About Our Program
Beliefs:
District 58 believes in providing developmentally-appropriate experiences for preschool children, their families and the community. The goal of the Grove Children’s Preschool program is 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. District 58 believes in encouraging the process of growth through active learning that utilizes the natural motivators, abilities and interests of children.
Goals:
Grove Children’s Preschool aims to have children experience a sense of self-esteem, exhibit a positive attitude toward life, develop friendships and cooperative play skills, increase independence in caring for themselves, expand problem-solving and critical thinking skills, expand verbal communication skills, strengthen concepts needed for reading and writing, improve physical coordination, become life-long learners, and cultivate values and character. For children with special education needs, individualized goals and objectives are addressed through an integrated approach within each preschool classroom.
Welcome to District 58’s Grove Children’s Preschool. Our program is a developmentally appropriate preschool, serving children three, four, and five years of age and their families.
The student body population is made up of children with and without identified disabilities. Preschool age children with disabilities participate in the program as special education students who have a specific educational plan in place to address their unique learning needs. This plan is known as the Individual Education Program or IEP.
A portion of the population participates in the Grove Children’s Preschool program through funding from the Illinois State Board of Education known as the “Preschool For All” grant. These grant funds allow District #58 to provide a designated number of preschool age students with a high-quality educational program that is free of cost to families. Students must be found eligible to participate in the “Preschool For All” program by undergoing a preschool screen.
Another portion of the student population participates in Grove Children’s Preschool as community (tuition) students. The community students participate in a 4 day per week programming.
Preschool Classrooms :
1. Early Childhood Blended Classroom: Preschool classroom that consists of a mix of students that are both general education and special education. This classroom has a maximum of 17/18 students and meets in a morning or afternoon session. One certified classroom teacher and 2 instructional assistants.
2. Early Childhood Special Education: Preschool classroom that consists of student population with special education needs. This classroom has a maximum of 10 students and meets in a morning or afternoon session. One certified classroom teacher and 2 instructional assistants.
3. Early Childhood Extended Day: Preschool classroom that specifically meets the needs of children on the Autism spectrum who have been made eligible for a longer classroom experience. This classroom has a maximum of 10 students and meets from 8:10 a.m. to 1:10 p.m. One certified classroom teacher and 2 classroom assistants. Additional classroom assistants may be added on an as needed basis.
The purpose of our program is to assist families in meeting the developmental needs of children, to promote the educational and social/emotional growth of children, and to provide a safe, secure and nurturing classroom environment.
The program emphasizes the process of growth through active, hands-on experiences.
The program provides high-quality enrichment experiences for our students, as well as activities and educational opportunities for parents and families throughout the year.