Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE)

Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) is helping to build the blocks for family and school
success. If you have children from birth to age five and are looking for support, information and education on raising children please join us at ECFE.

We welcome new families, your first term is always free.

ECFE is a Community Education program for ALL families and children birth through kindergarten. We offer a comfortable, informal parent discussion group, and a fun place to meet, learn, and play with other parents and children.

Immunization Form

Updates during Distance Learning (Nov. 2020)

Winona ECFE is adjusting to meet parent needs while Winona Area Public Schools is in distance learning.

The main way to stay up to date on all the offerings is to follow Winona ECFE on Facebook (a feed also populates the right side of this website).

Here is what to expect over the next few weeks.

For the kiddos

Weekly packet pick-up of activities to do at home for children ages 0-5 (sign-up required)
Multiple opportunities for live drop-in circle times and pre-recorded videos for children of ages 0-5

For the adults

Multiple opportunities for drop-in Parent Education sessions for families with children of any age.
Multiple opportunities for individual or small group Parent Education sessions with the topic and Parent Educator of your choice.
Multiple opportunities for individual consultations with a Child Educator of your choice.
Parent education book studies that were ongoing will still meet weekly to discuss and finish books.

What else should you know?

The Winona ECFE Facebook page will be the main means of communication in regards to what is going on each week.
Staff will be utilizing Sign-Up Genius as a tool to schedule individual and/or small group sessions
Live sessions will be held using Google Meets for children and adults
Staff will still be available through email or phone calls and will return messages as soon as possible
ECFE Parent Education Drop-Ins and Sessions are open to families with children of all ages.

Click here for the Virtual ECFE Week At a Glance

Fall 2020

For Term 1 and Term 2 classes in the Fall of 2020, there will be no parent and child time in the separating classes in order to adhere to COVID-19 restrictions.

Baby & Me

***Please note the new day of the week on Wednesdays starting in Fall 2020

Join the class at any time; babies and parents are always welcome! Babies bring joy and big changes to families. This is a weekly class for infants, birth to 12 months, and their parents. All of your baby questions and insights will be discussed with a Licensed Parent Educator and other parents of little ones. Opportunities to connect with other parents and find your parenting style are part of our time together. Join the class at any time; babies and parents are always welcomed. Sibling care is available upon request at registration.

Sibling care is available upon request at registration.

When: Wednesdays, 10-11:30 a.m.
Where: Parent Education Room 103, Sibling Care Early Childhood Room 106
Term 1: Sept. 9, 2020 through Nov. 4, 2020.
Term 2: Nov. 11, 2020 through Jan. 13, 2021. No class on Dec. 30.

Toddler Time

***Please note the new day of the week on Wednesdays starting in Fall 2020

This class suits toddlers between 12-30 months of age. During parent/child interaction time, parents and toddlers will participate in a variety of activities geared for the busy world of toddlers. This is followed by a brief discussion time for parents while children continue with activities. Discussion topics include ideas for separation issues, encouraging language development, and more. Class ends with a circle time of songs and movement. Parents and children do not separate in this class. Walking or crawling, all toddlers are invited!

When: Wednesdays, 8-9:30 a.m.
Where: Early Childhood Room 106
Term 1: Sept. 9, 2020 through Nov. 4, 2020.
Term 2: Nov. 11, 2020 through Jan. 13, 2021. No class on Dec. 30.

ECFE Around Town

ECFE on Wheels is a traveling Early Childhood Family Education program for families, caregivers and children ages birth to 5 years old. This class will be pending state guidelines. Check back for the most current details.

When: Tuesdays, 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Where: Different places in Winona. Locations will be posted here.
Term 1: Sept. 8, 2020, to Nov. 3, 2020.
Term 2: Nov. 10 to Jan. 12, 2020.

