At the Pennie Z. Davis Child Development Center we will do our best to make reasonable accommodations to our program so that all children can participate. We welcome all children who apply for admission if space is available. If your child has special needs or you have any questions about whether your child will fit into our environment with reasonable accommodations made, please meet with the Director or Assistant Director prior to the beginning of school. Our special needs guidelines are as follows:
Definition
A child with special needs is defined as one whose developmental progress does not fall within the range expected for the child’s chronological age or when development in any of the following areas appears to be atypical: cognitive, speech/language, gross and fine motor, social/emotional, self-help or behavioral.
Procedures
The CDC will attempt to meet the needs of children identified as having special needs in the regular classroom, whenever possible or deemed appropriate. All actions will be at the discretion of the Pennie Z. Davis Child Development Center, Director in consultation with other special needs professionals including:
- A parent interview.
- An observational screening of the child.
- Contact with other professionals involved with the child. (i.e., early intervention program, preschool special needs teachers, and therapists)
- Demonstration that the child has the ability to participate and cooperate as a part of the program for the great majority of the program time with appropriate program modification and support.
The Director will closely monitor a child accepted into the program assessing whether or not the guidelines listed above can be achieved. The CDC staff will assume a proactive role to ensure that a child’s placement within the program is successful and benefits the child.
If, after meeting with the parent(s), observing the child and conferring with the appropriate professionals, it is deemed that the best interests of the children would be served elsewhere, the child may be denied admission or at any time the needs were not being met.
The CDC recognizes that, due to the nature of young children and early childhood development, a child’s special needs may not be identified before the child is enrolled in the our program. As a result, the CDC may be the first to inform a parent that a child requires evaluation by a special needs team or physician for further information regarding development. In such instances, an effort will be made to maintain the child at the CDC and to continue to provide service within the program unless it jeopardizes the health and safety of others in the program.
The Pennie Z. Davis Child Development Center reserves the right, after meeting with the parent(s) and conferring with the evaluating professionals, to refer a child for more intensive or specialized services, or for early intervention or preschool special needs services in the best interest of the child.