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West is one of the two early childhood centers in the Midland Independent School District. Services are offered to children and their families through the Head Start Program, the Prekindergarten program and the Preschool Program for Children With Disabilities (PPCD-Life Skills, Level 1).
Children must be four (4) on or before September 1 of a given year to qualify for entry into the program. Families must also qualify by income for Head Start or Prekindergarten. Head Start is a Federally funded early childhood program serving families living at the poverty level. The State of Texas funds the prekindergarten program for families whose children qualify for free or reduced lunch or are non-English speakers. Children with disabilities whose family is over income may be eligible for participation in the Head Start program.
Both of these programs focus on the importance of early learning experiences and are designed to give children the tools they need to be successful not only in their preschool year but in kindergarten and successive grades as well. The early years are the foundation on which children begin to develop their academic skills. Children are engaged in large and small group activities throughout the school day that begins at 8:10 am and ends at 2:40 pm. Classrooms have exciting center activities where children engage in learning through active play. Children have many opportunities to develop and expand their oral language and to engage in appropriate literacy and numeracy activities. Classrooms are filled with exciting toys and materials and lessons are based on thematic units of natural interest to young children. Social skills are developed through a strong guidance program. Children who are Spanish speakers, or limited English proficient are assigned to bilingual classrooms with parent permission. Assessment of children at the West campus is ongoing primarily based on teacher observation as they interact with the students assigned to their classes.
For enrollment in the PPCD classroom children must have their eligibility determined through the MISD Special Education referral process. Children may enter this program on the date of their third birthday if they have been identified with a qualifying disability. Children with disabilities are included in the regular classroom to every extent appropriate.
The West staff is highly skilled in working with young children. Professional development is ongoing and teachers pride themselves in being current with regard to best practices in early childhood education.
If you have any questions with regard to the programs at the West campus, please contact the campus at 432.689.1580, or e-mail the principal at pstevens@esc18.net. You are always welcome to come and visit the campus to see first hand the wonderful learning opportunities that are taking place on a daily basis.
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