Meeting Locations

Tuesday, Sept. 22: At Sinclair Park (also known as the Purple Dinosaur Park)
Tuesday, Sept. 29: At La Canne Park, Goodview

Incredible Beginnings

This two-term class uses a scripted curriculum (The Incredible Years) to coach parents through responsive and positive parent child interactions and strategies. If you have questions or would like more information on this class, contact Heather Millard at 507-494-0916.

When: Mondays, 8:30-10:30 a.m.
Where: Early Childhood Room 106
Terms 1-2: Sept. 14, 2020 through Monday, Jan. 11, 2021. No classes on Nov. 9, Dec. 28.

The Enchanted Hour

We'll start out the year discussing one of our favorite things at ECFE -- reading! We will be discussing Meghan Cox Gurdon's 2019 book "The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction."

When: Mondays, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. OR 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Where: Early Childhood Room 106
Term 1: Sept. 14, 2020 through Nov. 2, 2020

Let's Grow a Grown-Up

Taking in what we learned from "Duct Tape Parenting" from Vicki Hoefle, we will explore some "No-nonsense" strategies to help our children succeed as adults.

When: Tuesdays, 8-10 a.m. OR Thursdays, 8-10 a.m. OR Fridays, 8-10 a.m.
Where: Early Childhood Room 106
Term 1: Tuesdays, Sept. 8, 2020 through Nov. 3, 2020 OR Thursdays, Sept. 10, 2020 through Nov. 5, 2020 (no class Oct. 15) OR Fridays, Sept. 11, 2020 through Nov. 6, 2020 (no class Oct. 16).
Term 2: Tuesdays, Nov. 10, 2020 through Jan. 12, 2021 OR Thursdays, Nov. 12, 2020 through Jan. 14, 2021 (no class Nov. 26, Dec. 24, Dec. 31) OR Fridays, Nov. 13, 2020 through Jan. 15, 2021 (no class Nov. 27, Dec. 25, Jan. 1).

Montessori in the Home

Drop-In Playgroup

Drop-In Playgroup is an opportunity for children to learn, grow and develop through play. There is something to keep every child happy and busy, with a baby and toddler area, activities for preschoolers, a great outdoor space plus lots of art, craft and messy play. And what’s even better — we clean up the mess afterwards! No registration required.

When: Tuesdays, 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
Where: Early Childhood Room 106
Term 1: Sept. 8, 2020 through Nov. 3, 2020
Term 4: Nov. 10, 2020 through Jan. 12, 2021. No drop-in on Dec. 29.

VIRTUAL: Parenting During a Pandemic

Parenting During a Pandemic is designed to provide insight, tips, advice and — most importantly — support for parenting in these uncertain times.

Each week an article will be shared before class that the class will use as a discussion topic, but there will always be time for family joys and concerns.

Classes will be held Wednesday nights from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Because ECFE values community and relationships, class size will be limited to 12 families.

When: Wednesdays, 7:30-9 p.m.
Where: Virtual.

VIRTUAL: ECFE Parent + Child Time

ECFE Parent + Child Time replicates the in-class experience, but from the comfort of your own home. Mrs. Stephanie will be hosting the class every Friday at 9 a.m. for approximately 60 minutes. The class will be limited to 10 families.

Families and children will enjoy songs and stories, along with fun activities that can be done together while being modeled by the teacher. Each class will end with the popular Baby Doll Circle Time.

Many of the supplies needed will be common household objects you already have on hand. For the occasional item that you may not have, ECFE will arrange a no-contact pickup earlier in the week.

When: Fridays, 9 a.m.
Where: Virtual

Early Childhood Special Education

Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) services are designed for children from birth until kindergarten enrollment who have been identified with a delay in development. Evaluations and services are provided at no cost to the parents.

Early Intervention Services for children birth through age two are provided in their natural environments through the public school system. A variety of service providers which may include an early childhood special education teacher, physical therapist, occupational therapist or speech/language clinician may provide direct services or consult with your child's team based on the family and child's identified needs.
Preschool Special Education services for students age three to Kindergarten entrance are typically provided in early learning environments. Specialized services such as speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, developmental adaptive physical education (DAPE), early childhood special education, and busing are provided based on the student's needs within their learning environment.

