describe CJ is amazing.He
spent one year at the Child Development
Center in a TEACCH model classroom.
During that year his language reappeared
(though disordered), he was toilet trained,
his tantrums decreased, and he was moved
into a classroom with typical peers.We were
able to get a slot which provided speech,
occupational therapy,and someone to work
one-on-one with him.
We opted for inclusion his kindergarten
year, and with the help of Karen LaRue, his
At 14, CJ is still bright,
funny, and amazing.
ATN!
16 Vol. 10, No. 2 • Summer 2004
by Molly
Weston
Molly is editor of
ATN! She lives with
her husband and
Old English Sheep-dog
in Apex and
works from PFI’s
Carrboro office.
Feature
Kathy instigated a playgroup for her son
during her lunch hour. She invited several
mothers and their children in her neigh-borhood
to join the group. One of those
mothers was Mary Albanese (now assis-tant
director at Fit For Fun).
One of the major criteria for this play-group,
and what made it special, was that
adults would play, actively, with their chil-dren.
Another goal would be that parents
could meet and talk with other parents.
“We met on Tuesdays and Fridays during
my lunch hour,” Kathy recalled. “Because
we were borrowing space at the Art Center,
we had to clean up all the toys when we
left. Even when we grew and moved to
space at the college [UNC-Wilmington],we
were guests.We still had to pack up every-thing
at the end of our sessions.” Finally,
in 1999, a building was designated for Fit
For Fun.“I have to pinch myself every time
I come to work because this is such a
dream come true!"
Can you imagine better memo-ries
for a child than playing with a caring
adult? Lucky for the children of Wilming-ton,
that vision has grown from a dream to
a reality at the only play space of its kind
in the world. Fit For Fun is a city recre-ational
department’s wonderland for
youngsters birth to five. Director Kathy
Kittleson says, “We’re just part of creating
a good memory for children from the very
beginning. The more good memories a
child has, they better off she is!"
Today’s 4000 square foot space with art,
quiet play, and snack rooms off a huge play
area composing half a building is a far cry
from the twice weekly play group which
met in the town’s Art Center in 1986. Fit
For Fun embodies everything Kathy, a
recreational therapist, who once coordi-nated
Wilmington’s Special Olympics and
worked with Start with the Arts, had ever
hoped for young children.
Making memories at
Fit For Fun
The story in this space is usually about a child care program. In this issue, we are featuring a City of Wilmington recreational
program where parents, nannies, grandparents, and other adults can bring young children, ages birth to five, to play in a safe,
developmentally appropriate space just for them. It capitalizes on the motivating nature of play to engage children in explor-ing
their world, creating meaning, and expressing their ideas, and it encourages their parents to be active participants in their
child’s growth and development. One goal of the program is to promote the inclusion of children with special needs.
ALLTOGETHERNOW! 17
Philosophy
Kathy’s premise for parents is that they
can say,“I can build this in to my day and
know I have spent this creative time with
my child.” Fit For Fun is not a child care
center—it’s a place much like a park,
where adults bring children to play and
they stay with them while they are playing.
Unlike parks, Fit For Fun objectives
encourage and expect adults to play with
the children in their care. Themes and
associated activities change weekly to
further stimulate creative fun for children
and adults. Special events every month
draw in groups from area child care
programs such as Head Start.
Fit For Fun staff are conscious of using
developmentally appropriate toys and
activities for children and for respecting
the needs of the individual child. Mary
explained, “Every day is different. Maybe
the same things are here, but every child
takes and interprets it differently. We’re
strong on everyone playing with children
and parents talking with other parents!”
The facility
Even entering the building for the first
time, children know this is their place—
from the colorful toys to the child-sized
house to the pool of balls. Everything is
suited for exploration. A thick, spongy,
green rubber mat covers the interior of the
activity room so that even tumbles don’t
hurt. The walls are carpeted up to three
feet to cushion collisions from riding toys.
