The Duxbury Integrated Preschool is a language-based, developmental preschool program where children with and without special educational needs learn together in a play-oriented setting. Typically, in an integrated program, the non-special needs students are role models for the children with identified special needs. The integration of the children appears to quicken the child's progress with identified special needs in many areas of development, including language, social/emotional, and self-help skills. Children without special needs learn quickly in a developmentally appropriate environment and are more likely to develop positive attitudes about children with special needs.

Most therapies are integrated into the classroom setting. This maximizes the child’s ability to generalize the skills he/she has acquired alongside his/her peers within a classroom environment. Teachers and therapists share their responsibility and knowledge in providing services for the children. Programming is based on the development of each child as a whole person, and we have found that this is the best, most natural approach.

Through a developmental teaching approach, the program accepts each child at his/her own level of development and allows each child to grow at his/her own rate. This enables each child to achieve success, thus fostering self-esteem. Most activities are process rather than “product-oriented,” allowing the children to manipulate and explore a variety of materials. These activities can be child-initiated or teacher-directed, offering the child a wide range of learning opportunities.     

Class Schedule

Calendar- Except for opening and closing dates, we follow the Duxbury Public Schools calendar: school vacations, holidays, early release days (affect PM class), and professional development days. During the winter months, if the school system is closed due to inclement weather, the preschool also will be closed.

Starting Dates- The preschool will typically start on a similar schedule as the rest of the Chandler Elementary School and will end towards the middle of June.  Before the start of school in September, families will be invited to a Welcome Day to visit their child’s classroom, meet their teacher, and meet new friends.  

Session Information- All of our integrated preschool classrooms run for a two-and-a-half-hour day, with both morning and afternoon sessions.  Each year, the program structure is modified based on the needs of the children serviced.  We will have morning and afternoon sessions of a 4 half-day (M, T, TH, F) program.  Our classrooms are mixed age groupings, with three and four-year-old students participating.   

Tuition

Typically-developing peers pay the following tuition:        

$3,108 a year for four half-days a week

A tuition deposit ($300) is collected in the Spring before the enrollment year.   This deposit is applied to June's tuition.  The remaining tuition can be paid in full or monthly payments of $312 (September to May).  

Special Needs Screenings

The staff of the Integrated Preschool conducts screenings throughout the school year to determine whether students should be evaluated for special needs.  Screenings can occur in the areas of early learning, speech and language, occupational therapy, or physical therapy. One full day is designated for these screenings in the Fall and Spring.  If you have any questions regarding the screening or would like to request a preschool special needs screening, call 781-934-7680, Option 3.

Enrollment Process

Continued Enrollment- Children currently enrolled in the program will complete renewal registration forms sent home in January to indicate whether they would like to continue for the upcoming school year. 

New Enrollment Process-  In an integrated preschool program, a certain number of spaces are available for children whose development has been progressing as expected (i.e. families do not have any early learning, speech, or motor concerns for their child).  If you want to learn more about our program and the enrollment process, please join us for our Open House in January 2024 (January 26, 2024).   An Enrollment Page will be live on the website in the winter, with detailed information about the program and the application and enrollment process—applications for typically developing peer spaces will become available in January.  A limited number of peer model spaces are available each year.  A lottery will be held if the number of applications exceeds the number of available spaces.  Students chosen by lottery will participate in an age-appropriate educational screening (mid-February).  

Entrance Age- To be eligible for admission, children must be three or four years old on or before September 1 of the entry year.  

Notification- Families will be notified in writing in March about the status of their child’s enrollment in the program.  We aim to accommodate schedule preferences as best we can, though this is not always possible.  When not all applicants are offered spaces in the program, a waiting list will be maintained and families will be contacted when a space becomes available.  

Registration

Once you have received your acceptance letter into the program, families complete an Enrollment Agreement and pay one month’s deposit to reserve their child’s space.  Families then must register their student with the Duxbury Public Schools by completing an online DPS Registration.  The Registration process includes showing an official birth certificate, demonstrating proof of residency, a physician report verifying immunizations are up to date, registration forms, a language survey, and contact information. 

Should you have any questions regarding the Integrated Preschool, please call us at 781-934-7680, Option 3.  We look forward to working with you and your child!