Purpose/Philosophy of the Preschool Programs

The Northborough and Southborough Schools offer preschool programming to children between the ages of three and five years old. Our classroom populations are diverse and include children with special needs, dual language learners, and typically developing peers.

All preschool classrooms provide a rich, language-based curriculum with a multi-sensory, developmental approach to teaching and learning.  The curriculum encompasses a “total development” model to ensure that children develop their cognitive, gross motor, fine motor, social-emotional, self-help, and communication skills. There is a strong commitment to helping children develop self-respect, self-regulation, and positive peer relationships based on mutual respect.

Each child’s unique learning style is respected and nourished.  The preschool teachers provide a flexible but structured approach to teaching and offer lessons and activities that align with the Massachusetts Common Core.

The preschool staff consists of certified teachers, instructional aides, speech and language pathologists, speech and language aides, occupational therapists, C.O.T.A.s (Certified Occupational Therapist Assistants), physical therapists, and P.T.A.s (Physical Therapy Assistants) as needed.  The District's BCBA’s and Augmentative Communication Specialist are additional resources for the preschool team.

Because our integrated preschool program must remain in compliance with DESE early childhood group ratios, and it is often difficult to predict the number of children who will join our preschool program across the school year, in rare instances it may be necessary for preschool staff to shift a child’s classroom placement once the school year has started.  This is very rare, and would never occur without parents being informed first and staff working hard to support the transition.