A Program Of:

Futures Unlimited, Inc. is a private, not for profit agency which services the residents of Sumner county, Kansas, as the Community Developmental Disabilities Organization and as such is the single point of access for all application, referral and gatekeeping services. Bright Futures Preschool, Child Care Center and the Caldwell Children's Center are children's programs of Futures Unlimited, Inc.

Administrative Office: 2410 North A, Wellington, Kansas 67152
(316) 326-8906
FAX (316) 326-7796
e-mail: futures I @idir.net

Program and Location

Bright Futures Preschool Programs are a part of Futures Unlimited, Inc. The Children's services are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. The agency located at 2410 North A in Wellington, Kansas serves children at two Wellington sites with four morning classes, four afternoon classes and a full day class for children who need more socialization skills. One site is adjacent to the Futures Unlimited, Inc. Administrative Building and one is in the First Christian Church in downtown Wellington. There are three classrooms at the Administrative site and two at the downtown site.

Sumner County Head Start, for which Futures Unlimited, Inc. is the grantee, provides services to children from Oxford, Belle Plaine, Milan, Mayfield, Caldwell, South Haven and Argonia as well as children from Wellington.

There are three classrooms at Bright Futures - Caldwell which is located 29 miles southwest of Wellington and Futures Unlimited, Inc. The Center is a community based preschool serving South Haven and Caldwell children.

Program Services

Current children's services under Bright Futures Preschool, include Infant-Toddler Special Education, Early HeadStart, ParentÍs as Teachers, Early Childhood Special Education, ChildCare services for infants and toddlers, and Head Start programs. An eleven-month calendar is followed for the preschool program with classes four days per week, one week off per month and no sessions in the month of August. Futures Unlimited has been the Head Start Grantee since 1991. Program sites are established at two locations in Wellington, KS in five classrooms, which include four preschool classrooms with morning and afternoon half-day sessions and one full day classroom. In addition, Futures serves children in Caldwell, KS at Bright Futures Ü Caldwell with three half-day class sessions. All preschool classes are blended to include children enrolled as Head Start, Early Childhood Special Education and Community Role Models. The program hours are Monday through Thursday-8: 15-3:45. Early Head Start and The Infant-Toddler Programs are home-based services.

Program Services The services for children are made available by the agency through agreements and affiliations with Wellington Public Schools (353), South Central Kansas Education Service Center (628), Caldwell Public Schools (360), the Kansas State Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services/Administration for Children and Families, Region Vll/Head Start. The following Children's services are included:

• Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) services from birth through age five for the Wellington Public Schools (# 353)
• Income eligible infant, toddler and preschool services as the Head Start Grantee for Sumner County
• Community preschool services
• Collaboration with the Caldwell Public Schools(360) and Interlocal 619 for special education and preschool Head Start Services
• Intervention for infants and toddlers with developmental delays as the Infant-Toddler Network for Sumner County
• Child Care for infants and toddlers.

Educational Philosophy

"The Children's Services of Futures Unlimited, Inc. are committed to services which enhance the quality of life for the children and families in the Sumner County area. We will strive to assure quality developmental opportunities for all children and promote family empowerment within the community by coordinating family-centered resources, service provisions, and advocacy."

Beliefs:

• We recognize that transition is ongoing for families and children
• Families should be provided with support during transition of their children from early childhood to the next appropriate environment.
• We foster relationships between early childhood programs and the next setting through collaboration and integrated services.
• Families include parents and other responsible persons who are involved with children
• We respect families and recognize them as primary teachers and key decision makers for their children
• We respect each family's diversity
• All children and staff come to school healthy and ready for the day's activities
• The classroom setting is clean and safe to prevent the spread of disease or injury
• Balanced, nutritional snacks and meals promote growth and development in minds and bodies
• Children should be taught daily self-help skills related to their own personal health care
• Playground equipment should be well maintained, child sized and developmentally appropriate
• Children learn from role models; we are their role models and we support each other in decision making
• Family friendly means all families, staff included
• Each child has a right to learn in an environment which is natural and not restrictive
• Every environment for a child is an educational environment
• We will know and work collaboratively with all the resources of the community
• We respect individual ideas, allow for successes and set backs and encourage children and adults to explore and experience their environment
• We integrate individual interests into daily activities
• We promote developmentally appropriate learning experiences
• Children will have the opportunity to learn basic skills to develop in the areas of cognition, social skills, physical skills, language skills and health skills

Program Description
An eleven month calendar is followed at Bright Futures-Wellington. Bright Futures-Caldwell follows a more traditional school calendar. The eleven-month calendar consists of classes four days per week with one week off per month and no classes in August. A year-round calendar is followed for the infant and toddler programs.

All classes are blended to include children enrolled as Head Start, Early Childhood Special Education and Community Role Models. The total enrollment is 142 children. The enrollment includes 75 Head Start children, 37 with special needs, and 35 funded through local school district or private tuition.

In 1996, Futures Unlimited, Inc. completed strategic planning which involved focus groups from the community. Beginning with the Fall of 1997, the structure of all classrooms was organized to demonstrate a collaborative model and a blending of resources which were outcomes from the strategic planning. Classrooms formerly designated as Head Start or Special Education were blended by assigning staff to represent both programs in each classroom. The children were assigned to classrooms so that both programs were represented as well as community role models. This has been welcomed by our families, the community and staff at Futures Unlimited, Inc. A new name was also added at the Wellington site, "Bright Futures". This blending has also been supported by the administrative staff.

To enable a link with the public school kindergarten program, we support screening activities in the Spring. In addition, throughout the year we provide transition support through a teacher and support staff to work in the kindergarten classrooms to assist the children from our program and the educational staff in the public schools.