Program Structure

Morse/Lamb Early Childhood Center is organized into “families”.  Each staff member belongs to a “family”.  Every member of the “family” is responsible for each student and his/her outcomes as well as improved student performance.  Within the “family”, individual staff members accept responsibility for specified students and serve as their advocate.  Each student has an advocate as a part of the Family Advocacy System in USD 500.

The performance Kansas Early Learning Standards (KELS) developed for preschool students are designed to establish high, clear and fair academic and conduct expectations for students.  Preschool practices are developmentally appropriate for students; the KELS provide information regarding exiting performance standards for typically developing preschool students.

A variety of activities are offered to provide enriched and diverse opportunities for preschool students and their families. School Spirit days and activities, field trips to compliment instruction and Family Nights are just a few of the opportunities provided through Preschool.

The team approach to teaching provides students the opportunity to work with trained and certified teachers in each classroom; one certified Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) teacher and one certified Early Childhood (EC) teacher.  Licensed Speech-Language Pathologists also work within the classrooms.  Each “family” has a para-educator who has earned a minimum of forty-eight (48) hours of college credit or has passed a rigorous competency exam.  All of our paras are “highly qualified” according to the No Child Left Behind initiative.  Working as a classroom team, these involved and dedicated individuals assure collective responsibility for all students.