Atikokan Model

1. Atikokan Model Moving Forward by Community • How do we ensure that Rawn Road Centre Early Learning and Care Hub is highly visible in the community? • Proper Signage-Entrance and Building • Landscaping-Neat and Appealing • Road and Parking Lot-Maintenance-Fill and Paving • Space available for professional community partners-Professional Room/Treatment Area • Community Awareness Tools-Poster Boards, Newsletter, Health Fairs, School Events, Local Media–TV, Radio, and Newspaper

2. Atikokan Model Moving Forward by Community How do we integrate existing access OEYC functions into the Best Start Hub? • Accessibility-Enough space for linked services such as assessment and family interviews • Convenient location and hours of operation • Monthly meetings with all community partners and stake holders • Website/Web Master

3. Atikokan Model Moving Forward by Community The most significant barriers to accomplishing Best Start • Lack of sustainable operating funding • Lack of sustainable Best Start funding • Equitable wages for ECEs • Transportation Issues • Best Start consistency across the District • Lack of communication between service providers

4. Atikokan Model Moving Forward by Community How to establish linkages with local schools, community programming and programs and services to the Hub • Paid Coordinator and support staff within the Hub • Promotional material outlining resources and services in the community • Continue to enhance current links to schools: Schools cover some of the transportation by providing buses to Child Care Centres surrounding school hours, partners utilize school gyms, offer Mother Goose, Children Services Fair, Parenting Programs

5. Atikokan Model Moving Forward by Community How to establish new linkages with local schools, community programming and programs and services to the Hub • Establish new links with schools: Computer training, use of gym facilities for indoor sports and exercise. • Schools: Establish an ECE & JK/SK Grade 1 Early Learning Committee • Schools: This committee could brain storm ideas on making the transition to school a better experience • Schools: Network on the particular needs of the 0-4 age group and also assessments and referrals to other early learning organizations such as: Speech & Language • Schools: Establish more orientation to schools programming, structure more field trips to and from schools

6. Atikokan Model Moving Forward by Community How to establish new linkages with local schools, community programming and programs and services to the Hub • Library: Attend programming offered at the Library and also have the library do outreach of their programs when permissible • Atikokan Native Friendship Centre: Craft days and Cultural events. Story telling, cooking ethnic food and dancing, structure visits to schools and Rawn Road Centre • Recreation Centre: Participation in swimming, and other sports activities • Inter-Generations Centre: Arts such as pottery classes, arrange visits to the schools and Rawn Road Centre for similar activities

7. Atikokan Model Moving Forward by Community • Barrier to establishing these linkages • Funding for Transportation • Strategy: • Currently the schools bus the students to the Centre around school hours • Transportation to partner programming could be covered by bus transportation, the cost could be shared by participating partners • Some program partners have transportation ie: a van, the use of the van could be shared to include broadened Hub services, toddler forward facing seats would have to be purchased.

8. Atikokan Model Moving Forward by Community Prioritizing Rawn Road Centre Needs: • The building itself has heating/cooling issues that need to be addressed • Signage (Re-furbished Street Signs are in place) however, building signs are still needed. • Necessary storage in the building has long been an issue, it was discussed that if the Child Care Centre moved their children’s cubby's out to the more central area, then that space may become available for expansion of storage

9. Atikokan Model Moving Forward by Community Prioritizing Needs for Integration of Services: Transportation • A cost was determined for bus transportation for trips within a 30 kilometer trip. Each trip or excursion would be $85 • The group then was asked to try to put together a series of trips or excursion to try to come up with a transportation cost. • The group also discussed partnering with other organizations or agencies to share their vehicles such as a “Van” Already in play and working

10. Atikokan Model Moving Forward by Community Prioritizing Needs for Integration of Services: Space at the Centre • There may be space available at Rawn Road Centre if the current space was utilized better/differently • The group met to discuss these issues, and it was determined that the Gross Motor Skills room was very large and could better utilized, say for a staff room , meeting etc if renovation where done. That would free up the existing staff room for a professional/treatment room • Funding – a proposal would have to presented to the DSSAB to determine if any funding was available to make some of the building changes needed to enhance services for families at the Centre, this is currently being looked at as a demonstrated pressure Tour has taken place, plans are in the works Already in play and working

11. Atikokan Model Moving Forward by Community Enhancing Community Networks • Atikokan Early Learning Advisory – this network includes Early Child Educators and JK/SK Teachers, Teachers Aids & Grade One Teachers • The communication aspect of this Network would be a huge benefit and it is recommended that this group meet quarterly • It would be an advantage to gear the ECE observation tool-kit to closely resemble the current OSA or early learning and assessment tool used by the school boards

12. Atikokan Model Moving Forward by Community Atikokan Early Learning Advisory • This network discussed more sharing of information before the child enters school. Often times the school is not made aware that there is a learning disability until the child enters school. • If the ECE and teachers share this information, an action plan can be developed prior to school entry • One major area of concern is the lack of knowledge on the importance of early learning and identification, many parents are not aware of why they should access these resources

13. Atikokan Model Moving Forward by Community Atikokan Early Learning Advisory – Advocate Public Education • To enlist the cooperation of parents, this Network strongly advocate an ongoing, continuous media campaign surrounding the importance of early learning and early identification • Some of the tools currently in place would be an advantage to the idea of public education such as the OEYC newsletter to go home to all parents with school students and be available at strategic areas in the community.

14. Atikokan Model Moving Forward by Community Barriers for Atikokan Early Learning Advisory • The group identified that due to the school and other organizational protocols and policy, there would need to have Director of Education and CEO approval to begin work on a sharing of information protocol or any changes to current policy • It was suggested that the Best Start Coordinator bring this forward to the Best Start Network for discussion • Once a determination has been reached with all parties, this group will continue to meet

15. Best Start Moving Forward by Community • Does it make sense to have District community wide Best Start Advisory Networks similar to the Atikokan Model? • Such as Fort Frances which would include Watten and Alberton, Emo which could include (LaVallee, Barwick) and Rainy River which could include (Stratton, Lake of the Woods and Dawson) • Are there more agencies/groups that offer services for children 0-6 years of age and should they be invited to the planning table • Would this help to address unique community issues surrounding Early Learning? • When could these Advisory Networks begin to meet? • Would these Advisory Networks then bring any findings or suggestions to the Best Start Network? Whole heartly approved, plans are in the works