The Grand Island Outreach and Literacy Development ( G.O.L.D.) Star Preschool Program provides a preschool experience for approximately 120 children who are English Language Learners in the Grand Island Public Schools service area. Services provided include opportunities for children to learn English, develop literacy skills, healthy habits, and social skills. Opportunities for parent involvement include Club de Madres, Multicultural Advisory Council, volunteer work and home visitation. All children and families are provided assistance with translation and accessing health care. Partnerships exist with Central Nebraska Support Services Program, Title I Part A, Title III English Language Acquisition, Migrant Education and the Nebraska Department of Education Early Childhood Department.

Teaching teams are routinely provided feedback their classroom learning environment using the ECERS-R as well as the ELLCO. While the classroom teaching teams are encouraged to be creative and use a wide variety of instructional materials the ECERS-R provides a common set of expectations for all teams to follow. The program has expanded rapidly over the past 3 years. In part ECERS-R has served as a staff training tool to allow new teachers and paraeducators to understand program expectations in a short period of time. In addition using the ECERS-R as a program tool, G.O.L.D. Star annually participates in the Nebraska Department of Educations onsite visitations which use ECERS-R and ELLCO to evaluate State funded programs.

Kerri Nazarenus
knazaren@gips.org
308-385-5568

Kathy Harms
kharms@gips.org
308-385-5568