Scappoose Early Learning Center
Little Lilu's Preschool Classroom at Warren Elementary School
We are currently enrolling for the 2024-2025 school year. There is a waitlist for tuition-based spots.
Look for the 2024-2025 enrollment information below.
The Scappoose Early Learning Center is located at Warren Elementary School
Serving children ages 3 years - 5 years
Preschool Hours
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, from 8:25a.m. - 3:00p.m. Students may arrive starting at 8:10a.m.
- Wednesdays from 8:25a.m. - 2:00p.m.
Contact us at:
- ssdearlylearningcenter@scappoose.k12.or.us
- Warren Elementary School 34555 Berg Road Warren, OR 97053
- Direct Phone Number: 971-200-8021
- Transportation: contact First Student Transportation 971-290-4020
Scappoose Early Learing Center Handbook
- Meet Our Staff
- Enrollment Information and Pre-School Promise
- Enrollment Steps and Forms
- Mission Statement
- Additional Information
Meet Our Staff
Enrollment Information and Pre-School Promise
Enrollment
Our Preschool Classroom has 18 students with 3 full-time staff. We offer free preschool through the state-funded program called Preschool Promise. Fifteen (15) of the 18 spots are reserved for families that qualify for Preschool Promise. The remaining three (3) student spots are Private Pay (Tuition-based) Spots. Please see the 2022-2023 rates below:
Full Time: M-F $875 (Scappoose School District School Day Schedule Only; times listed above).Follows Preschool Promise Calendar
All Families will use the SchoolMint online application to get the enrollment process rolling.
If you need support completing an application or do not have access to a phone or computer, please reach out directly to Maria Beardslee Lakatos on our support team at (503) 601-2985. When families apply on SchoolMint they will need to select Scappoose School District from the list of preschool options. This will be changed and removed as soon as the contract is finalized. This will allow staff to start communicating with families to collect any documentation they don't submit initially, and then process any Preschool Promise eligibility as all of their information is completed. Once determined eligible, if Scappoose is still waiting on the Preschool Promise Contract, families will receive communication that they've been determined eligible for services but we can not confirm their placement at Scappoose School District preschool until the state contract is finalized.
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Families who are over income for Preschool Promise (PSP) Qualification or are interested in the tuition pay slots do not need to submit additional financial documentation with the application. Please email Maria (mbeardsleelakatos@nwresd.k12.or.us) so she can mark you "ineligible" in the system right away (which only means you are ineligible for PSP).
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Note that the SchoolMint application is not set up for families to self-select that they are over income for Preschool Promise, so do not get confused and stop the application.
Check out the Preschool Promise Income images below to see if your family qualifies. If you do not qualify, you can consider enrolling in one of the three private pay (tuition-based) spots.
cuadro de elegibilidad en espanol
Applications will be reviewed as they are received and families will be contacted via email. Private pay will be admitted to the program on a first-come, first-served basis with completed SchoolMint applications being the requirement. We will date and time stamp these to determine placement.
Please call 971-200-8000 (request Jen Stearns) or e-mail jstearns@scappoose.k12.or.us if you have any questions.
Enrollment Steps and Forms
Follow the below steps to begin the enrollment application process
Step One - Apply Online Using SchoolMint
schoolmint enrollment application
Step Two - Complete ASQ-3 (The Ages & Stages Questionnaire) Must Be Completed w/in 30 days of application and send it to the Scappoose Early Learning Director
ASQ-3 The Ages & Stages Questionnaires®, Third Edition (ASQ-3™) is a series of parent completed questionnaires that provide a quick check of early development in the ages of 1 month through 5 years.
Results help to determine if a child's development is on schedule or if further evaluation with a professional may be needed. Please email a copy of your results to ssdearlylearningcenter@scappoose.k12.or.us. We will discuss results at Parent-Teacher conferences.
asq-3
Step Three - Complete the Family Culture Survey as it allows us to better build a unified classroom culture
Family cultural survey
Step Four - We encourage families to complete the application for Free and Reduced Meals
oregon department of education free & reduced lunch application
Step Five - All Volunteers must have an approved CBR (Criminal Background Check) to begin spending time in the classroom
office of child care central background registry
Step Six - SSD also requires this Volunteer Application
Scappoose school district volunteer application
Step Seven - Complete this permission form to express your permissions regarding photos, videos, etc.
Scappoose Early Learning Center Media Release Permission Form
Step Eight - Complete the Confidentiality Agreement if you plan to volunteer or chaperone
Scappoose Early Learning Center Confidentiality agreement
Mission Statement
Scappoose School District understands that a child's learning process begins at birth, with parents and caregivers being their most important teachers. It is our mission and vision to promote early learning opportunities through outreach to parents of young children. We desire to provide quality preschool programs that prepare students for entry into kindergarten.
Purpose
Scappoose aims to provide a safe, healthy, and nurturing environment for the development of children. We believe early education provides a vital foundation for all future learning. We endeavor to instill a deep love of learning in children that will serve them throughout their lives while preparing them for their next educational experience.
Beliefs and Values
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We value children and the importance of their parent/caregiver in the learning process. We plan to use a collaborative approach to teaching, which incorporates both children and parents. To foster close, responsive, and trusted connections between caregivers and the school, we center the natural development of each child in our philosophy and practice.
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We value community. We emphasize and encourage family and community engagement. Many opportunities will exist for families to connect and form friendships beyond the classroom. We strive to build community between children, among our preschool and kindergarten classes, families, and the larger community beyond our school.
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We value differences. Enrollment is available without regard to race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation or ability. The community we strive to create is one that honors our differences and recognizes them as strengths. We aspire to teach our children to work together to construct positive solutions when conflict or challenges arise. The classroom environment will be one that prioritizes care, connection, collaboration, and community.
