Enroll now in MCCSC’s 4-year-old Pre-K Program!

MCCSC’s 4-year-old Pre-K Program:

MCCSC offers Pre-K programs for children in their districted elementary school who turn 4-years-old by August 1. 

Our teachers believe that our youngest learners best succeed through active exploration in an environment that is rich in materials and opportunities to converse, socialize, work, play, and negotiate with peers and teachers.  Our Pre-K program provides learning experiences to encourage curiosity, exploration, problem-solving, and fun in an atmosphere of warmth, affection, and respect for each student.  Teachers strive to get to know each student, and plan curriculum based on their interests in a way that is culturally relevant and appropriate to their developmental ability.

Pre-K students have the opportunity to work individually or collaboratively and are actively involved in daily experiences that include foundational concepts in math, science, social studies, creative art, language arts, music, movement, and dramatic play.  All aspects of their growth and development are considered – intellectual, social, emotional, physical, and creative. 

All MCCSC Pre-K programs are inclusive programs.  We believe that students thrive when they are embraced as full members of the communities they live in, including school.  This means that all students develop, play, and learn together in classrooms, where they have access to and the support required to participate in all aspects of our high-quality Pre-K programs.

Our goals for student’s in MCCSC’s 4-year-old Pre-K program include:

• Building kindergarten-readiness in the developmental areas of language, math, and social-emotional skills
• Developing respect and empathy for themselves and others
• Instilling a sense of flexible thinking to create solutions
• Fostering curiosity and a joy for learning

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our office for assistance.

Early Learning & Out of School Programs

Phone: (812) 330-7702

Email: earlylearning@mccsc.edu

Address: 553 E. Miller Drive

MCCSC Early Learning Discipline/Guidance Policy

The early years of a child’s life are important for the development of foundational learning, including the social-emotional skills that support children getting along with one another, building friendships, and cooperating with other children and adults. Adverse behaviors are typically the result of a child’s misunderstanding of how to accomplish a specific goal in a soically acceptable manner, or a child’s inability to exert control over emotions. In the classroom, we support children’s use of soically acceptable problem-solving skills by:

• Setting up an environment with clearly communicated expectations and rules
• Teaching problem-solving skills
• Actively supporting children’s use of positive problem-solving skills in action
• Acknowledging,labeling, and accepting children’s emotions
• Teaching self-calming strategies
• Re-directing children to appropriate activities

If misbehaviors become extreme, are ongoing, or putting other children or staff in danger, early learning staff will take the following steps to help the child engage safely with others:

1. Meet privately with the child’s family to discus the behavior concerns and to formulate a plan of action to meet the needs of the child.
2. Utilize school/center leadership and/or behavior specialists to observe in the classroom in order to determine the cause/function/triggers for the behavior, and to create an action plan that can be taken to minimize the causes of the behaviors. This action plan will include positive behavior strategies such as modifying the environment, or changing the daily schedule.
3. If the behaviors are thought to be related to a developmental delay or other special need, teachers and families will work together to seek assessment and intervention.

It is the goal of MCCSC to limit or eliminate the use of suspension, expulsion, and other exclusionary measures. Due to the regulatory requirement to maintain specfic child/staff ratios, temporary exclusion may occur if a child requires one-on-one support to maintain safety and offering such support prevents the program from meeting ratio. Permanent exclusion is only considered after all other possible interventions have been exhausted and there is agreement that removal from the program is in the best interest of the child. If it is determined that a child must be permanently excluded from the program, early learning staff will offer assistance to the family in accessing services and alternative placements.

This policy is in compliance with federal and state civil rights laws.