What's New in Pre-K at Mamaroneck Avenue School?
Open House March 17

by Joan R. Simon

(March 2, 2005) Almost all Larchmont and Mamaroneck families who can afford it send their young children to preschool – for socialization, for early education, for fun. During the past forty years, the Mamaroneck Avenue School’s Prekindergarten program has been providing preschool education, mostly for families in the community with financial or special education needs. Recently the program has been enhanced, increasing coordination with the elementary curriculum, expanding inclusion of special education students, and, thanks to a large, private donation, development of an enriched science program.

OPEN HOUSE: MARCH 17: The program is already planning for next year. There will be an open house on Thursday, March 17 for parents of children born in 2001 and 2002 at 9 am, starting in the All Purpose Room of Mamaroneck Avenue School.

At this point, the pre-k program has 110 children, almost all of whom have economic or special needs. Several programs are offered, including a regular pre-k for three and four year olds, a self-contained special needs program, integrated classes which include special needs students in the regular pre-k class, and a TEACCH program for autistic and severely communication-impaired preschoolers. There are both morning and afternoon sessions, at 8:20 – 10:50 am and 12:00 – 2:30 pm and one TEACCH all-day class.

Pre-k social worker Meryl Schaffer explained that the integrated classes are relatively new. “There is a lot of opportunity for inclusion,” she said. MAS Principal Carrie Amon added, “We have inclusion in the kindergarten now modeled on the pre-k program.”

Integrated classes aren’t the only new feature of the pre-k program, according to Mamaroneck Schools Superintendent Dr. Sherry King. “Over the years we have retooled the program in order to try to figure out how we can support children to better prepare them for success when they get into a more academic setting.” She noted that now the pre-k is “very consciously coordinated with the kindergarten program.” Ms. Amon agreed: “I think that our pre-k program is working closely with our kindergarten teachers and we’re looking at kindergarten readiness in the pre-k.” She added, “There‘s a nice relationship between the pre-k and kindergarten program.”

The new pre-k science curriculum, which is part of a $100,000 anonymous grant recently donated to the district (see: Anonymous Donor) will help students “learn tools of observation and recording,” Dr. King explained. “They do it in areas that are absolutely appropriate for preschool like worms and bugs and water tables and blocks and the outdoor environment.” A major goal is to “build a language-rich environment for kids.” She added, “For many of our [pre-k] children it is the need for language whether they come through special education or are second language learners.”

Support for the program comes from both New York State grants and the Mamaroneck school district. Dr. King explained that “the rate of reimbursement from the state has never kept pace with the costs.” As a result, the program was scaled back some years ago. “We wanted to make sure it was our own community children in it,” and not students from other districts, she explained. “By scaling back the size of the program, we could insure that all of the students are our own.”

“The community should really be proud of the program,” Dr. King emphasized. “Long before there was discussion about universal prekindergarten, this community had already made a commitment to our youngest and most needy children.”

MORE INFORMATION: Details on the Prekindergarten programs can be found at their website. Applications are available at the pre-k office located in the lower level of Mamaroneck Avenue School or on the above website. A limited number of spaces in the regular pre-k program are available to over-income families on a wait list basis.

Print This Page--For best results, highlight text, then print selection
Email this article