The Tiny Tim Center Developmental Preschool program provides equal educational early childhood experiences to children with and without special needs. The program offers developmentally appropriate early childhood education, early childhood special education, and therapeutic intervention. A highly trained, experienced, and supportive staff provides quality cognitive stimulation, rich language experiences, active motor opportunities, support in developing independence in self-help skills, and daily activities to enhance social-emotional development.
Each class has a mix of children with and without special needs and children are placed in classes based on age. We offer 3 year old classes and 4 year old classes.
Classroom enrollment is small (8-14) with an adult: child ratio of 1:4 - 1:5 (exclusive of therapists). While approximately 50% of Tiny Tim children have an identified disability, another 25% of the children have 'at-risk' factors that may inhibit normal development. The remaining 25% are developing within 'typical' developmental milestones. The cohesiveness of this mix provides valuable experiences for all of our children.
The preschool program is currently using the Creative Curriculum for observation, planning and assessment of student progress.
During the spring of 2008, the developmental preschool program received accreditation through the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). This accreditation is the gold standard for in early childhood accreditation systems. Ten standards and over 400 criteria were reviewed as well as a 2 day on-site from the NAEYC. Standards that were reviewed were in the areas of:
- Positive relationships
- Curriculum
- Effective Teaching approaches
- Ongoing Assessments
- Nutrition and health
- Teaching Staff
- Family
- Community
- Physical Environment
- Administration and High-Quality Experiences