Once the wiggles are out, children can
move into the art room, where low tables
hold materials for activities related to the
week’s theme. Tiled floors (and walls)
made for easy clean up prohibit warnings
of “be careful, don’t spill.”Actually, spilling
is anticipated—otherwise the water table
wouldn’t be full with bubbly water and
pouring toys and the easels wouldn’t be
equipped with paints in all colors.
A certified art teacher comes in once a
week to help with planning structured
activities for three- to five-year-olds. “We
include basic first step art techniques,”
Kathy said, “creating, painting, stroking,
pasting, patting.” Although the children
can take everything home, some choose to
leave some of their projects on display.
A small playroom houses a puppet
theater, dramatic play area, and blocks
and manipulatives to stimulate fine motor
skills. “Sometimes we set up a farm or
town in there,” Kathy said, “all sorts of
things to stimulate imagination and foster
language.We try to recognize that all chil-dren
have different interests.This is a nice
area for kids to come and think after
having run, run, run for awhile.”
A small dining room boasts low tables
and chairs and a cabinet with iced juice
boxes and cookies for refueling the
energy-burning children.Nearby, toddler-
Playing with Mom or Dad, making friends,
having fun—what could be better for tots?
sized bathrooms answer the question
every kid asks after (or during eating)!
Program options
When the high-energy music starts,many
of the children migrate toward one end of
the playroom. They know that Mary
Albanese is ready to take them through
some stimulating songs, dances, and
group activities. On the day of our visit, it
was pouring rain outside. Inside, too, it
was pouring rain—but this rain was
silvery mylar strips. Mary invited the
adults to help her “rain” the strips on the
excited children. Soon kids had joined the
fun and were throwing strips, letting it
rain around them.
All children were welcome in the activities,
but no one was coerced into joining. Several
children, in fact, watched the play, while
continuing their own amusements across
the room. When they chose to join the
group, they were welcomed without fanfare.
Choice for children is important to Mary, a
former Children’s Developmental Center
(CDC) teacher. “One of the nicest things
about our program is convenience.There’s
no set time for classes or activities. Folks
can come when it suits their schedule.
And everybody can come—all abilities
and disabilities.”
Kathy added,“I noticed a child who came
in one day was wearing a hearing aid.I just
went and lowered the volume of the music
so he wouldn’t have interference with his
hearing.” Making modifications is just
part of the day, a natural element of inclu-siveness.
The program is so inclusive that
we couldn’t even schedule a visit to high-light
inclusion.Kathy was definite.“Some-times
I don’t even know which kids have
special needs, and I don’t even know all
the therapists who work with kids here.”
All kids together
Physical therapist Beth Riegler loves seeing
clients at Fit For Fun. “It’s great here. Kids
[with special needs] can pattern after
others. Gabrielle [who weighed only a
pound and a half at birth] took her first
steps a week ago and stood at length for the
first time here. I come here because kids
need other kids and experiences. Some-times
things are very hard and challeng-ing,
and being distracted by other kids who
are doing those things influences them to
do them too.
“I like bringing parents here because they
are isolated at home, and so often they are
steered into the medical model of therapy.
This is a fun place and they can come on
their own and meet other families. It’s frus-trating
for parents to try to do therapy
when the child is bored at home. Having
kids in this atmosphere—it’s just amazing!
At home, from the coffee table to the couch
is just two feet, but from the ball bin to the
playhouse is eight feet.” Obviously, combin-ing
therapy with play is a good thing.
“I often meet an OT [occupational thera-pist]
here and we work with several chil-dren
at the same time.Over there is a phys-
Fit for Fun
302 South 10th Street
Wilmington, NC 28401
910.341.4630
Staff
Director
Asst. Director &
Recreation Coordinator
Recreation Specialist -
Art Instructor
Administrative support staff
Equipment manager
Hours
9-12 & 1–5, M-F; 9-12 Saturdays
Cost
Children $3.50/session
Adults free
Private parties
1:00 & 3:00 Saturdays
$100 for 8 children, staff plans
entire party
Summer Tot Camp (with
parents)
$50 per week
T-Shirt, swimming, supplies
Awards
2001 NC Recreation & Parks
Conference Award
2002 NC Therapeutic Recreation
Division Award
Funding
Operating budget -
City of Wilmington
Friends of Fit for Fun
Corporate sponsors
Typical population
30 children/day
65–100 children for special
events
18 Vol. 10, No. 2 • Summer 2004
Mylar strips even sound like rain!
car wash; Toddler Olympics: Everybody
Wins included water works; Healthy Me
featured vegetables from our community;
Big Hugs, Warm Hearts included lunch
donated by local restaurants.
