Early Learning
Solano County Office of Education's Early Learning program is dedicated to providing high-quality educational experiences for young children, from birth to five years old. The program focuses on fostering a love for learning through play-based activities, hands-on exploration, and high quality instruction. By collaborating with families, local schools, and community organizations, the program supports nurturing early learning environments that promote the social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development of every child. SCOE's Early Learning program is committed to laying a strong foundation for lifelong learning and success.
Events and Professional Learning
Save the Date!
Solano County Office of Education’s (SCOE) Early Learning system is a collaboration of stakeholders including educators, community agencies, parents, and other professionals working with children from the age of infancy to 5 years old. Early Learning is focused on supporting the educational community, connecting parents and providers with resources, and increasing the quality of early learning throughout Solano County. The overall goal of SCOE’s Early Learning programs and services is to ensure that each child has access to high-quality educational experiences and the resources they need to succeed in school and thrive throughout their lives.
Events and Professional Learning
Early Learning PL Series: Playful Minds, Powerful Teaching
The Solano County Office of Education offers a variety of Professional Learning opportunities for early childhood educators in all settings. Please visit the SCOE Early Learning Padlet with resources and opportunities available including registration links. Click HERE for more information.
Join us for a enriching journey at the 2024-25 Early Learning Professional Learning Series, presented by the Solano County Office of Education! This series, offered free of charge, features 7 engaging sessions scheduled from August to June, available both virtually and in-person at the SCOE Main Office in Fairfield. Experience hands-on learning with select in-person sessions offering make-and-take activities. Delve into topics such as play, choice in play, resiliency agency, social interactions, relationships, and family partnerships. Select in-person sessions will also include hands-on make-and-take activities. Don't miss this chance to deepen your knowledge and skills in early learning.
Upcoming 2024 Dates: October 10th, November 14th, December 12th.
2025 Dates: February 27th, April 30th.
Save the Date!
June 23rd & 24th, 2025 TK Summer Symposium. Registration coming Spring 2025.
Location:
Solano County Office of Education- 5100 Business Center Dr., Fairfield
For questions, contact Shannon Feins at sfeins@solanocoe.net or 707-399-4473.
Solano Early Educators of the Year
Solano County Office of Education (SCOE), the Solano Child Care Planning Council and other community partners host an annual Solano Early Childhood Educator of the Year award program honoring early childhood educators who demonstrate excellence in the care and education of Solano’s young children. The recognition program includes teachers, assistants, paraeducators, food service staff, transportation staff, school site administrators and family childcare owners/directors. This year's nominees and awardees were honored on Friday, June 21, 2024.
PK, TK, K Summer Symposium
Solano COE PK-TK-K Summer Symposium
June 23rd & 24th, 2025 at the Solano County Office of Education
The Solano County Office of Education is excited to announce the return of the Early Learning Summer Symposium!
Join us in June for a 2-day professional learning symposium.
Sessions will include:
-Planning and implementation of choice time and activities.
-Role of the teacher.
-Developmentally appropriate practices with an emphasis on social-emotional development and problem-solving/conflict resolution.
-ASQ developmental screening.
-Loose parts in early learning environments.
-Related make-n-take activities.
For: PK(CSPP), TK, K, Special Education Teachers and Classrooms Assistants
Date/Time/Location:
Monday & Tuesday, June 23rd & 24th, 2025
8:00 am - 3:00 pm
Solano COE, 5100 Business Center Drive, Fairfield
For questions, please contact Shannon Feins at sfeins@solanocoe.net or 707-399-4473
Event Sponsored by: Solano County Office of Education, no cost to participants, includes coffee/tea, lunch, books, materials and make-n-take supplies. Space is limited.
**Please only register if you are able to attend both full days of the Summer Symposium.
Photo/Video Consent: Registration for SCOE Early Learning events indicates consent to allow the Solano County Office of Education to use photographs and/or videos that include your image in publications, news releases, website, social media, and in other communications related to the Solano County Office of Education. Thank you!
SCOE provides support for early learning professionals in all settings, including Transitional Kindergarten, state-funded preschool programs, center-based childcare, and home-based family childcare. Through Quality Counts, Solano’s Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS), early childhood education professionals may participate in on-site coaching and training, as well as professional development and program rating.
Early Learning Teacher Development Pathways Program
The Solano EETD Program is open to current and aspiring early learning and care professionals, including: TK-3rd teachers, preschool teachers and assistants, para-educators, family child careproviders, and family, friend, and neighbor caregivers in Solano County.
Program application period will open on Friday, August 30, 2024 - only to those who have attended an orientation session.
2024-25 Pathways final orientation
Pathways applicants must attend ONE orientation session via Zoom:
Wednesday, August 21, 2024 5 - 6 pm
Monday, September 23, 2024 6 - 7 pm (Spanish & English session)
Learning Outside the Box PL Series
Join us for outdoor professional development sessions!
The Learning Outside the Box professional learning series will use the Project Learning Tree curriculum, which is designed to engage early learning educators through hands-on activities and a multi-disciplinary approach. The Trees & Me curriculum is for children ages 1-6 years and intertwines lessons to include literacy, science, social studies, math, art, music, and more.
