Preschool
At the preschool level, Dedham Public Schools offers an Integrated/Inclusive Preschool Program that provides services to students who are developing typically and students with delays across the developmental spectrum. A more intensive, substantially separate preschool program (PAL), alongside an integrated therapy model, is also offered. All curriculum follows the Massachusetts Early Childhood Learning Guidelines.
The goals of the preschool programs are to meet the cognitive, learning, developmental, social, emotional and behavioral goals of students, ages 3, 4 and 5, with special needs.
Visit our Special Education pages to learn more about the Services model of our PreSchool Program
Curriculum
The core curriculum of the preschool program is Tools of the Mind. Tools of the Mind is a research-based early childhood curriculum combining teacher professional development with a comprehensive innovative methodology that helps young children to develop the cognitive, social-emotional, self-regulatory, and foundational academic skills they need to succeed in school and beyond.
In a Tools PreK classroom, a play theme unifies the room. The year begins with adaptable play themes close to children’s lives, and over the course of the year, as children’s levels of make-believe play, self-regulation and executive functions develop, the play themes develop as well. Play Planning is a good example of the Tools approach to designing activities to develop foundational executive functions and self-regulation skills, at the same time as core academic skills are developed. Tools activities, like Play Planning, are multi-level, designed to challenge and support each child at his own level. Children who are developing typically and those who have special needs are engaged in the same activity, performing at a challenge level appropriate to each child.
Assessment
Students in the preschool program participate in the TS Gold assessment system. Formative assessment is Embedded in everyday interactions, so it becomes an organic part of the teaching day.