Sonoma preschool receives grant for special-ed training

Sassarini in pilot and there are plans to add El Verano and Prestwood next year.|

Sonoma Valley preschools are participating in a state grant program, run out of the Sonoma County Office of Education, that provides support to preschool classroom teachers so that they can better meet the needs of the special education students in their early learning classrooms.

Susan Langer, director of both the district’s preschool and its special education programs, wrote the grant proposal and is overseeing the national program locally.

Preschool inclusion - meaning that students with special needs have the chance to learn alongside their peers - is new in Sonoma Valley. But inclusion across all grades is the big goal for Langer.

Education research shows that special education students will be more successful if they are fully included in general education classrooms, beginning in preschool.

“It is a more natural environment for learning,” said Langer. But she explained that ensuring its success is a lot of work.

“My vision for special education is for our general classroom teachers to have the support and training they need to run successful full-inclusion classrooms,” she explained. “We think inclusion classrooms are good for all students.”

Parent Clementina Cano Mendoza said that she initially felt insecure knowing that her son was going to be surrounded by a lot of people, since he seemed to like to play on his own, but that the transition has been smooth.

“Today I see him adapt to situations that were previously impossible for him to participate in,” she said. “With this program I have observed an enormous progress in his life. Today I see him playing with his peers, sharing toys, taking turns and participating in many other activities. Today I hear him say a complete sentence. There is still a long way to go but I know that if he continues in this type of program, he can be independent at any time.”

Sassarini Elementary School is piloting the preschool program right now and Langer’s hope is to expand it to El Verano and Prestwood preschools next year.

The “embedded instruction” grant pays for a coach who visits the Sassarini preschool classroom monthly to videotape the teacher in action. Langer said that the coaching is really unique.

“Teachers rarely get videotaped and rarely get provided with this, very specific, kind of feedback,” she said.

The grant also covers weekly visits from a special education specialist, who works with the teacher to develop a plan to meet the learning goals of the special education students. The total grant is almost $100,000 per year but it is shared by several county campuses.

“Teachers get the time they need to review student goals and to make lesson plans that will help meet those goals,” said Langer.

Dani Szele said that she was excited when Langer asked her if she would like for her daughter to participate in the program.

“As a special-needs family we face many challenges that families with typically developed children don’t ever have to think about; however with programs such as this one, Stella has had the opportunity to learn, grow, teach and share with her peers,” said Szele. “The inclusion program not only helps the special needs child but their peers, who learn that it is not our differences that divide us, and when we open our minds, great things can happen.”

“Our daughter tells us daily how she has so many friends, and how all of her classmates treat her so nicely,” said Szele. “Her friends are able look past her disability, and see her for the sweet, smart, and playful girl that she is.”

According to the state Department of Education, “California envisions general education and special education working together seamlessly as one system that is designed to address the needs of all students – as soon as those needs are apparent.”

This year there are 24 students in Sassarini’s preschool class and two are specifically part of the embedded instruction pilot program.

The students attend Sassarini preschool five days a week for four hours a day.

“Our family is extremely grateful to have resources and programs such as this one, which will pave the road not only for our daughter’s success, but also work toward creating a culture of acceptance,” said Szele.

Contact Lorna at ourschools@sonomanews.com.

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