This professional learning series aims to empower educators and inspire them to consider using nature and outdoor spaces as an extension of their classroom. Research shows that early exposure to nature improves emotional and physical well-being, enhances learning, and fosters positive social behavior while instilling lifelong care for the environment in children. Supporting teachers to use their outdoor spaces increases a sense of wonder, sparks curiosity about the world around us, and promotes a sense of belonging within their campus and community.
DATES:
September 26, 2024 (Fall - 3 hours) 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM
March 19, 2025 (Spring - 3 hours) 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM
March 29, 2025 (Spring - 6 hours) TBD
LOCATION:
Solano County Office of Education
5100 Business Center Drive, Fairfiled, CA.
QUESTIONS?
If you have questions please contact:Shannon Feins at sfeins@solanocoe.net or 707-399-4473 or
Summer Belloni sbelloni@solanocoe.net or 707-399-4474.
Resources, Networks, Programs & More
Resources, Networks, Programs & More
Early Education Teacher Development Pathways
The Solano Early Education Teacher Development Pathways Program is a stipend program open to those teaching young children, including: TK-3rd teachers, preschool teachers and assistants, para-educators, family child care, and family, friend, and neighbor caregivers in Solano County. Applicants may be eligible for a stipend in one of the following areas: professional development, college coursework, attainment of Associate or Bachelor’s degree, Multiple-Subject Teaching Credential or Child Development Permit.
Early Learning Inclusion (IEEEP)
The SCOE Early Learning Inclusion program (IEEEP) enhances how Early Learning and Special Education teams work together to build high-quality classrooms and expands opportunities for children of all abilities to have access to and participate meaningfully in childcare programs. When children are together as part of the group, their development is enhanced and positive social attitudes are fostered. Click HERE to learn more.
Early Learning Professional Development
In collaboration with Solano County school districts, First 5 Solano, Solano Family & Children’s Services and other partners, Solano County Office of Education (SCOE) offers specialized training for early learning professionals. Workshops offered by SCOE are open to Transitional Kindergarten, Kindergarten and state-funded preschool teachers, as well as family child care and center-based preschool and child care staff. Trainings focus on a wide range of programs that support teaching and learning for our youngest learners, including infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children.
Early Learning workshops cover a broad variety of topics, including preschool and Transitional Kindergarten modules of the California Preschool Learning Foundations and Curriculum Framework, special needs and inclusion practices, trauma-informed care, social-emotional development, language and literacy, STEAM-inspired sessions, etc. Specialized training is also provided by the Region 4 California Preschool Instructional Network (CPIN), the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL), and the Program for Infant and Toddler Care (PITC).
Early Learning Professional Resources
Solano County Office of Education maintains a list of early learning professional resources. Explore and learn about supports are available.
Early Learning Special Education Programs
Transition from Early Childhood Special Education Programs
Early intervention programs and specialized preschool services are extraordinarily effective in helping young children with special needs acquire the skills and support necessary to be successful in school and in later life. California has long recognized its responsibilities and the importance of providing programs and services designed for children with disabilities and other special needs as part of its comprehensive educational system for all students.
The Handbook on Transition from Early Childhood Special Education Programs provides specific information and resources to assist families, early intervention professionals, and school district personnel to navigate the move from services for infants and toddlers to special education services and programs for preschool-aged children in a seamless and efficient manner. The handbook offers timely information to those supporting children in a range of environments, including the regular preschool classroom. Click HERE to visit the Early Learning Special Education Programs page.
Quality Counts Solano
Solano County Office of Education is the lead agency in the Quality Counts in Solano Early Care and Education program. Quality Counts helps to enhance the quality of early learning and care environments for young children. Early learning programs participating in Quality Counts Solano can get assistance in improving outcomes for children through system-wide approaches to enhancing programs. Click to learn more.
Solano Child Care Planning Council (LPC)
The primary mission of the Solano Child Care Planning Council (Solano LPC) is to plan for child care and child development services based on the needs of families in the local community and to ensure that all families and children in Solano County have access to quality and affordable child care and child development services.
Transitional Kindergarten (TK) & Kindergarten
Transitional Kindergarten, often referred to as TK, is a free public school program for 4-year-olds who turn 5 between Sept. 2 and Dec. 2. It is essentially designed to be a bridge between preschool and kindergarten. Transitional Kindergarten is intended to help build a strong learning foundation and prepare children for kindergarten with literacy skills, such as identifying letters and sounds, and more advanced math skills, such as counting objects and completing word problems. TK also helps develop self-regulation skills like remembering the rules and controlling impulses.
Triple P : Positive Parenting Program
Triple P stands for "Positive Parenting Program." It is a research-based parenting program that has benefited tens of thousands of parents worldwide, for more than 30 years. Triple P is a parenting program, but it does not tell you how to be a parent. It is more like a toolbox of ideas. You choose the strategies you need. You choose the way you want to use them. It is all about making Triple P work for you. In Solano County, Triple P is delivered by a group of partners who are committed to providing you with the resources you need to become a more confident, effective parent. Click HERE for information.
