Preschool
Integrated Preschool Program Overview
The Waynesville Preschool Program is designed to meet the diverse needs of all students by creating an engaging community of learners ages 3 to 5 years old. Classes of no more than 16 students are composed of children with a wide range of abilities including children who are peer models and children with identified special needs. Additionally, we offer itinerant services for children who need support in the home environment or in a public/private community-based setting, or at the service provider location at Waynesville Elementary.
A team teaching model is implemented in the integrated preschool classrooms. The education team includes a special education/early childhood teacher and a teaching assistant. Related Service personnel working in the classroom may include Speech and Language Pathologist, Vision Specialist, Occupational Therapist, Physical Therapist, Itinerant Teacher, or School Psychologist.
As children turn age 3 and become eligible for services administered by the school district, they will enter the preschool special needs screening process. The screening team will observe and assess children if there is a suspicion of a disability. The team will compile an Evaluation Team Report (ETR) and decide if a student qualifies for services based on the measures and observations noted in the ETR. The child’s least restrictive environment will be of the utmost importance in the process of delivering special education services. This ranges from itinerant services to the four-day-a-week preschool program.
The Waynesville Preschool Program uses an online application system for Peer Model acceptance into the Preschool Program. Acceptance is based on the order in which the online applications have been completed. Peer Model Tuition is $2,700 for the 2025-2026 school year. Upon acceptance into the Preschool program, a $70 non-refundable deposit for processing the registration papers and holding the student’s spot is required (due at the time of the enrollment meeting). Tuition is charged in monthly installments. Tuition is $2,700 for the school year, or $300 per month (September through May). Parents/Guardians are required to sign the Preschool Tuition Agreement, accepting financial commitment for the entire school year.
Peer model paperwork includes a copy of the birth certificate, copy of parent/guardian driver’s license, and a copy of proof of residency. Also, a registration card and intake questionnaire must be filled out completely. Children will be admitted as their packets are turned in according to chronological order. Returning students will receive preference for the upcoming school year.
Peer Models are required to meet the following criteria:
- The child will be 3 years old on or before June 30th.
- The child is completely potty trained (wears underwear and does not have daytime accidents).
- The child can follow rules and routines and can attend to activities for approximately 5 minutes.
- The child can play with a variety of toys appropriately and can play beside and/or with other children while sharing the same bin of toys.
Program Philosophy
The Waynesville Preschool Program is rooted in developmentally appropriate practices and children's individual needs, focusing on their social, emotional, cognitive, and physical growth as they progress through the different developmental stages. Preschool programming is designed to meet these needs, with child-directed, teacher-supported exploration allowing each child to construct knowledge at their developmental level and pace. Trust, social interaction, and play form the foundation for children to develop problem-solving skills, language, and self-esteem.
We recognize the importance of close collaboration with families and see family involvement as vital to the preschool learning process. We encourage family members to actively participate in the classroom and view communication between home and school as the key to a great education. Parents/Guardians are partners in preschool education, and together, we can create a foundation for lifelong learning.
Our multi-age preschool program follows a sequential curriculum that integrates typically developing children and children with disabilities. Preschool children engage in varied experiences that foster social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development. The curriculum is an organized framework guiding developmentally appropriate practices that support children’s success through active learning, with teachers playing a key role in helping children achieve goals.
The Waynesville Preschool Program is shaped by the belief that all children can learn, relationships are influential, communication is critical, and the environment matters. Preschool educators design meaningful curricula and learning experiences based on the understanding that young children learn by doing. Teaching methods are tailored to match each child’s learning style and level, with individual objectives embedded in play. Daily routines are facilitated by observant, responsive adults who recognize each child as unique, growing, and developing at their own pace.
Goals and Beliefs
The primary goals and beliefs of the Waynesville Preschool Program are:
- Provide an environment that respects children
- Learning occurs in different ways, depending on abilities, readiness, and interests
- Learning requires inclusion of reading, writing, numeracy, and digital literacy in all content areas
- Offer opportunities for children’s active exploration of their environment through play
- Facilitate and encourage the construction of knowledge within an integrated curriculum.
- Model and promote opportunities for small and large motor activities that stimulate cognition, communication, self-help skills, pre-academics, social and emotional development
- Maintain confidentiality surrounding children and their families
- Create, build, and strengthen the relationship between family and school
- Learning requires active and social collaboration and interaction
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