Early Childhood
Enrollment Eligibility
Eligibility for placement at the Early Childhood Center at KSD is determined through the Individual Education Program (IEP) process. First, parents must contact the school district in which they reside, often referred to as the Local Education Agency (LEA). An IEP team, comprised of parents and school personnel, will determine placement of the child based on special education and related services needs of the child. If placement at KSD is being considered, the Director of Admissions from KSD will be contacted so that school personnel from the Early Childhood team at KSD can attend the IEP meeting as well.Philosophy
In the Early Childhood Center, we believe that children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and their families have the right to services that provide early language acquisition. We recognize that FAMILIES are our children's first teachers and that we (school and families) are partners in early education. We emphasize a bilingual philosophy in which acquisition of both the English language and American Sign Language are encouraged.Goals
The child will develop:- A primary language through natural acquisition in a visual environment similar to language acquisition in an auditory environment.
- A second language acquired through natural and instructional methods that connects the primary language with second language learning and literacy achievement.
- The kinds of cognitive knowledge needed to succeed in the elementary grades.
- The social and emotional intelligence to interact with children and adults of all ages and cultures.
Curriculum
The Early Childhood Center utilizes a developmentally appropriate curriculum to serve the age span of children within each group and with respect to different needs, interests, and developmental levels of those individual children. Our program is based on the High/Scope Curriculum, which effectively combines sound educational theory with developmentally appropriate experiences. The cornerstone of High/Scope's early childhood curriculum is active learning composed of personal, hands-on experiences. The curriculum is designed to promote the development of physical, social, emotional, and cognitive skills. A bilingual communication philosophy is used based on the model from the Star Schools Project for the acquisition of both English and American Sign Language. Assessment procedures are based on the Child Observation Record (COR) from High/Scope, bilingual checklists, and literacy and communication observations.
Peer Model Program
We are excited to announce that time has arrived for interested families to apply for their hearing child's enrollment in our Early Childhood program as a peer model. Our program offers a developmentally appropriate and bilingual early childhood program for children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. We believe that children learn from other children as well as from adults.The inclusion of early childhood peers who are hearing benefits both groups. Children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing are exposed to additional spoken language. Children who are hearing are exposed to additional American Sign Language. Peer models will also learn and gain their own preschool skills while in our Early Childhood program. The classroom ratio is four deaf/hard-of-hearing children to one hearing peer.
Peer models are also selected by the following criteria:
- Peer model children have older sibling(s) attending KSD.
- Peer model children pass all portions of a developmental screening given by their local school district and supply a copy before being scheduled for the 3-day observation.
- Peer model children obtain an average score of 3 or above in the areas of Initiative, Social Relations, and Language & Literacy as measured by the Child Observation Record (COR). The COR will be done by the KSD Early Childhood Team.
- An annual pure tone hearing screening by your local school district or KSD will be required.
- Peer model children must be toilet-trained before they can enter the program.
- Peer model children are at least three and a half years old by September 1st.
Additional Services Available
Speech-Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Audiology, Physical Therapy, Shared Reading Project, Deaf Mentoring, Sign Classes
