Pep Classic Program

Much like community prekindergarten programs, PEP Classic is two and one-half hours per day. Three year-olds attend class four days per week (Tuesday through Friday), while four year-olds attend five days per week (Monday through Friday). Typically, a class of 9- 10 students is taught by a special educator and a paraeducator in a curriculum and theme-based instructional program. Related service providers and a parent educator support PEP Classic students and their families throughout the week. Assistive technology and augmentative communication activities are integrated into the classroom program by PEP staff.

 

PEP Intensive Needs Class (PEP INC)

PEP INC serves children with severe communication and sensory integration needs in a structured curriculum and theme-based class with related services. Classes are typically smaller than PEP Classic classes, with a special educator and two paraeducators. Classes are three hours per day, five days per week. Children served in PEP INC require a highly structured environment. A primary goal of PEP INC is to prepare students for a larger, less structured prekindergarten program such as PEP Classic. PEP INC classes are paired with PEP Classic classes to provide an opportunity for participation in a larger class when a child is ready for more interaction with peers. In addition to direct instruction to students, each PEP INC teacher also provides parent education to families and caregivers. Parent education is provided for a minimum of 45 minutes, two times per month. This service is provided in the home, at a child care center or community program the student attends, or in parent and child groups such as group play dates in the community.

 

PEP Beginnings

PEP Beginnings serves children with significant physical and cognitive disabilities in a five hour per day, five day per week program. Related services are provided as indicated on 14 the child‘s IEP and are integrated in to the classroom program. PEP Beginnings classes are smaller than PEP Classic and typically have 6 children with a special educator and two paraeducators. Many students who attend PEP Beginnings have significant school health service needs, are medically-fragile, and/or require specialized services, such as tube feeding. Most children also require physical assistance to move, walk, or attend to instruction. The classes focus on communication and mobility; assistive technology and augmentative communication techniques are used throughout the day. When possible, PEP Beginnings is paired with PEP Classic and other prekindergarten classes to provide opportunities for interaction with less disabled peers. Each year, some children move from PEP Beginnings to PEP Classic as they are ready for more interaction with peers

 

PEP-Comprehensive Class

PEP-Comprehensive (PEP-C) serves prekindergarten students with developmental delays in multiple areas in a special education early childhood classroom setting. Students attend school five days per week, for five hours each day. Students may present with cognitive, communication, and/or social-emotional delays, yet many can navigate their environment independently. Students receive direct instruction in a reduced-class size taught by a special educator and two paraeducators. Related services are embedded into the program and provide services to students per the Individualized Education Program (IEP). A speech-language pathologist, occupational and physical therapists collaborate closely with the classroom instructional staff. Students follow the MCPS prekindergarten curriculum using specialized strategies, including assistive technology, frequent reinforcement, consistent routines, and other accommodations per the IEP. Students require significant repetition of concepts and multiple opportunities for reinforcement in order to generalize skills—a basis for the five-hour instructional day. Classes are located in regular elementary schools, providing opportunities for interaction with non-disabled peers and appropriate school-wide events.