Update: Organizers have announced that Flourishing First Steps, with programming scheduled for two age groups, beginning Monday, Oct. 2, has filled. A registration period for the next session, scheduled to begin Monday, Oct. 30, will open Monday, Oct. 16.
The School District of Fort Atkinson has announced that it will be offering programming for preschool-aged children through several three-week sessions beginning this fall.
The enrichment sessions are designed to help a full range of young learners, ages birth to 4, begin a journey in development and “thrive,” according to information released by the district.
Programming is free and open to “any child in any town,” according to program coordinator Molly Fuller, who also serves part-time as a special education aide at Purdy Elementary School.
“These enrichment sessions will offer parents/caregivers and children the opportunity to learn a multitude of things through peer interaction, free play, sensory/art activities, and literacy. Children will have the opportunity to strengthen their skills through exploration, discovery, and creative experiences,” Fuller wrote in a recent email introducing the program.
“Parents/Caregivers will have the opportunity to not only learn new and exciting ways to interact with their child/children during these sessions, but will be able to ask questions of our early childhood staff about developmental milestones,” she wrote.
According to Fuller, session curriculum is developed by Purdy Elementary School Early Childhood Special Education teacher Beth Nelson, with classroom participation facilitated by both Fuller and Nelson.
As outlined in the district’s release, the program will divide children into two age groups to better able young participates to interact with peers.
A first group, called “Itty Bitty Pre-K,” will include children ages birth to 24 months old. A second group, called “Mini Pre-K” will include children 25 months old to age 4.
Each group will be offered sessions in three-week intervals throughout the school year, the release stated.
Sessions will be offered within each interval on Mondays and Wednesdays, between 9 and 9:45 a.m. for Itty Bitty Pre-K learners, and between 10 and 11 a.m. for Mini Pre-K learners.
Registration for Flourishing First Steps will open Monday, Sept.11.
A list of sessions that have already been planned include:
• Session 1: Monday, Oct. 2 through Wednesday, Oct. 18, topic: “Marvelous Me.”
• Session 2: Monday, Oct. 30 through Wednesday, Nov. 15, topic: “Total Transportation.”
• Session 3: Monday, Nov. 27 through Wednesday, Dec. 13, topic: “Exploring My Senses.”
Spring session dates will become available in December, according to the release.
Parents and caregivers may register their children by using the following link: fortschools.org/firststeps.
As each new session becomes available, registration will open on the last week of the previous session.
All sessions will be held at Purdy Elementary School, 719 S. Main St., Fort Atkinson.
The program requires that a parent or caregiver remains in the room with their child/children for the duration of each session.
For more information about the program, contact Fuller by email: firststeps@fortschools.org.
Children engage with a sensory exploration table in the Early Childhood classroom at Purdy Elementary School. According to Flourishing First Steps program coordinator Molly Fuller, the table allows young children to explore sensations by touching materials that each feel different. She offered sand, rocks and beans as examples of items that offer children the opportunity to explore new feelings through touch.
A child refines fine motor skills by using a magnetic pen to manipulate items on a letter board. Art and play are among tools used by Flourishing First Steps program co-facilitators Molly Fuller and Beth Nelson. The program, which is new this school year, will be offered at the School District of Fort Atkinson’s Purdy Elementary School and is open to children, ages birth to 4, from “any town,” Fuller said.
Contributed photos.
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