River Forest School District is pleased to announce the opening of a Blended Preschool Program. This program will be available to River Forest residents in the 2016 - 2017 school year, and will be housed at Willard Elementary School for all qualifying District 90 students.
This will be the first year of inclusive preschool programming for qualifying students ages 3, 4 and 5 in District 90.
One afternoon multi-age session is currently being offered. The goal of the preschool is to provide students with a positive, nurturing environment that fosters social, emotional, physical and cognitive growth and development. The staff will consist of a teacher who is certified in early childhood education and special education, two teacher assistants, and related service providers. The classroom will be made up of 3, 4, and 5 year old students who will work and play in the blended classroom with students of all abilities. There will be no more than 15 students in the class. All of the students' diverse learning needs will be met by having a low student-to-teacher ratio, which provides opportunities for individual and small group attention.
The afternoon session at Willard will run from 12:20 p.m. - 3:00 p.m., four days a week (Monday - Thursday). The program will include a blend of community students from River Forest as well as District 90's Early Childhood Education Program. The fee for the program is $160.00/month (for 4 days per week).
Upon entering the Blended Preschool Program, all students will be required to have a physical exam and show proof of required immunizations. This is in accordance with State of Illinois requirements. Community students should be toilet trained by September 1, 2016 in order to attend.
Research has shown that there are factors that can put children at risk for academic failure later on in schooling if not intervened with early learning opportunities. This program allows for young children to have access to an environment, materials and curriculum to help them get ready for kindergarten. Students who are "at risk" in a developmental area will be given an opportunity to enroll first. Registration will then be open to all through a lottery system. Application to the Blended Preschool Program.
If you are interested in this program, and your child will be between 3 and 5 years of age (and not age-eligible for kindergarten) by September 1, 2016, please call Karen Boozell at 708-771-8282. Enrollment is limited