Mary’s eyes lighted when she spoke of the
Grandparents’ Tea. “We have many chil-dren
whose grandparents live outside the
state, so we invite those who visit during
the Thanksgiving holidays to a tea. We
also invite the Foster Grandparents to this
function. The inter-generational aspect is
really neat. We decorate with roses and
serve tiny crumpets on doileys and give
out little booklets the kids have made.We
ask the kids,"What do you call your grand
parents?" What are your favorite things to
do with your grandparents? Introduce
your grandparents.”
Expanding Fit For Fun
Having something good is one thing;
being able to tell others how to get it is
another. “We have presented a workshop
on our program at the NC Recreation Park
Kathy said, “but I am willing to set up
ALLTOGETHERNOW! 19
ical therapist in the school system. She's
here with her two kids and her husband.”
It’s not just children of stay-at-home parents
who benefit from Fit For Fun. “We have
classes coming in regularly,” Kathy said,
“Head Start, child care programs, Smart
Start, Parents as Teachers. Even the health
department brings in classes from the county
who need experience in playing with chil-dren.”
At any time,we’ll have parents, grand-parents,
baby sitters, nannies, and neighbors
playing and having fun with a special child.
Special programs
If Fit For Fun weren’t special enough on its
own, Kathy, Mary, and the rest of the staff
(which includes an art director, a part-time
administrative assistant,and a host of volun-teers
from the middle school across the street
and folks from Foster Grandparents) also
host private birthday parties, a Summer Tot
Camp, and special days.
Every month has a theme with related
activities—Home Town: set up a mini-town
with pizza store, post office, bakery,
appointments with people in other cities
to talk about and visit their community.”
“It’s very important to have an ‘umbrella’
organization when starting a program like
this. Several factors must be considered:
w programming
w insurance
w safe facility
w cleanliness
w space
w willingness to play, and
w staff.
“Staff is absolutely essential! They must
provide a leadership quality, know how to
address customers, know what to say to
preschoolers and their families, and above
all else, they must be dedicated, educated
[particularly in child development], and
creative.”
Kathy looks forward to expanding the Fit
For Fun program. Her goal is to help
parents and children make wonderful
memories across North Carolina! ATN!
Even the most indulgent parents don’t
encourage painting arms at home.
Pretend tea is pretty good, huh, Dad?
20 Vol. 10, No. 2 • Summer 2004
The concept of providing services to
young children with special needs in their
most natural environment is not new, but
it is receiving much attention in our state
at this time. Summer is here, and families
with young children have more opportu-nities
than ever for enjoying community
activities together.From camps and sports
to the performing arts, choices abound for
lessons and outings!
With early intervention placing an
increased focus on natural environments
these days, many parents have questions
about appropriate activities and settings
for young children with special needs.
Q:What types of activities are appropriate
for my child with special needs and how
can I find out which experiences will
work best for him?
A: The answer is, any place or activity that
is suitable for typically developing chil-dren
can be adapted to be suitable for
children with special needs. You and
your child’s early intervention provider
most likely will be able to help him
learn and develop in a variety of places.
The important thing is to consider the
routines and activities you typically
enjoy together. If you go to a park on a
regular basis, for example, think about
using that outing as a time to work
with your child’s service provider.
Together you can identify which goals
it makes sense to work on there.
Anything could fit—from language to
to physical therapy!
Q: My daughter, who has a physical
disability, wants to take dance lessons.
How do I go about finding a program for
her?