If you have concerns about a child in either of these age group, please make a referral in through one of the available options listed. Someone from the district will contact you to follow up with your concerns.

Birth to Age 5 Referral Printable Form
Birth to Age 5 Referral Electronic Form
Call 507-494-0842 to make a referral by phone.

If you would like more information about early childhood development or to make a referral through the Minnesota Help Me Grow system, visit the Help Me Grow website at http://helpmegrowmn.org/HMG/index.htm .

Other Opportunities

Drop-In Playgroup

When: Wednesdays, 12:30 to 2 p.m.
Where: Early Childhood Room 106
Term 3: Jan. 22, 2020 through March 25, 2020. No drop-in on Feb. 12, March 11.
Term 4: April 1, 2020 through June 3, 2020. No drop-in on April 8, May 13.

Phone Consultation and Home Visit

Winona Area Learning Center & Winona Senior High School

Itty Bitty Book Club

Class Fees

How do I determine class fees?

The class fee is determined by your family income (see sliding fee schedule)
The fee is per child with a family maximum
No family will be turned away due to inability to pay
Pay for your ECFE class with a credit card OR pay in person by cash or check.
Please make checks payable to: ECFE

Family's Yearly Gross Income	Fee per child per class	Max per family per class
90,000 +	$95	$190
80,000-89,999	$81	$162
70,000 -79,999	$71	$142
60,000-69,999	$59	$118
50,000-59,999	$45	$90
40,000-49,999	$37	$74
30,000-39,999	$32	$64
20,000-29,999	$26	$52
Under 19,999	$11	$22

Early Childhood Education Programs
Goodview Elementary School
5100 West 9th Street, Winona

Video Tutorial on the Registration Process

Common Questions

What is ECFE?

How does ECFE work?

Separating Classes:
All our classes begin with parent child activities where parents and children play together in the early childhood room. Parents then move on to the Parent Education room, facilitated by a licensed parent educator, to meet other parents and discuss issues related to parenting. The children stay in the classroom with a licensed early childhood educator to enjoy a variety of age appropriate activities. Your child will make new friends, enjoy art activities, music, gym time and a snack.

Non-separating Classes:
In our baby and toddler classes, parents do not separate from their children. The baby group is held in the parent education room and the toddler group is held in the early childhood room.

What are the benefits of ECFE?

Where is ECFE located?

Are there fees?

When is the registration deadline?

When will registration be processed?

Are parents involved in the program planning?

Summer 2020 Virtual Programming

ECFE is offering free virtual drop-in parenting connection classes for anyone and everyone in the community. The classes will be held on Wednesdays in June and July (June 10, 17, 24 and July 1, 8, 15, 22, 29).

The two options offered are:

Ages and Stages with Heather Millard from 9:30-11 a.m.: This class will be tailored to your family’s developmental stages, focusing on building and maintaining positive family relationships from birth to third grade.

Surviving Summer with Lynnea Pfohl, 8-9:30 p.m.: This class will focus on different topics and tips for getting through the strangest summer yet! Lynnea will also provide a short activity and resource list each week.

The classes will be held on Zoom. To find the links, follow the Winona ECFE page on Facebook, or email heather.millard@winona.k12.mn.us.

Programming for August will be announced at a later date.

Jill Burt

Educational Assistant

School: (507)494-0918

Stephanie Gilliland

Early Childhood Screening Coordinator, School Readiness Coordinator

School: (507)494-0915

Heather Millard

Early Childhood Family Education Coordinator, Parent Educator

Lynnea Pfohl

Parent Educator

School: (507)494-1468

Hannah Sweet

Early Childhood Family Education Teacher

Lauren Tomesh

Early Childhood Secretary

School: (507)494-0913

ECFE PTA

Are you looking for a volunteer opportunity that contributes to the quality of life for families with young children in our community? Join EFCE PTA! Contact the ECFE office at 507-494-0913 for more information.