Early Childhood

Cindy DeYoung, MAISD Early On Supervisor          616-225-4714

Elizabeth Buskirk, Administrative Assistant          616-225-6156

Early On Services
Early On offers early intervention services for infants and toddlers, birth to three years of age, with developmental delay(s) and/or disabilities, and their families.

Research has shown that by addressing delays early on - especially between birth and age 3 - we can more effectively impact a child's development, even into adulthood.

Early On in Montcalm County-Podcast

What is Early On?-Video

Referral information:
If you think your infant or toddler may have a developmental delay...don't worry....but don't wait...to make a referral please call: 1-800-Early-On or visit www.1800earlyon.org.

Other resources and links:
Michigan Early On

Early On Family Survey

Early On Michigan Facebook

MAISD Early On Facebook

Early On Michigan Twitter

In Michigan we know that education begins at birth. We also know that some of our children need extra help or other related special services along the way. That's why Michigan's special education system helps children as young as newborns and up to age 26.

Build Up MI Kids (formerly known as Project Find) provides information about special education programs and services and helps to arrange free evaluations to find out if a child is eligible for extra help from any of Michigan's public schools.

If a child you know is struggling in school or has a physical, emotional or communication problem that might prevent success in school, call BUILD UP MI KIDS. We're here to help. Contact your building principal or call your BUILD UP MI KIDS Coordinator Andrea Nista at 616-225-4752

Visit on-line at BUILD UP MICHIGAN KIDS.

Andrea Nista, Build Up MI Kids Coordinator  Phone: 616-225-4752   Fax: 616-225-4753

Any Family with children from birth thru 4 year’s old living in Montcalm Area Intermediate School District is welcome to attend play group. Play groups are a collaborative effort between EarlyOn, EigthCAP, Montcalm County Great Start, and the MAISD. These play groups are intentional for parents and children to have easy access to a variety of early childhood professionals, as well as supporting parents being their child's first and best teacher.

Highlights*Try new activities with your child that will stimulate your child’s development!*Learn songs and read books (receive a copy of each book to keep)

*Interact with other parents and children!
*Learn Strategies to use at home to help your child learn.
*Access to Early Childhood professionals to ask questions.

2025-2026 Playgroup Schedule

Registration is required prior to attending, no cost to attend!Call to register or for more information at: (616) 225-6146.

What is Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library?

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library will help you read with your child. There are many reasons parents do not read to their child, but we can eliminate one of them. Every child will have books of their very own, at no cost to you.

Each month a new, carefully selected, book will be mailed in your child’s name directly to your 

home. Your child will look forward to new and exciting reading adventures from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library until they turn four years old and as long as you remain a resident of the Montcalm Area Intermediate School District (MAISD). 

Who Is Eligible?

Preschool children (from birth to their third birthday) that live within the Montcalm Area Intermediate School District.

What Are My Responsibilities?

Be a resident of the MAISD.
Submit a registration form, filled out by a parent or guardian.
Notify the Montcalm County Great Start Collaborative any time your address changes.
Read with your child.

When Will I Receive Books?

Eight to ten weeks after your registration form has been received, books will begin arriving at your home and will continue until your child turns four or you move out of the MAISD. 

How Can I Help?

Do you know a preschool child in MAISD who is not receiving Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library books? Give their parents a brochure/registration form and encourage them to fill it out!

If you know a business, organization or individual who would like to donate funds to support this gift to your children, donations can be sent to the Montcalm County Great Start Collaborative. 

“Reading is the foundation of learning and success.”, “Building a reading culture in every corner of this state will build a stronger Michigan for generations, and help foster a lifetime love of reading by our children.”, Michael Flanagan, State of Michigan Superintendent 

Register now: 

https://tinyurl.com/montcalmdpil 

Website:

www.GreatStartMontcalm.org

https://imaginationlibrary.com/usa/

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/montcalmimaginationlibrary

www.facebook.com/greatstartmontcalmcounty

The Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) is Michigan’s free PreK program for eligible four-year-olds. Ranked #1 in the U.S., it’s a safe place where children learn how to get along with others, share, take turns, and make friends. Math, reading, and thinking skills are taught every day through fun, hands-on activities. GSRP will help make sure your child is ready for kindergarten and beyond.

For the 2025-26 school year, all families have access to free PreK through the Great Start Readiness Program, with priority given to those who need it most. Currently, enrollment priority is given to those at or below 400% of the federal poverty limit, or about $128,000 for a family for four.  The Montcalm Area Intermediate School District (MAISD) is responsible for ensuring that local programs meet state guidelines and provide the highest quality programming possible.  

Parent involvement is expected and highly valued.  The following activities are the minimum requirements for parent participation:  

1. The advisory committee meets at least three times a year
2. Two home visits per year that are at least an hour each.  (Alternate site if the parent prefers)
3. Two parent-teacher visits that are at least 45 minutes each

Resources/Documents:

• Alignment of TSGOLD to Common Core Standards
• Great Start to Quality Website: greatstarttoquality.org
• GSRP Website:  www.michigan.gov/gsrp
• Preschool Annual Report 2024-2025
• Implementation Manual
• Kindergarten Round Up Report 2025
• What is the GSRP Teaching team Schedule? 
• Key Elements of High-Quality Early Childhood Learning Environments: Preschool

GSRP 2025-2026 Program Contact List

Preschool Application

Become a Montcalm Area ISD Preschool Partner

This child is ready for you. There are preschoolers in Montcalm County who are looking for preschool! 

The Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) is Michigan’s state-funded preschool program for four-year-old children.

Montcalm Area ISD (MAISD) is seeking new GSRP Partners for the school year 2024-2025. Funding opportunities available for programs that start class by January 2025:

• $25,000 in expansion funding

• CDA support Click here to complete an interest survey and be connected to a case manager for support in this area! 