A: Taking dance lessons is something
many young children enjoy. When
trying to find a program for your
daughter, you may want to visit and
observe some of the programs in your
area. Some of the things you will want
to find out are:
w what types of classes are offered (tap,
ballet, jazz, clogging, etc),
w what ages are enrolled,
w how large are the classes,
w how long are the classes and
w how often do they meet.
You will want to interview the teacher(s)
AskPFI
by Susan
Deans
Susan is an inclusion
specialist for Partner-ships
for Inclusion in
the Eastern Region.
She lives with her
family in Whiteville.
Community Opportunities
Get going now!
to find out if they have any experience
working with children who have special
needs.You may also want to ask how flex-ible
they are in regard to things like incor-porating
specialized equipment or
making modifications in instruction. Be
prepared to describe your daughter’s enthu-siasm
about dance and her general abilities.
Also be prepared to answer the teacher’s
questions about how to best accommodate
your child.
Q: My son made a new friend at school who
uses a walker and has some speech prob-lems.
I think he may have cerebral palsy.
My son wants to invite his friend to come
over to our house to play. How do I
prepare for his visit?
A: When preparing for this visit, the first
thing I would suggest is that you call
the friend’s parents to issue the invita-tion
and to express your eagerness to
learn more about their son. Explain to
his parents that you want the visit to be
fun for both children and that you have
a few questions.Ask things like:
w what activities does he enjoy,
w what things are difficult or frustrating
for him,
w what will he need help with, and
w does he have any special medical or
dietary concerns you should watch.
Don’t be embarrassed to ask these ques-tions.
Most parents love to talk about
their children and parents of children
with special needs are no different.
ALLTOGETHERNOW! 21
Asking questions, observing classes, and watching teachers’ rapport
with students is important when finding a match for all children’s
extra curricular activities—not just for children with special needs!
ATN!
Seen&Heard
KidSpeak
Win a Children’s Book!
If you’d like to share a story or
photo with the readers of All
Together Now!, send your selec-tions
(200 words or fewer, please)
to
MollyWeston, Editor
All Together Now!
521 S. Greensboro St.,
Suite 100
Carrboro NC 27510
molly_weston@unc.edu
If your story or photo is used in
ATN! you’ll receive a copy of one of
the books reviewed in that issue.
A year or so ago, we had a three-year-old
named Madeleine at our Child Develop-ment
Lab who really felt the heat and
humidity of the eastern North Carolina
summers. One day out on the play-ground
she asked for a drink of water.
She looked ready to melt, hair damp and
sticking to her head. She said, “Ms. Nan,
I’m so hot, even my HAIR is thirsty.” (I
think she was right.)
and
When we were grad students at the Erik-son
Institute, a classmate used this to
explain the egocentric stage of child devel-opment—
the “it’s all about me” stage:
Sounds of distress came from the room
where her two- and four-year-old chil-dren
were playing. The two-year old was
crying, and when mom asked what had
happened, the four-year old explained, “It
all started when he hit me back!”
NanLee, Lecturer
Department of Child
Development &
Family Relations
East Carolina University
Greenville,NC
22 Vol. 10, No. 2 • Summer 2004
No autographs today, please!
You just gotta stop
and smell the roses!
We’re delighted to welcome
Libby Wilson to our team as a Western
Region inclusion specialist! Libby joined
PFI in April and she’s hit the road running
with both feet! She’s already begun work-shops
and consultations.
A Shelby native, she lives in Arden (south
of Asheville). She has taught at Asheville-
Buncombe Tech in the early childhood
program. Libby is well known both in and
outside North Carolina, having worked in
private family therapy, in children’s group
homes in California and North Carolina,
and as a classroom observer and teacher
interviewer across the nation. After grad-uating
from Winthrop College, she gained
her masters in social work from the
University of Tennessee. Libby also has
her B-K certification.Welcome, Libby!
Rhodus Riggins, Jr. left PFI
last summer to pursue other
interests. We’re happy to
announce that he found the pull
of PFI was just too powerful,
and he rejoined our team in
May. Rhodus has taken his
place as a inclusion specialist in
the Central Region. He is work-ing
from the Carrboro office.
