Schools reaching out to preschoolers

As teachers ready classrooms for a new academic year, parents should know that children as young as 3 can receive the help they need to succeed from the public school system.

There is a growing awareness and effort in Illinois to tailor services to each child's developmental delays or special needs. Sometimes a parent may not see what a professional may because they are with their child every day. A parent living within Lisle Unit District 202 can call Tate Woods Elementary School at (630) 493-8001 to have their child evaluated.

Early childhood education ensures all children have equal access to a preschool education. It provides a child with the help he or she needs to be a successful learner.

"School districts are no longer ignoring young children and we take our responsibility to educate very seriously," said Wesley Gosselink, Tate Woods principal. "What we know from research is that if a child is not a proficient reader by grade three, that most likely they will not have ongoing school success. We are intervening early so all children can be successful."

Within District 202, two programs offer 3- to 5-year-olds half-day school designed for children with developmental delays or disabilities. PRIDE is the at-risk preschool for 40 students and the Early Childhood Classroom is for 20 special-needs students. Each child is evaluated to assess his or her needs by a team of educators and the parents. A child may have a medical diagnosis such as cerebral palsy or Down syndrome, or he or she may be in circumstances that put them at risk for delays.

"We have had children come into the program that did not have any expressive language," said Diane Johnson, an early childhood teacher for 16 years. "By the time they left the program, they were able to speak because of our team intervention."

The team approach at Tate Woods may include occupational therapy, speech and language therapy as well as social work services.

An important part of Johnson's method is that children learn through play. Play is a vital practice for a child. What looks like Johnson's enthusiasm as she's on the floor interacting with each child is actually all her educational training guiding her young student toward the standards she has outlined for each child.

The classroom is an exciting combination of bright colors, beanbag chairs and books. It is a center-based classroom where a child is free to move from one place to another. The sensory table draws children into playing in sand or water. The computer takes a back seat to the popular gathering carpet because a child this age needs more interaction with other children. Playtime is practicing social, physical and cognitive skills that promote a child's healthy growth and development.

The PRIDE special education preschool class is funded by a grant under the umbrella of the state's Preschool for All program, and young students need to meet the program's criteria.

Early childhood special education teacher Jillian Marino combines 3- to 5-year-olds in her class. Parents are an important part of her plan.

"We want to make sure we are not only working with the child, but also with the parent," Marino said. "The parent education and parent involvement is a big part of our program, and we have a parent coordinator who prepares newsletters, workshops and has a lending library for parents."

"This summer, I was able to teach first and second-grade summer school and saw some of my former students," Marino said. "Seeing them read and knowing that they are successful was awesome. They got the support they needed."

The word is getting out that there are opportunities for children before they enter kindergarten, which is traditionally the entry point for children in the public school system.

"I tell parents that special education is not the isolation we once had," said Karen Gordon, director of student services.

Each child has an individual education plan, or IEP, designed to help him or her develop best. Children coming into the classes who have been in Illinois's early intervention programs for children from birth to age 3 will have an individual family service plan, or IFSP. Each plan outlines the services and support a family chooses to receive to help their individual child's needs.

A public awareness campaign called "Look What I Can Do" is reaching out to families, health care professionals and child-care providers to let them k now that early intervention services are available. Early intervention begins from birth or first diagnosis until age 3 and provides specialized education and therapy services for a child to minimize the delays and maximize appropriate development.

As wonderful as these early educational experiences are for children, not all will meet the program criteria.

The preschool teachers remind families that they are the most important teacher for their children. Parents should capitalize on teachable moments with their children.

"Talk to your children and expose them to vocabulary," Johnson said. "In the age of so much technology, take time to talk to each other. In the car, point out stop signs and the word s-t-o-p. Repeat the babbling to a baby taking turns talking. All this helps a child develop."

• Joan Broz writes about Lisle on Mondays in Neighbor. E-mail her at jgbroz@yahoo.com.

Parenting resources

• "Look What I Can Do" Help Me Grow Hotline: (800) 323-4769

• Illinois Star Net, DuPage County Region II: thecenterweb.org/STARNET

• Positive Parenting DuPage: positiveparentingdupage.org or (877) 411-7273

• Illinois Early Childhood Intervention: eiclearinghouse.org (check out the child growth and development charts)

• PACT Inc. for early childhood intervention: pactinc.net or (800) 637-7181

• Illinois Early Learning Project: illinoisearlylearning.org