Therapeutic Preschool Program

Our Approach

This center-based program offers teaching and social experiences throughout the day in both naturalistic and structured settings. The Therapeutic Preschool classrooms are designed to enhance a child’s language, cognitive, motor and social development. An Individualized Service Plan (ISP) is developed for each child, focusing on specific developmental and skill-based goals and objectives. Therapeutic interventions also address particular areas of need for the individual child.

Emotional health, communication, and skill building are emphasized throughout every child’s programming. The child’s family is a key part of all interventions and the family is included as an integral part of the treatment team.

• A balanced, whole-child approach
• Emotional health, communication, and skill building are emphasized throughout every child’s programming

• Staff establish a therapeutic relationship with each child and family

• An Individualized Service Plan (ISP) is developed for each child, focusing on specific developmental and skill-based goals and objectives

Classrooms for Children with Autism

Using a 1:1 child-staff ratio and a multi-disciplinary team, these two classrooms for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders offer a full-time (30 hour/week) program that is tailored to individual needs. Each classroom provides a small peer group of 5 -6 children and is comprised of a Special Education Teacher and Certified Educational Technicians. Classroom curriculum blends that of a typical preschool classroom as well as components of relationship and play-based, child-directed, social communication and sensory based approaches.
Classroom staff collaborate at least weekly with occupational and speech therapists and implement interventions within the classroom as prescribed by the individual therapists. Programming emphasizes teaching skills that are most essential for independent functioning in current and future environments.

Areas of focus:

• sensory, medical, and other issues often associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder
• functional communication
• social interaction
• cognitive/pre-academic and self-help skills

Social/Emotional Skill-building Classroom

For children with regulation difficulties in the areas of social, emotional, sensory and/or behavioral development, this classroom provides a 2:1 child-staff ratio for a small peer group of about eight children. The classroom environment, daily routine and learning activities are organized to foster social interaction skills as well as pre-academic/cognitive development. Classroom staff give particular attention to individualized sensory and behavioral needs in order to maximize successful participation in a structured learning environment.

Led by a Special Education teacher and Certified Educational Technicians, the classroom curriculum specializes in:

• identifying, processing and managing emotions
• conflict resolution
• learning and practicing coping strategies
• maintaining positive peer relationships

The needs of each child are met through individualized behavior management plans that are based on proactive and positive reinforcement models. Classroom staff also collaborate weekly with occupational and speech therapists and implement interventions within the classroom as prescribed by individual therapists.

A licensed clinician is an integral part of the treatment team who provides:

• individual play based counseling to children
• training to parents
• works closely with classroom staff and families to increase home-school collaboration
  
• ensures sharing and carry-over of successful strategies in both home and school environments.