Parent-Family Services & Resources

In 2004, the Early Childhood Department expanded its birth to three services. A teacher of the deaf certified in early childhood deaf education will be working with the Hartley Family Center and with service providers in other surrounding counties. Additionally, it is our goal to develop workshops and provide consultations for professionals providing services to families who have young children whom are deaf or hard-of-hearing. We will continue to offer a Parent/Play Group. This meeting is open to:

• Families who have young children (0-3) with a hearing loss
• CODA families (0-3)
• KSD's early childhood families
• KSD's lower elementary families
• Surrounding area school district families who have children with a hearing loss in an early childhood program.

While the families are having a meeting in the Early Childhood Office, the children are involved in a playgroup in the Early Childhood center.

Meeting Information
Meetings will be on Fridays from 9:45am - 11:00a.m.

September 4, 18
October 9, 30
November 13, 20
December 4
January 15, 29
February 19
March 5, 26
April 9, 23
May 7

The parents determine topics for the parent group meeting. Topics in the past have included behavior management, learning styles, and making choices. We also include some "fun" craft activities. For more information contact Erin Schuweiler at 913-791-0503 or eschuweiler@ksd.state.ks.us

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 believe that children learn from other children as well as from adults. There are benefits to having peer models who are hearing in the classroom. Children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing are exposed to additional spoken language. Children who are hearing are exposed to American Sign Language. Bilingual hearing siblings of deaf children contribute to a more "communication" accessible home environment.

Additional Services Available

Speech-Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Audiology, Physical Therapy, Shared Reading Project, Deaf Mentoring, Sign Classes