A native of South Carolina, Rhodus now
enjoys his new home in Burlington. He
finds the short commute to Carrboro “an
opportunity to gather his thoughts.”
Welcome, home, Rhodus!
ALLTOGETHERNOW! 23
ATN!
One New, One Familiar
PFI Faces…
Barium Springs LCWagner
Family & CDC
Boone ASU CHDC
Chapel Hill Carrboro Elem. P-K /HS
Ephesus Elementary P-K/HS
Rashkis Elem. PK/HS
Charlotte Babies in a Basket
Chandler Christian FCCH
Easter Seals UCP Irwin &
Carol Belk DC
Endhaven Elem.ASEP
First Ward ASEP
Highland Renaissance ASEP
Hope Haven CDC
Lambs of Grace
Lincoln Heights Elem ASEP
Lucy Gist HS & DC
Oakhurst Slem. School ASEP
Reedy Creek Elem.ASEP
Statesville Road Elem.ASEP
Clinton Dogwood Circle HS
Roseboro HS
Conover Shuford Elem. Preschool
Woodlawn Baptist CDC
Currituck Bell’s Island Day Care
Durham Carolyn’s Luv & Care DC
Christian Learning Ctr.
Close Attention DC
Danita’s Quality Care
Greater Works CDC
Fayetteville Campbell Terrace HS
Ruzie CC
Gastonia Deaton Ave HS
Goldsboro Pikeville HS
Greensboro Doreen’s CCC
Irene’s CC Services
Marge’s Place, Inc.
Tender Love & Care, Inc.
Grimesland S & B Learning Tree
High Point Kathy’s Christian CC
Jacksonville AJSE CCC
Granny’s Lil Angels
Jamestown Robbins’ Nest FCC
King Kind Elementary School
Lucky Ducks CC
Knightdale Amazing Babies CC Program
Laurenburg Cuddly Care FCC Home
Laurinburg HDS
Lawsonville Lawsonville Elementary PS
Lenoir Terri’s Tiny Tots
Lexington Around the Clock DCH
First Reformed UCC CDC
Von’s Kids Inc Too
Lumberton Cottonwood Pre-Elem.
Marion McDowell High CC
Maxton Wonder World DCH
Monroe Marvin Elem.ASP
New Salem Elem School ASP
Sardis Elem.ASP
Mooresville Park View School PS
Programs
Morganton Hopewell Baptist PS/ASC
Kozy Kids
Morven God Is Love Children Ctr.
New Bern Child Care Network #77A
Newton Balls Creek Elem.
Kid Connection
Pisgah Forest Friendship Corner
Pittsboro Central Carolina
CC Preschool
Kids First
Raleigh Frankie Lemmon Sch & DC
Project Enlightenment
Reidsville Naye’s Luv-N-Care
Roanoke Rapids White Oak
Parent/Child Ctr.
Rocky Mount Little Kings &
Queens HDC
Selma Growing Together
Shelby Killi’s Little Angels ECDC #2
Smithfield Lisa Pittman’s DCH
Snow Hill God’s Little Angels
Heavenly Angels Christian CC
Spruce Pine Mitchell Co. More at Four
Tarboro Reading Rainbow
Warsaw Little Blessing CC
Webster SW Comm. College CDC
Westfield Francisco Elem PS
Wilson Wee School CDC
Winston-Salem Kelly’s DC
Little Geniuses LC
Mama Raquel’s DCH
Moni’s CC & Learning
Smiling Faces CC & Learning
Tonya’s TIny Tots
Non-Profit Org.
US Postage
PAID
Permit No. 177
Chapel Hill NC 27599-1100
Addressee: Please share ATN! with your colleagues.
Reaching the5Stars
521 S. Greensboro Street • Ste. 100
Carrboro NC 27510-2341
New 5-Star Programs
Programs awarded January through April 2004 or not previously listed.
Please note: Partnerships for Inclusion does not compile this list.
It comes from the Division of Child Development.