Preschool

The Chariho Integrated Preschool Program offers 3, 4 and 5 day programs with both morning and afternoon sessions. The morning sessions begin at 8:45 and end at 11:15. The afternoon sessions begin at 12:40 and end at 3:10. The staff consists of professional teachers who hold certifications in Early Childhood and Special Education and certified classroom teachers assistants. Per Rhode Island Department of Education regulations, each morning or afternoon session has a maximum classroom size of 15 students. Some of the students in the program are students with disabilities who require services from a special educator, speech and language pathologist, occupational therapist, and/or physical therapist. These services may be provided individually and/or in a small group within the classroom. In addition to students with disabilities, the classroom consists of community peers within the Chariho district. A community peer is a student who does not require specially designed instruction and pays a nominal fee to attend the preschool program. Community peers offer modeling in a variety of development areas to support peer-to-peer learning. 

 

Prior to applying to the preschool program, each community peer must complete and pass the Child Outreach Screening. (Please see the Preschool Info and Application attachment below for further information on this process).

 

What does preschool learning look like?

Children in the Chariho Integrated Preschool program participate in circle time, small and large group activities, indoor and outdoor play, and snack time. The classroom environment includes many concrete and enriching materials. The program is tailored to meet the needs of all children. Experiences are provided to encourage active participation, social interaction, language, fine motor skills, and movement. Transportation is not provided for this program.
In 2013, the Rhode Island Department of Education adopted the Rhode Island Early Learning and Development Standards (RIELDS), which drives instruction at the preschool level. The RIELDS consists of 9 domains that represent expectations for young children's learning and growth. These domains are the following: Physical Health and Motor Development, Social and Emotional Development, Language Development, Literacy, Cognitive Development, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and Creative Arts. Please click on the following link to view the entire RIELDS document and to see the learning goals within each of the 9 domains:
Rhode Island Early Learning and Development Standards (RIELDS).