• Curriculum, assessments, and developmental screening resources provided

• Your program could earn $9,268 for each child in a school day program and $11,122 for each child in an extended day program

Preschool Matters

Research on preschool programs and specific research on GSRP indicates that children provided with a high-quality preschool experience show significant positive developmental differences when compared to children from the same backgrounds who did not attend high-quality preschool program. 

The program is administered by the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential. Funding is allocated to each intermediate school district (ISD) to administer the program locally. MAISD is an ISD receiving funds and partners with subrecipients to offer GSRP to the community.

At MAISD, we currently offer GSRP through all 7 school districts, and have one community-based organization licensed child care center, serving over 400 preschoolers and their families. 

MAISD GSRP Handbook

MAISD Operating Guidelines and Procedures

In addition, there are more preschoolers and families in our community that could benefit from the GSRP experience.

• About 480 children were enrolled in the 2023-2024 school year.

• We have a goal to continue to serve more children in the 2024-2025 school year and beyond.

We are looking for new partners to help serve more families. Connect with us today to start or continue a conversation for collaboration. 

What is GSRP?

• GSRP is for children who are four years old on or before December 1, 2024. While there are eligibility criteria, there are spots for children with no household income limit.  

• All classrooms use a state-approved curriculum and comprehensive child assessment tool. 

• Each classroom has a lead and associate teacher who meets the credentials specified in the State School Aid Act.  GSRP programs can partner with MAISD to develop a plan for their teachers to attain credentials within three years of being hired.

• Parents have opportunities to be involved in the program in multiple ways and are not required to do so.

• There are school-day(4 days a week) and extended (5 days a week) options available.  

GSRP has several program options:

• Part-and-school-day options are 4 days a week, 30 weeks, and 120 days a year.

• Extended program is 5 days a week, 36 weeks, 180 days a year.

• Programs can choose to offer before and after-school programming and Friday care for a fee.

• More can be learned about program requirements at: www.michigan.gov/gsrp.

Benefits to your program

• Funding to cover the costs of teacher meals in GSRP that are required, but not reimbursed by CACFP.

• Free access and access to a county-wide Joint Recruitment process and enrollment system to support full enrollment early in the year.

• Additional funding to offer transportation for children to get to school and home on program days.

• Add funds to the operating budget to improve program quality and improve utilization.

• Receive coaching, mentoring, and support from a qualified early childhood specialist.

• Receive Creative Curriculum resources, SmartTeach assessments, and ASQ development screener resources, training, and tools for free.

• Curriculum Supports

• Participate in professional learning opportunities for directors and Early Childhood Educators.

• Become part of a bigger local network of early education and care professionals.

• Improve the overall quality of early education and care in Montcalm County.

Benefits for Families

• Allows parents to choose the setting that best meets family needs, like location, hours of operations, ages of children accepted, and transportation provided.

• Provides more continuity of care for children as they may stay in one place for all education and care needs.

• Provides the convenience of one drop off/pick up for the parent for all of the family’s children who are enrolled at the site.

• Receive high-quality preschool with no out-of-pocket costs.

Who can be a GSRP Provider?

GSRP is provided in sites licensed as child care centers.  They may have either a regular license or a provisional license as a new or relocated center.  Those with one of these types of provisional license must agree to submit a Self-Assessment Survey in the Great Start to Quality (GSQ) system as soon as the regular license is issued.  Centers with licenses that have been modified to provisional status are not eligible. If organizations are interested in providing GSRP but are not yet licensed, we can share information and related resources to get you on your way. All centers that have eligible licenses must also have or be able to reach at least an enhancing quality rating in GSQ. For questions or concerns, reach out to Cari O’Connor.  To begin the application process for the Montcalm Area ISD complete this form! 

If funded, you will be expected to hire qualified staff and have staff trained in the curriculum and assessment tools.  You will have to operate in compliance with child care licensing rules and GSRP statutes, policies, and procedures.  You would also have the support of an Early Childhood Specialist and MAISD Early Childhood Programs to implement a program that meets the requirements.

Questions for potential MAISD GSRP Providers

Appeals Process for Community-Based Organizations Not Receiving GSRP Allocations 

MAISD GSRP Fiscal Reference Guide 

Why GSRP?

Parent Quotes

"I am very grateful for my daughter's teacher, she was having fun and has the confidence thanks to them to do great in kindergarten. I had a wonderful experience nothing but a good thing about GSRP!"

"My child and our family had an amazing year with his GSRP class. The teaching team is amazing and helps my child grow in so many ways."

"We could not have been more pleased with our son's growth this year. Mrs Madrigal was beyond amazing with our son and he thoroughly enjoyed everything about school. Couldn't ask for more."

Visit us at www.GreatStartMontcalm.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greatstartmontcalmcounty

Every great outcome begins with a great start!

Connections is a free program for children under 5 that makes sure all parents and caregivers have just-in-time information about what to expect from their children, knowledge about how to handle stress, and access to community resources.

Free to parents living in West Michigan with a child under 5, and anywhere in the WORLD if you participate online! If you need more information, please call (616) 454-HOPE (4673) or email connections@familyfutures.net.

To sign up visit: http://familyfutures.net/connections-sign-up/

What to Expect:

Connections will send you age-appropriate developmental screening surveys every 2-6 months that help you track your child’s development with specific feedback. If a delay is identified or if you have any concerns, we have a Parent Coach that will call or email you to follow up and make a referral if necessary.

You also get:

• Developmental Newsletters that provide clear expectations
• Activity ideas to support development
• Seasonal Newsletters with free or low cost local activities
• Preschool and Kindergarten Readiness Packets