Non-classroom Personnel

Administrative and Non-classroom Education Staff/Community Connections
Perhaps those most responsible for ensuring a smooth transition for children and families are principals, district-level staff, childcare directors, transition coordinators, and community leaders. It is the leadership who sets policies and procedures, obtains funding, coordinates across agencies, and promotes transition practices within communities, agencies, centers, and schools. Without leadership sending a clear message that effective transitions are vital, there is little likelihood that a concerted effort to provide these services will be made.

Many times the barriers mentioned by classroom-level staff are those that need to be addressed at the administrative level. For example, according to the National Center for Early Development and Learning (1999) the number one barrier to transitions as reported by kindergarten teachers is that class lists are generated too late. With planning and earlier identification of incoming kindergartners, policies can be set to allow tentative class lists to be generated much sooner.

These pages provide information that may be helpful for program administrators and leadership teams. In addition to the program administration information area included on this page is a download area that has many concrete ideas and samples of work, a Frequently Asked Question section, and a Narratives in Action section that provides many real-life examples of how centers, schools, communities, and agencies have improved transitions. Click on any button to access information. Also, please remember that if you have an idea you would like to submit, simply select the Idea Sharing button at any time. After completing the response you will be able to return to your last viewed page.