BACK TO SCHOOL 2011: The Franklin Early Childhood Center

While Melrose's elementary schools had SMART Board interactive whiteboards installed in each classroom over the summer, the (ECC) had a technology upgrade as well, according to ECC Director Jenny Corduck. (Click on the video to the right to hear important reminders for ECC families.)

This school year, the ECC will have three SMART Tables—a portable, preschool version of the SMART Board. Two of the tables were purchased using the center's funding from Title I, a general education federal program designed to support at-risk and low-income students. A third table was purchased with funds from the city's side of the education budget, Corduck said. (Watch the attached video to see a demonstration of a SMART Table.)

Last June, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) .

"However, one of the things that NAEYC encouraged us to take a closer look at was integrating technology into the classroom," Corduck said. "So we’re sort of taking their advice, understanding that this is certainly the direction our world is moving in—the fact that we’re focusing on 21st century skills for most of our students and it starts early. It starts at the preschool age, for sure."

The introduction of the SMART Tables brings an element that, until now, was missing from the ECC, which never had any computers that children use or access in classrooms, Corduck said.

"They will move from one class to another, on a scheduled so teachers can anticipate when they'll have them," she said. "It will be part of their center choice time that children get to interact with them."

Integrating Title I students into general classrooms

Another change at the ECC this year will be the integration of Title I students into general classrooms. Previously, Title I had its own separate classroom for at-risk 3 and 4-year-old students in the ECC, serving approximately 30 students.

However, with Title I funds cut over the past few years, federal stimulus funding ending, and some teachers moving on to other opportunities, Corduck—who serves as the district director for Title I, which also provides funding to the Lincoln School—decided to try something different.

The ECC has hired three teachers who will work as Title I tutors, working in three classrooms where Title I students will now be integrated alongside their peers.

"I think it’s going to be a very positive step in the right direction for Title I students, much in the same way that we worked so hard to integrate our special education students into our classrooms, with no substantially separate classrooms," Corduck said. "This is definitely the direction we should be heading in for Title I as well."

Corduck said that the Title I tutors have the same qualifications as an early childhood classroom teacher, and they'll somewhat be co-teaching alongside the general education teacher in the classroom to adapt the curriculum and activities to meet the needs of Title I students.