There’s a curriculum tied to state Common Core expectations, but playing together is still the way kids learn at the Ridgefield Public Schools Pre-Kindergarten Program. Playing here are Graham Muncy, left, and Oliver Sonderman. —Macklin Reid photo
Kids learn by example — by seeing and doing — and other children can be teachers.
This simple truth is a guiding principle of the Ridgefield Public Schools’ Pre-Kindergarten Program, in which special needs children of pre-school age play and learn beside “typically developing peers” who are three and four years old.
The school system is currently seeking Ridgefield children to serve as peer models in the pre-kindergarten program starting next fall, for the 2014-15 school year.
“The program benefits all the students who are attending,” said Emily Ritschl, school psychologist at Barlow Mountain School, where the preschool classes meet.
“The children who serve as peer models gain a true understanding of all children,” she said. “I think they learn to be leaders, they learn to be empathetic, and they can become advocates for their classmates who may have challenges, while getting an outstanding education.”
The Pre-Kindergarten Program will have an informal open house for the parents of prospective peer models next Wednesday, Jan. 15, from 10 a.m. to noon at Barlow Mountain School.
Parents and caregivers are invited to attend with their children. The parents can learn more about the program while the kids participate in child-friendly play-based activities led by the pre-school’s staff — the morning’s play serves as an informal screening.
Parents interested may pre-register by contacting Sue Harris at sharris@ridgefield.org or 203-894-7700, ext. 34111.
The pre-kindergarten has two-hour and 45 minute sessions four days a week, with morning classes from 9:15 to noon, or afternoon classes from 1:15 to 4
The balance of special needs students to peer models in the class is maintained at about 50%-50% — currently there are 18 special needs students and 22 peer models.
“In terms of any parent looking at a pre-kindergarten program, the staff we have are highly trained and certified early childhood educators,” said Kathy Murphy, the school system’s supervisor of elementary special education and the administrator with direct responsibility for the program.
“We have a multi-disciplinary approach,” she said. “It’s not just the classroom teacher, it’s the school psychologist, the occupational therapist and physical therapist. And I think the other piece in terms of our staffing, we have a group of paraprofessionals who are highly trained.”
With the pre-school program housed in Barlow Mountain, Ms. Murphy and the staff also have the support of Barlow Principal Rebecca Pembroke, and the also the Barlow school nurse.
The program’s curriculum is based on Connecticut State Education Preschool Frameworks, emphasizing “intentional teaching for children through active engagement, play and multisensory experiences in multi-age classrooms.”
It is designed to prepare students for the state-approved “Common Core” curriculum they will experience in kindergarten.
“It’s in alignment with what they expect kindergarten children to be able to do,” Ms. Murphy said.
The program is designed to help prepare the special needs students for school, but it has a variety of benefits for the peer models.
“It’s important to note that the benefits of early intervention have been part of the research for decades,” said Karen Berasi, director of special education in the Ridgefield Public Schools.
“We know that for kids who receive enrichment, as well as intervention. So both for peer models as well as students with special needs, those students will do better through the elementary years, having had a pre-school education.”
The cost of having a child attend the pre-school as a peer model is $2,000 a year.