Placement in the Martin J. Gottlieb Day School Kindergarten is subject to a child’s clear demonstration of Kindergarten Readiness Skills and requires mutual agreement of the Pre-Kindergarten Teacher, Admissions Director, and the family. All parties must acknowledge and agree upon an “optimal fit” between an individual child’s needs and the program’s curriculum and objectives. In certain cases, families interested in the Martin J. Gottlieb Day School’s Kindergarten program will be asked to participate in a pre-enrollment screening process to evaluate developmental readiness. This process is intended to ensure that the class can meet the needs of each child enrolled.
Procedure:
The “Kindergarten Screening” process begins with a Family Pre-enrollment Interview between the parent (or guardian) and the Kindergarten Teacher and/or Admissions Director. This interview provides parents with an opportunity to share information about their child’s abilities in various areas including behavior, socialization, problem solving, and coping, as well as facts concerning academic/cognitive/intellectual skills. Complete sincerity during this process is fundamental to achieving mutual success. This is an opportunity for parents to share all available knowledge of their child including any suspected or previously diagnosed conditions. To gather additional information, parents will be provided with a “Pre-Kindergarten Teacher Evaluation Form” to be completed by the child’s current Pre-K teacher.
The Family Pre-enrollment Interview is followed by a formal screening administered by a professional trained by the Gesell-Institute. The Gesell Developmental Observation is a widely accepted tool designed to evaluate kindergarten readiness. Children can be considered for admission if a Gesell Assessment clearly shows adequate readiness levels in the areas of cognitive, physical, social, and emotional development. This is one of many factors considered to help determine if the student will be successful at the Martin J. Gottlieb Day School. The professional who administers the Gesell instrument will review the results in a meeting with the parents upon request. An informal classroom observation may be needed following the Gesell screening. Arrangements for this portion of the process will be finalized on an individual basis. Information about the Gesell Institute and philosophy are available in the office.
Timeline:
Applications for the 2011-2012 school year will be accepted beginning November 1, 2010. Once application and application fee of $50 have been received, an appointment will be scheduled to administer the Gesell Developmental Observation. Results will be shared with the parents upon request. Parent and teacher recommendation letters and transcripts are also considered in making decisions. Decisions will be mailed out mid February 2011.
