Screenings help parents recognize and address possible developmental delays in young children
Downers Grove Grade School District 58 will offer several free preschool and developmental screenings designed to identify young children who might have developmental delays and who would benefit from special education prior to beginning kindergarten. Screenings can also identify children who might be at academic risk due to environmental, cultural or socio-economic factors.
District 58 offers both traditional preschool screenings for children aged 3-5 years, as well as developmental screenings for children birth through 3 years of age. All children must reside within District 58 boundaries to be eligible for a screening.
District 58 highly encourages parents to make a screening appointment if they plan to enroll their child in the District’s Grove Children’s Preschool program. In addition, parents interested in applying for a tuition waiver via the program’s Preschool for All grant are required to have their child complete a preschool screening.
The 2017-18 Stage 2 screenings will take place at Henry Puffer School, 2220 Haddow Ave., from 8-11:30 a.m. on the following days:
- Monday, Sept. 11
- Monday, Oct. 16
- Monday, Nov. 13
- Friday, Jan. 26
- Monday, Feb. 12
- Monday, March 12
- Friday, April 27
To request a screening, please call the District office at 630-719-5800. Grove Children’s Preschool conducts its screening process in a two-stage format:
Stage 1: After parents call the District office to confirm residency and to request a screening, the District will mail home a screening packet. This packet includes a family questionnaire and an Ages and Stages Assessment form. Please complete the packet and mail it to Indian Trail School, 6235 Stonewall Ave., Downers Grove, IL 60516 in the self-addressed stamped envelope provided. A team member will contact the family to discuss their child’s results. If the results indicate further inquiry, children will be requested to participate in Stage 2 of the screening process on one of the above indicated dates.
Stage 2: During this stage, children will be assigned a specific time and date at Henry Puffer School for their participation. Parents must bring the following to the preschool screening: their child’s original birth certificate, a photo ID with current address and two qualifying forms to demonstrate residency. Staff will assess a child's development in the following areas: speech/language, cognitive/pre-academic, self-help/independent living, fine motor, gross motor, vision/hearing and social/emotional/behavior skills. This entire process takes up to 90 minutes, so please plan accordingly.
About Grove Children’s Preschool:
Grove Children's Preschool aims to meet the developmental and individual needs of all children in a safe, inclusive and nurturing environment, while promoting educational success through engaging and collaborative learning experiences.
Grove Children’s Preschool class sessions take place at Henry Puffer and Indian Trail schools in Downers Grove. Parents may enroll their students in a tuition-based four-day-per-week program. The program also waives preschool tuition costs for students who qualify for the Preschool For All grant funding. This grant supports preschoolers who complete a preschool screening that places them at risk for future academic difficulties, due to potential developmental delays or environmental, cultural or socio-economic factors.
Learn more about Grove Children’s Preschool at www.dg58.org/preschool. Media inquiries may be directed to Megan Hewitt, community relations coordinator, at mhewitt@dg58.org or 630-719-5805.