October 19, 2022 – Collinsville Community Unit School District #10 (CUSD 10) is proud to announce recognition received by its Collinsville Community Inclusion Team (CIT) during a September 2022 celebration hosted by Early Childhood Technical Assistance (ECTA), Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and Early CHOICES.
“The relationship between home, school and community is vital and we are proud of our Early Childhood Program and our community partners for their work to assist primary children and their families throughout the school year,” notes Collinsville Community Unit School District #10 Superintendent Dr. Mark B. Skertich.
“This team is providing an example of what community collaboration can achieve when confronting complex issues such as preschool inclusion,” according to Christine Coleman, Collinsville CUSD 10 PreK Coordinator and CIT Facilitator.
National Focus
The Collinsville CIT was launched thanks to Collinsville CUSD 10’s participation in a federal initiative to implement, sustain and scale up high quality preschool inclusion. The initiative is co-led by ECTA and the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI) and includes partners from across the early care and education system. ISBE and Early CHOICES lead the work in Illinois.
This initiative focuses on using indicators to analyze the level of preschool inclusion in a community and implementing change throughout. Community inclusion teams are a unique strategy to support this effort. The Community Inclusion Teams Report summarizes the efforts and results of work through December 2021.
Collinsville Community Inclusion Team Innovation
Collinsville CIT has met monthly since August 2020 and includes representatives from several community-based organizations, including Riverbend Head Start and Family Services, Children’s Home and Aid’s Stronger Beginnings for Families and Child Care Resource and Referral programs, Child and Family Connections 21, and STAR NET Region IV. CUSD 10 staff, administrators and families are also represented on the team.
Collinsville CUSD 10 and Riverbend Head Start have piloted a unique project that expanded individualized services at the Head Start facility. Preschool students who are eligible to receive special education and related services are able to stay in their natural, inclusive classroom at Head Start and receive services provided by CUSD 10 staff. Bringing services to students in-place at their childcare center reduces transitions for these 3- or 4-year old children, who otherwise would need to get on a bus in the middle of their day to get these specialized services. This collaboration is the only one of its kind in the state of Illinois and is the reason for the recent award presented to the CIT.
Continued Community Efforts
The Collinsville CIT continues to meet monthly to tackle various projects that will impact preschool inclusion. The CIT will be continuing its survey of local daycare centers in an effort to deepen the community’s collaboration and provide support to everyone who cares for children with disabilities in Collinsville and the surrounding area.
Collinsville Community Unit School District #10 comprises 13 schools serving 6,400 students PreK-12 in Madison and St. Clair Counties in Southwestern Illinois.
For more information on Collinsville Community Inclusion Team:
Christine Coleman, Collinsville CIT Facilitator
618-346-6301 extension 5941
[email protected]