SNP is a Special Needs Preschool Program that is based in elementary schools
and funded through local, state, and federal funding. The program is
legislated by federal law (IDEA) to provide services to students who are age
3-5 years old, and qualify based on specific eligibility criteria for
developmental delays or disabilities.
Tritt's Special Needs Prsechool Program provides an instructional approach to
teaching children based on an integration of the NAEYC's guidelines for
Developmentally Appropriate Practice, combined with an Early Childhood
Special Education approach. We offer activity-based interventions that are
structured from Georgia Pre-K Standards and use research based methods for
individualizing our teaching approach.
With this approach, the cirriculum is designed to meet the needs of each
child, rather than using a pre-set cirriculum that a child must fit into. We
teach based on the child's developmental needs, rather than on their age, and
are able to incorporate a child's preferred mode of learning and cultural
preferences.
Guidelines used in our instructional approach include: using an
environmentally based cirriculum/approach that meets the diverse needs of
preschool children with developmental delays and disabilities, a high staff
to child ratio, a balance of whole group, small group, and individual
teaching, and ongoing evaluation of a student's challenges and progress.
In an activity based approach, multiple learning opportunities are embedded
into classroom activities. Research shows that activity-based interventions
assist young children who have or are at risk for disabilities to generalize
developmental and educational goals, and encourage the development of
meaningful and functional skills. Our program offers opportunities for
facilitated play and exploration, which are essential components that act as
a vehicle for a child's social, emotional, and cognitive development. The use
of these instructional guidelines promotes the development of knowledege, the
understanding of processes and skills, and the ability to apply these skills.
Our aim is to provide for all areas of a child's development: physical,
cognitive, and emotional. To do this, we use a multi-disciplinary approach to
develop individualized education plans based on a collaborative input from
parents, teachers, and related therapists. These plans are the basis for our
focus of instruction for each child, and they are used on an ongoing basis to
evaluate a child's progress and their potential need for additional or
revised goals.
If you feel your child may need services, please contact the Cobb County
School district Special Student Services office, which is listed on the
district website (click on the schoolhouse on main page to access, or type in
www.cobbk12.org)
