"Together We Grow" Preschool
Where Every Child Is Special
Philosophy
The preschool programs at Wyoming Valley Children’s Association are based on the premise that children learn best from one another, in an environment that is rich with developmentally-appropriate materials and a staff who recognize children’s strengths and weaknesses. We believe that children need hands-on learning experiences every day in order to develop independence, confidence and self-esteem. WVCA’s preschool classes are INCLUSIVE, blending a population of special-needs children with a population of their typically-developing peers.Learning Tools
WVCA provides learning environments that encourage exploration, experimentation and creativity. Structure and “ground rules” are implemented to give children a sense of security and accomplishment.Classrooms are set up to enhance all facets of development – motor, communication, social and cognition.
Adaptations are made for children who have special needs so that they are able to participate in all activities enjoyed by their typically-developing peers.
Individualized Attention
WVCA’s team of teachers and therapists looks at each child individually so that each child can build on his/her strengths and work on improving skills which may be more challenging to the child. Our classrooms maintain a children to staff ratio of no more than 5 to 1 (one adult for every five children) and are staffed by teachers who are certified by the PA State Department of Education.
Children who have Individualized Education Plans (IEP’s) that indicate a need for specialized therapy intervention receive those services as part of their preschool day. Therapeutic Staff Support (TSS) workers are welcomed and assimilated into the WVCA team.
Preschool / Early Intervention Options at WVCA
Montessori Environments
These learning environments are facilitated by Montessori-trained and experienced teachers who coordinate child-directed activities that focus on literacy, number works, phonemic awareness and practical life experiences. Emphasis is placed on learning rules, following directions and working independently.Creative Curriculum
First-time preschool students or children who have greater therapy needs have the option of attending WVCA’s Creative Curriculum classroom which offers a more structured, teacher-directed environment. Goals of this class include easing the transition from home to a center-based setting and learning the basics of preschool such as sharing, turn-taking, following directions, developing imitating skills and learning to play as part of a group.Readiness
The Readiness classroom is a Montessori environment designed for children who exhibit many of the skills necessary for kindergarten, or learning support classes, but have delays in some key areas of development.The focus of this class is on pre-academic skills such as early literacy (phonemic awareness, sight vocabulary and letter recognition) and concept development (numbers, quantities, colors, size and shape texture). Emphasis is placed on multi-step tasks which require focus and attention as well as visual and auditory direction-following. Social, emotional and physical development is also enhanced and monitored.
ABC (Acquiring Basic Communication and Compliance)
WVCA’s ABC classroom is specially-designed for children whose learning is impeded by a lack of attending skills or the inability to focus on a designated task. The majority of children in the ABC class exhibit characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder.The ABC class provides a structured environment in which children develop a functional form of communication and can learn at their own individual pace. The program focuses on communication, sensory integration and cognitive skill development and socialization with other children and adults.
Affiliations/Accreditations
- Licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s State Board of Private Academic Schools
