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PROGRAMS AND SERVICES |
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The Birth to Three program provides
special services for children from birth to three years with
significant delays in one of the following areas of development: motor,
cognitive, social, adaptive, or communication. Services may be
provided in the home or center depending on the needs of the
family and age of the child. Parents are an integral and valuable part of our
program.
Parent participation in classroom, home visits, and meetings are
encouraged to help us understand the need, concerns, and desires
of the family. Parents and staff develop an Individual Family
Service Plan (IFSP) to address the families concerns and child’s
needs. Each family chooses a Family Resources Coordinator
to help families coordinate services for their child. The
FRC also helps with the transition to preschool services
available through the child’s local school district.
The SPARC Preschool program serves the
Mount Vernon School District’s preschool children with
developmental delays. Our main preschool building is
housed behind LaVenture Middle School next to the Boys and Girls
Club. The classroom program
consists of daily learning activities for the development
of physical, self-help, social, academic, and communication
skills. Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and
speech/language therapy are provided within or outside of the
classroom as needed. Preschoolers are also integrated into Headstart
programs where they participate with non-disabled peers. An instructional assistant
is provided by SPARC to help with cognitive goals. Children also receive their therapy services
at their Headstart. Our children with autism participate
in the STARS program, which is designed specifically for their
special needs. The program is more intense and utilizes
visual teaching strategies to maximize their progress.
The Neurodevelopmental Program offers
therapy services for children who have neurodevelopmental
disabilities such as cerebral palsy, developmental delay, and
other neurological disorders. Individual therapies
are provided. Children from birth through 12 years old are
eligible for this program. Speech therapy, occupational
therapy, and physical therapy are available.
Support
for the parents of SPARC children is provided in a variety of
ways. Parents of children under the age of three are given Home
Visits so that their child can obtain special education and
therapy services in the least restrictive environment, while at
the same time the parents learn how to help and support their
special child. Throughout the year SPARC hosts Parent Meetings
during which parents support each other and receive information
and education from the professional staff. Parents Night Out
provides childcare which is often difficult to find, to give
parents a respite time. Parent to Parent peer mentoring and
support groups meet monthly on a variety of topics.
“Assistive
Technology” is any service that assists an individual with a
disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of a device
that can be used to increase, maintain, or improve functional
capabilities of that individual. At SPARC our vision for this
program is to provide services and devices to children in order
for them to be active participants in their education. The
SPARC Assistive Technology program provides children with
disabilities the opportunity to access the same curriculum as
children in general education, allows for increased
communication, promotes independence with daily living
activities, enhances their capabilities, expands play and
learning, provides opportunities to demonstrate what they know
and can do, and removes barriers.
Click here for SPARCKIDS Assistive
Technology Website |
