A View from the Front Row

FGRBI’s Story and

Plan for Next Year
What happened last year…
 Total chaos …
• New and competing priorities
• New administration with different style
• Provider changes
• Regulation changes
• Funding horrors
• Life, health, transitions
So what’s new?
 More budget cuts and reduced payments
 Co-director on sabbatical
 Florida’s GSEG initiative- staff
development plan
 MOU with Co. Schools- improved
transition
 2 experienced EI’s enrolling in program
So get on with it!
Our plan includes:
 Clarify the vision and broadcast it
• To families in multiple formats
• To community at large
• To providers on every available opportunity
• To fellow administrators and support staff
• To referral agents, especially health care
 Live the vision daily and make decisions
based on its implementation
Increase Family Participation
 Revitalize family membership on advisory
committee
 Connect our family activities to the school and
community
 Provide more resources to families to share
with other providers
 Increase “veteran” parents as connections for
new families
 Solicit input from families of high poverty about
“intervention packages”
Just Do It!
 Make implementation a priority
 Allocate a percentage of time and don’t lose it!
• Visit families
• Observe providers
• Coach select providers
• Provide mentor and support interactions
• Review data from families and providers
• Read IFSPs, assessment reports
• Watch videos
• Listen during team meetings
Provide Feedback on
Implementation
 Private
 Public
 Specific and Immediate
 Personal
 Virtual
• Email and voice mail
 With families, community and providers
 Include self reflection practices
 Accept disagreement… it may move those who are struggling
with change…

 Uncertainty is demotivating, stress inducing, and limits job

satisfaction
Do more… better
Use the situational “teaching” model… for
each purpose and person effectively
There are times for each…
 Directing – Let me explain exactly what I need

 Coaching – Tell me what you think about this

 Supporting – What do you suggest

 Delegating – Let me know if you need help

Remember the Acronyms
 LEAD
 FAST
 KISS
 SMART
 COACH
Getting the Best from Providers
 Establish what the needs are with the team and assist in
meeting them
 Provide training in small and regular doses
 Follow-up on training activities for value and
implementation
 Give staff chances to use and increase expertise by
sharing with others
 Use opportunities to share the vision’s success with
staff… remember staff also learn from mistakes
 Use no cost rewards for performance first
 Communicate regularly… and personally
 Recognize what effects your motivation also effects theirs
Increase Self-Evaluation and
Mentoring- Joining in
 Biweekly self checks
 Monthly mentoring pairs (observation,
coffee dates, video review)
 Director observations each semester
 Coaching for new staff across model
 Video review and discussion at team
meetings
Review Routinely
 Don’t lose sight of the vision or the goals
 Be willing to change based on data
 Establish a tickler system for evaluating
results
• Use data collected
• Involve staff in decision making with the data
• Share data with families about their child and the
program
• Review effects of staff development and coaching