Wapakoneta City Schools' Preschool is a child-centered program and is devoted to meeting each child's unique needs. The program serves students eligible for special services as well as typically developing 3-, 4- and 5-year old children.

Wapakoneta City Schools' Preschool is a developmental program rather than an academic one. We believe that children learn by PROCESS; which is learning through play and working with the things and people in their environment. We seek to provide a safe, nurturing environment which encourages the children to make choices, ask questions, explore, share ideas, solve problems, and experiment without fear of failure. We try to provide experiences that will help children feel good about themselves and confident about their abilities. We attempt to provide activities that will assist children as they grow to their full potential.

Children learn best through selected play activities that are appropriate for each child's age and developmental level. Skills are integrated across activities. The teacher serves as facilitator to guide the children in their interactions with the varied learning opportunities. Activities are primarily child-oriented and child-directed.

It is strongly believed that family involvement is critical to a child's academic growth. Parents are partners in the development and provision of learning situations.

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Our program primary exist to provide services for students with disabilities. Intervention services or Individualized Education Program (IEP) are tailored to meet the individual needs of the child. students who have special needs in one of the following developmental areas based on the state and federal guidelines: Language, Cognition, Motor Skills, Adaptive Behavior and Social-emotional development. To receive preschool services as a student with a disability, children must be identified through a thorough evaluation prior to placement. There is no tuition for preschool services for students that are identified as having a disability,. Transportation for special needs students is provided. Our preschool is supported by a team of highly qualified and licensed/certified professionals, which may include a teacher, paraeducators, occupational therapist, speech and language pathologist, and physical therapist as deemed appropriate by an IEP team.

We offer two types of preschool service models: Classroom Based and Itinerant

Classroom Based

Students with disabilities whose parents elect to register them to attend preschool in one of the preschool classrooms in our elementary buildings are considered classroom based. Students attend class 4 days per week, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday in 1/2-day sessions. All services, designated in the IEP, are provided with the student is at preschool. There is no tuition for attending our classrooms, however, there is a snack fee.

Itinerant

For students that need early intervention services but will not attend our classroom setting, itinerant preschool special education services are available to assist children in their home, preschool or childcare setting. Our staff will work collaboratively with district personnel and families to support transition planning and develop and implement Individualized Education Program goals designed to meet the unique needs of preschoolers with a disability. Services are provided in the child's natural setting by a certified Early Childhood Intervention Specialist at a minimum of four hours per month.

TYPICALLY DEVELOPING STUDENTS

Students with disabilities benefit from small group instruction in a supportive environment that includes interacting with typically-developing preschool peer models. Typically-developing peer models are accepted on a limited basis. Typically developing students may attend small group sessions for speech, small motor development and large motor development, alongside their peers with disabilies. Tuition for typically-developing students is $175 per month. Due to a grant from the Ohio Department of Education, we are able to provide reduced tuition that is income sensitive for those that qualify. Transportation for typically-developing students is available if the student can board a bus at an established bus stop.