EmbraceAbilities Community of Practice (CoP) Focused on Early Learning (4 Day Event) 01/30/2025 - 05/22/2025 Event Dates: 01/30/2025 | 02/27/2025 | 04/03/2025 | 05/22/2025
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
The EmbraceAbilities Community of Practice (CoP) coaching sessions offer an engaging virtual platform where educators and administrators collaborate on enhancing inclusive practices for students with extensive support needs. Through expert-led sessions, participants will explore strategies for improving academic rigor, fostering inclusive mindsets, addressing specialized classroom needs, and building community partnerships. These sessions, scheduled monthly from January to May 2025, aim to empower educators with actionable insights to promote equity and student success in diverse learning environments.
California’s Master Plan for Early Learning and Care includes goals that align with recommendations for the inclusion of children with disabilities. These goals include increasing the opportunities for three and four-year-old children access to inclusive environments, enhancing educator competencies to increase their effectiveness in addressing the unique needs of children with exceptional needs; and developing approaches to align policy and practice.
Guiding Question: How do we work collaboratively to develop a unified, inclusive early learning and care system that is culturally responsive to reflect the community and honors similarities and differences, all through an equity lens?
The CoP Coaching Session is led by Heather Snipes. HeatherSnipes has over 15 years of experience in education – specializing in early childhood and encompassing home-based childcare, collegiate child development labs, Tribal Head Start programs, private preschools, and California State Preschool Program Administration. In her current position with SIP, Heather has supported the development and maintenance of successful inclusive UPK systems across the state. She earned her master’s degree in Child Development Administration, Leadership, and Management in 2020 and is currently a Governor appointed Commissioner on the CA Advisory Commission on Special Education. Her extensive background in early childhood education, familiarity with the TK-12 school system, and expertise with the IEP process provide her with a unique perspective on creating inclusive learning environments, facilitating student transitions, and building strong relationships as the foundation for quality education practices that impact adult college and civic life readiness.
Event Details
Audience
COE and LEA administrators and educational leaders
Facilitator(s)
Marcia Reily Kristen Danhour Standke Jovan Jacobs
Partners
The California Department of Education (CDE); California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE); and The TIES Center.
