The Amherst Regional High School Preschool is currently enrolling children for September 2008. As part of the Family and Consumer Science Department we offer an elective class in Child Development for high school students during two or three high school class periods per day.
We offer a comprehensive early childhood program with developmentally appropriate early childhood curriculum including literacy, math, art, science and drama activities. Early literacy is an important component of our program. Each child has a writing journal. Working one on one with high school students, preschool children dictate stories and practice writing letters and words. We often act out the children’s stories with the author directing and choosing the players.
The high school students spend time in the preschool classroom, taking turns planning activities for children. They also meet weekly in a seminar format to discuss readings in early childhood education, educational theorists, language development, imaginative play and other topics related to preschool children.
The larger high school community is a rich environment for learning. For example English classes perform plays for us, we all take part in the Asian week fashion show, we attend sports events and we visit the auto mechanics class.
As a laboratory school for Child Study classes it is important for families to know that our classroom gets quite busy when our “high school friends” are working and learning in the preschool. Children thrive in our program and the relationships that develop between high school and preschool students are at the heart of our program. However some children may not be as secure in this stimulating classroom.
The decision to enroll must be made carefully to insure each child’s success. Before final acceptance children are invited to spend a morning in the program. Parent communication is essential in early childhood programs and as such we will work closely with families to support the transition into the preschool. We consider the first two weeks of school to encompass this “transition period”. During the transition period we reserve the right to deny admittance if we feel that the child is not ready for our preschool program. We require children to be 3 years old and toilet trained before enrolling inour program.
We look forward to receiving applications for September 2008. We will provide up to five reduced fee slots for families who meet the federal income requirements for reduced lunch or free lunch programs. Children may be enrolled for three, four or five full days. We do not offer a half day option. We are committed to building a diverse and gender balanced preschool community.
If you are interested in applying for September 2008 please print out the attached enrollment application and return it to me by email to pedevillanod@arps.org, by regular mail, or to the High School Main Office.
Dolly E. Pedevillano, Ed.D
Preschool Coordinator / Child Study teacher