Preschool Program
Children with special needs benefit from the routines and skills taught in a preschool program. Centennial’s Preschool Program is an integrated program that emphasizes individual programming in an enriched, structured and nurturing atmosphere. Children with special needs and those who are typically developing come together in an educational setting and benefit from the opportunity to learn from one another.
Children entering the program are between the ages of 2 1/2 and 4 years. The program runs weekday mornings from September to June and follows the holidays designated by the public school system. The preschool serves 32 children.
About 20% of the children who attend the preschool program are children who do not have special needs. The ‘typically developing’ children benefit from a curriculum which prepares them for Kindergarten in a nurturing and educational environment. They develop an appreciation for people’s differences and act as role models to the children who have special needs.
Children with special needs attending the preschool benefit from a one-to-one adult/child ratio. Each child has an individual program plan developed by their primary teacher and their parents in consultation with a gross motor coordinator, occupational therapist and speech/language pathologist. The program covers the developmental areas of cognition, communication, self help skills, social, and motor skills. Individual programs are updated regularly, and the goals are implemented every day by the classroom teachers and the child’s volunteer (an individual that works one-to-one with the child).
Curriculum
The preschool boasts a curriculum rich in the exploration of concepts relevant to the lives of young children. The children are introduced to changes that occur in their world as a result of the seasons, holidays, community events and different settings. They expand their understanding of themselves, their families, animals, transportation vehicles and childhood stories. They explore the concepts of colour, size, patterns, sequences, numbers, letters and shapes. The children have opportunities to explore movement and music in a daily music circle enhanced by piano and guitar accompaniment.
A Typical day in the Preschool Program
- 9:15 – 9:25 Arrival
- 9:25 – 9:50 Sensory Activity and Water Play
- 9:50 – 10:15 Gross Motor
- 10:15 – 10:30 Table toys one-on-one with a volunteer
- 10:30 – 10:40 Story Time
- 10:40 – 10:55 Snack Time
- 10:55 – 11:20 Diaper change, free play, tidy-up time
- 11:20 – 11:30 Music circle
- 11:30 – 11:45 Departure
Staff
The preschool staff members include five teachers with backgrounds in child development, early childhood education, elementary school education and special education. They have extensive experience, both personally and professionally, in working with children and their families. The preschool works in collaboration with a team of professionals, including a gross motor coordinator, occupational therapists and speech and language pathologists. They help each family to network and coordinate the appropriate services for their children. They also assist the families in accessing the necessary services and funding to maximize their child’s abilities. The teachers help parents explore future educational settings and work with them to assure a smooth transition into the school system. Centennial is committed to helping parents advocate on their child’s behalf and on behalf of other people who have special needs. Centennial’s Manager of Centre Operations, Kim Clarke, is responsible for the overall management of the Preschool Program. Kim can be reached at: 416-935-0200 x 231
Tuition Fees
Preschool Morning Program: Current fee – $550.00 per month, for the 2011-2012 school year
Applying for Subsidy
Subsidies are available through Toronto Children’s Services – for further information, please refer to: http://www.toronto.ca/children
Transportation
Transportation service is available for the preschool children. Since Centennial is only one of a limited number of specialized preschool programs in the city, our children come from all over Toronto. Without transportation, many families would have great difficulty getting their children to the centre.
Transportation is provided by six vans from Royal Taxi. There is no government funding for this service. In order to maintain the inclusive and equitable philosophy of our program, the Centennial Foundation helps to fund this expense for those unable to pay. Transportation costs have risen significantly over the last few years. Several years ago, it was necessary to implement a fee to cover some of the costs of transportation. The Centennial Foundation continues to subsidize the difference for those not able to pay the full cost.
Currently, the cost of transportation for each child is $450 per month. If families are not in a position to pay the full cost, please speak to Kim Clarke, the Centre Manager, to discuss further.
As well, there are other funding options available for families to assist with transportation costs such as:
• Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities (ACSD) www.children.gov.on.ca
• Presidents Choice Charities www.presidentschoice.ca
• Jennifer Ashleigh Children’s Charity www.jenniferashleigh.ca
• TTC Wheel Trans www.ttc.ca
Some families choose to arrange their own transportation for their children to get to Centennial. This is very helpful as it enables us to transport those children who have no other options.
Preschool Calendar 2011-2012
First Day of School - Wednesday, September 7th, 2011
Thanksgiving – Monday, October 10th, 2011
PD Day – to be announced
Christmas Break – December 26th, 2011 - January 6th, 2012 inclusive
School resumes January 9th, 2012
Family Day – Monday, February 20th, 2012
Mid-Winter Break – March 12th to March 16th, 2012, inclusive.
Good Friday – April 6th, 2012
Easter Monday – April 9th, 2012
PD Day – to be announced
Victoria Day – Monday, May 21st, 2012
Last day of school – Friday, June 15th, 2012
Make a Referral
Children can be placed on the Preschool Program’s waitlist by completing below Preschool Application Form. If you have further questions about our Preschool Program, please contact our Centre Manager, Kim Clarke, at 416-935-0200, ext. 231.