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We value play. Scappoose celebrates that children are naturally curious, therefore the core of our instructional plan is daily opportunities for children to learn important concepts while they play both in the classroom and in nature. We understand that when children play, they explore their own ideas and concepts, learning what no one else can teach them. In the preschool classroom and our outdoor environments, opportunities abound for each child to learn from hands-on experience in an environment that promotes a child’s complete engagement.
Goals
As we work with children we will:
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Consider what is known about child development and learning, what is known about each individual child, and what is known about the social, linguistic, and cultural contexts in which each child lives.
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Focus on the whole child with consideration of all domains of development. Staff will be knowledgeable of this developmental continuum and prioritize children setting the pace of their individual learning within it.
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Work to develop each child’s sense of self as the foundation of their social emotional growth.
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Create opportunities for children to interact with interesting challenges in their environment through inquiry and play as a way to build their brains.
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Celebrate the ways children learn from each other, and create space for peer interaction as a tool for learning.
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Work to build secure attachments with each of our students because we know that a warm and nurturing relationship with their teacher supports the development of empathy, self-regulation, and a strong self-concept.
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View and work with every child in the context of their culture, their family, and their community.
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Commit to connecting with families and caregivers, valuing their diverse perspectives and cultural knowledge as assets, and to working with them as partners in their child’s education.
Practices
The educational programming and curriculum we aspire to use is developmentally appropriate and evidence-based with the goal of creating life-long learners who will engage in future challenges with confidence and determination. We believe in using current research about learning and the child’s brain development, our experience as educators, and what we know about the experiences of our children and their families, as we plan our preschool program.
Scappoose School District follows an educational approach that is consistent with the National Association for the Education of Young Children's Developmentally Appropriate Practices. Their research has shown that young children learn best through active play and exploration of their environment; appropriate examples and support from caregivers; and nurturing, responsive, and respectful relationships with others. Teachers and support staff will structure the classroom and curriculum to allow for individual differences in children’s abilities and interests. Children's curiosity and problem solving skills will guide learning through exploration and discovery. In our classroom, children will direct their own learning. They will learn through touching, moving, listening, seeing, and hearing. They will form relationships with one another and materials in the classroom. Teaching staff will provide support, coaching, and encouragement as children grow and progress at their own pace. Development will be continually assessed to help teachers individualize the program to suit each child’s needs and to effectively partner with parents and caregivers.
Beyond play-based learning we are focused on developing Pre-K through 2nd grade alignment practices related to early literacy skills, social-emotional learning, school routines, and life skills.
Additional Information
The Role of Families
Each family is a child's first teacher. The Scappoose School District values families as partners in the growth and development of children in our program.
Like most practices and programs in the district, we center equity in our approach to family engagement. Equitable family engagement focuses on meaningful engagement activities and systems between schools and families. As a principle, these practices do not characterize specific parent groups as deficient due to their diverse approaches or methods. For our school teachers and leaders, equitable family engagement begins with acknowledging and navigating cultural differences through communication and sensitivity, as well as overcoming other structural challenges or barriers. This includes specific practices or approaches that reflect the values of a general group of families, as well as systems that foster tailored support, flexible engagement options, and coordination between families and schools.
We aim to develop stronger partnerships with families and community partners in order to increase their involvement and engagement in the school system, develop trust, reduce isolation, and collectively improve student achievement. SSD encourages parents and other family members to be involved in the education of their children, visit children's classrooms, participate in events, and provide feedback on the program. We offer a variety of ways in which families can participate in helping us establish and reach our program goals.
Family members can fill many roles in our schools, based on interests, skills, and needs. Families are viewed as part of te teaching team, so each participant may determine what level of involvement they would like to have within the school experience. Family members may decide to volunteer in the classroom, to provide guidance through a parent advisory committee that we desire to establish, to assist in fundraising efforts that support enrichment opportunities and field trips, and/or many other options. Every contribution, on any level, is greatly appreciated.
On-site volunteers will be expected to obtain clearance through the Scappoose School District and enroll in the state's child care criminal registry prior to beginning their participation. Volunteers will be encouraged to obtain a food handler's card and to obtain CPR/First Aid certification.
How we will Learn and Share with Families about their Child’s Growth and Development
School staff will support receptivity, transparency, empathy, and flexibility regarding communication and collaborative efforts to support learning and success. Family engagement is intended to foster communication with parents about student performance and collaboratively support learning. Teachers are committed to frequent communication of daily and weekly activities, regular reports about student progress, parent-teacher conferences, home visits, and much more.
Families will begin the school year with preschool orientation, other informational events, and related communications that provide background knowledge before expecting parents to access services or network with staff. Parent workshops and related programming throughout the year will further help families navigate the complexities of school partnerships. Families will also be provided basic information about how our education system works, such as how to seek services or enroll their children in support services or advanced learning opportunities.
Building Relationships with Staff and other Families in the Program
The Scappoose School District understands that building relationships between schools and families can help establish the trust and positive rapport needed to support student success. So that all families feel welcome at all events and engagement opportunities, educators in the SSD community must build cultural competency at both systemic and individual levels. The professional learning program supports staff training in parent engagement, as well as in topics of diversity. We emphasize that all staff should be welcoming, accessible, and available to minimize barriers to family participation. This includes accepting and respecting different cultural differences around communication and values, self-awareness regarding one’s own culture and values, and understanding how various factors influence interpersonal dynamics and experiences.
For parents in our community, equitable family engagement can include building a relationship with a trusted staff person or teacher who is approachable, friendly, receptive to concerns, and a champion for the student and family. Teachers are held accountable for creating a welcoming environment where parent and caregiver participation is valued at the classroom and school levels.