Preschool Prepares Children for the Future

RYF Preschool in Gibsonia. Photo credit Shari Berg

Preschool represents a critical milestone in a child’s early development. High-quality preschool programs lay the foundation for academic success, social development, and emotional well-being, benefiting children throughout their lives.

When done well, preschool education provides structured opportunities for cognitive growth during a period of rapid brain development. Children who attend preschool demonstrate stronger pre-reading skills, richer vocabularies, and a better understanding of math concepts than peers without this early education experience. These early academic advantages often translate into improved school readiness and higher achievement in elementary school and beyond.

Preschool environments are carefully designed to stimulate various developmental domains through play-based learning. Children engage with age-appropriate materials that help develop fine motor skills, spatial awareness, and problem-solving abilities. These foundational skills serve as building blocks for more complex learning in future academic settings.

Laurie Dauer, director of RYF Preschool in Gibsonia, said her program teaches the basics while enhancing learning through specialized spaces like the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) room, where children participate in science experiments that may not be feasible in regular classroom settings due to time constraints.

RYF’s curriculum also emphasizes critical thinking and independence.

“It’s about taking responsibility for their own things and becoming independent learners,” Dauer said. “When you go to school, you meet all types of children from different backgrounds. You have to be able to get along with them and play with them—these are important life skills you’ll need when you get out of school as well.”

The social environment at RYF promotes kindness and inclusion. Dauer said she is proud of how her young students support their peers, especially those with special needs.

“Preschool teaches children that their peers with disabilities are just like everyone else,” she said. “They want to learn and have fun.”

RYF is not the only preschool program that supports inclusive education. The Allegheny Intermediate Unit’s (AIU) Preschool Early Intervention program—formerly known as D.A.R.T.—serves eligible children ages 3 to 5 with developmental delays or disabilities. It offers services in the least restrictive environment, which includes local preschools. The program collaborates with over 300 early childhood programs, including Head Start, Pre-K Counts programs, childcare centers, and traditional preschools. During the 2023-2024 school year, the program served 4,114 students in Allegheny County.

Loreleigh Elders and Melissa Friend, the program’s two principal directors, emphasized the individualized approach to creating a successful inclusive preschool environment. Their process begins with a thorough evaluation, followed by team meetings to develop Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) that outline the supports and strategies needed for success.

“We first try to support a child where they are by embedding supports and strategies into an IEP,” Elders said. The goal is to address specific struggles children face and provide the necessary resources for them to achieve equity with their peers in traditional settings. Strategies may include prompts, routines, or specialized schedules.

Friend said their approach involves team-building with staff and directors across all served programs, taking on advocacy roles when needed. Working directly with staff is a large component of service delivery, Elders added.

“We identify and model strategies through coaching and consultation with providers,” she said.

One of the benefits of preschool is that it helps children develop fine and gross motor skills. Dauer said that post-pandemic, she noticed children returning to in-person learning with weaker fine motor skills. While she was unsure of the exact cause, she took corrective action to rebuild hand strength in affected students.

“I think parents focus more on gross motor skills like running and jumping,” Dauer said. “I’m not sure if they realize the importance of fine motor skills, especially when it comes to handwriting and using scissors.” She added that the corrective measures have been effective, and students have largely overcome these challenges.

A significant part of preschool is preparing children for the transition to kindergarten.

RYF offers extended-day programs to help children adjust to the longer school days they may experience in some kindergarten programs. While most schools in Allegheny County offer only half-day kindergarten, a few public schools and some private or parochial schools provide full-day programs.

Elders said that from her perspective, the focus should not be solely on whether a child is ready for kindergarten, but also on whether the school is prepared to meet the child’s needs.

“Our focus shifts to making sure schools have the necessary resources to serve children according to their IEPs,” she said.

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Bethany Wentz, a parent, said three of her six children have gone through the preschool program at Bakerstown Presbyterian Children’s Center.

“All have been well-prepared in every way for kindergarten,” she said. Her son David, who is currently enrolled, loves the structure and expectations of his preschool classroom.

“He has fallen in love with reading and learning new things. He can now recognize most letters and numbers and can write them,” Went said.

Nicole Pungitore, another parent, said her four-year-old daughter attends an all-day program at Early Edge Preschool five days a week. Her six-year-old son also attended before starting kindergarten.

Pungitore said she was not overly concerned about academics but was more focused on socialization. She also appreciated the fine motor skills her children developed in preschool.

“I don’t have a lot of patience for doing crafts,” she said, laughing. “So, I’m thrilled about the fine motor skills they learn at school. I’m happy to reinforce lessons at home but grateful for the tips on how to expand on the foundation they’ve built at preschool.”

Pungitore encourages parents to pay attention to staff turnover when choosing a preschool.

“Our preschool has had the same staff for the four years we’ve been there. Low staff turnover rates speak volumes about the quality of a program.”

Dauer strongly recommends touring any prospective preschool with your child before making a decision. “If a school doesn’t want your child to visit, that’s a red flag,” she warned.

Parents should assess the friendliness of staff and students and consider whether the environment feels welcoming and conducive to learning. “You want your child to be accepted,” Dauer emphasized.