El Dorado Co. Office of Education celebrates children

"Each of us, whether we have anything to do with children or not, is directly affected by how they are treated." — Author unknown

The El Dorado County Office of Education serves families and children with respect, kindness and support, building a strong foundation for optimal, lifelong learning.

The EDCOE Child Development Programs provide services to children birth to age 5 and their families, assuring them the best start possible before entering kindergarten. Programs include State Preschool, Head Start and Early Head Start. These programs are funded by the California Department of Education, Child Development Division, parent fees and the Department of Health and Human Services through the federal government. Each program provides comprehensive early care and education services. Programs take into account that social, emotional, cognitive and physical development are all interrelated within the child’s daily experiences. A strong foundation in the early years assists children with later success in school. Program enrollment also includes children identified with special needs.

The EDCOE Charter Extended Day program, in cooperation with local schools, offers on-campus supervised and enriched child care programs before, during and after school, Monday through Friday. The program is available to kindergarten through eighth-grade children at 20 school sites in El Dorado County. The instructors provide a variety of enriching and creative age-appropriate activities, including academic and tutorial assistance and organized playground activities.  Extended Day services are offered year-round and on all staff development days, minimum days and selected holidays with sufficient enrollment.

The El Dorado Early Care and Education Planning Council is a public-private partnership of business, education, community and government whose mission is to serve as the focal point for the planning and development of accessible, affordable, quality early care and education programs for children and families in El Dorado County. Current projects include the Workforce Development, Advocacy and Education, and Needs Assessment Committees. The Council also administers the Workforce Recruitment, Retention and Professional Development Program, which provides educational scholarships for state and federal preschool and child care staff who successfully complete unit bearing coursework and attains placement or makes progress on the Child Development Permit Matrix with the California Department of Teacher Credentialing. It also partners with California State University, Sacramento, to offer a local bachelor’s degree program in Early Development Care and Education for working professionals. These programs increase teacher retention and professional development, which directly impacts the care and education children receive.

The Community Advisory Committee  is comprised of parents of children with special needs and agency representatives. It meets the third Monday of every month and provides support, information, training and advocacy for parents of children with special needs. Contact Dubravka Tomazin, program liaison, for more information at 530-295-2463.

For more information on programs offered through the Office of Education stop by the booth at the Kids’ Expo or contact the El Dorado County Office of Education, Child Development Programs at 530-295-2270 or 530-295-2276, Charter Extended Day at 530-295-2298 or 530-295-2268, or the Special Services Department, Special Education Local Plan Area at 530-295-2289.