2008-2009 Annual Report - Kennedy Child Study Center

Specialized programs at the Kennedy Child StudyCenter are designed for very young children whohave a developmental disability or for children whomay be suspected of having a developmental delay.Children range in age from 18-months-old to three-yearsoldin our Early Intervention programs, and from age threeto five-years-old in our therapeutic Special EducationPreschool programs.Over the years the need for specialized programsand services such as the kind provided by theKennedy Child Study Center has increased dramatically.In response to this growing need we opened asecond Preschool site in the Bronx in 2008. We alsoallocated additional classrooms over the past year andexpect to open more classes during 2009-2010.Comprehensive Services at the CenterA highly trained team of teachers, therapists, social workers, healthprofessionals and classroom assistants participates in the assessmentof each child and the development of services that address his or herindividual needs. Some of the services and programs provided byKennedy include: information, advice and referrals comprehensive evaluation special early childhood education speech, occupational, and physical therapy nursing parent counseling and training psychological testing service coordination and respite music, art and supervised play“Thank you for including [my son]in your Respite program .... Thank youfor all your hard work during the years onbehalf of my son and for your support, advice,and encouragement you have given me.You really embody what “Family Support” isall about.Mother of a Preschool boy (2008)Therapeutic Preschool and Early InterventionChildren attending our programs experience a safe, nurturing childcenteredenvironment with many stimulating opportunities to exploreand learn. Our teachershave been influenced byprominent educators,such as John Dewey,Maria Montessori, andHoward Gardner.Daily classroom activitiesspan singing, reading, painting,and cooking to dramaticplay, story time andcircle time.All teachers, therapists,and support staff use developmentally appropriate learning materialsand provide children with hands-on activities to help them overcomechallenges and develop the necessary skills for academic success.Early Intervention is a daily, two-hour center-based program. Lastyear, there were 11 Early Intervention classes, with 12 children in each.Because a child moves to Preschool when he or she turns threeyears-old,we served 185 children during the school year.Each Early Intervention class has a Master’s level teacher and oneassistant teacher. Children younger than two years of age attend thisprogram with a parent or caregiver.Our Special Education Preschool is a daily, five-hour program. Lastyear there were 35 Preschool classes in Manhattan and the Bronx.Depending on the special needs of the individual child, some classeshad only eight children while other classes had 12 children in a class.