stories and updates

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Making “Book Time” Fun

Research tells us that early experiences with books have an incredibly significant impact on a child’s language and learning. Many of us know that books are a great way for children to learn new vocabulary words and begin to learn about letters and words. Furthermore, book-sharing experiences early on can

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Communication Through Music

When music casts is magical spell on us, it can impact our feelings, make us have fun, trigger memories, and it can facilitate language development. The power of music is well-documented and well understood by those who have experienced it. In my experience as a speech language pathologist, I have

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Tyler’s Story

Tyler is an energetic kid who loves to play with Legos and Power Rangers. His favorite color is blue and he loves reading Disney’s McQueen Series. He also enjoys playing at parks and playgrounds. Tyler attends S. June Smith Center’s Inclusive Preschool. While Tyler doesn’t have any developmental needs, his

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Nadia’s Story

Nadia is a social butterfly!  She loves playing with her baby dolls and caring for them. Her favorite color is pink. She loves to paint, color and sing. She is a huge fan of books and loves the characters in the stories. Her favorite book is Sophia the First. Nadia’s

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Jada’s Story

When you meet Jada, the first thing you will notice about her is how energetic and loving she is! It is no surprise that this energetic girl loves to run around outside, swim, dance like a ballerina and play with her friends and cousins. She also enjoys coloring and putting

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Inclusive Preschool Program Benefits

The S. June Smith Center has an inclusive preschool program. Our classroom provides an inviting, welcoming and nurturing environment that includes all children from the neighborhood community, regardless of their abilities.   Inclusive environments are also supported by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). NAEYC (ideal

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Allegra’s Story

When we asked Anthony and Kristie what one word best to describe their daughter, Allegra’s, personality they answered, “charismatic!”  Their family started their journey with the S. June Smith Center through our Birth to Three program where Allegra received physical, occupational, and speech therapy in their home.  The three therapists from

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Routines are Learning Opportunities

My kids haven’t been infants or toddlers for more years than I would care to mention, but my memory of those times would be that those days were anything but “routine.” I think that most families with young kids feel like the only thing routine about their day is “unpredictability.”

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How to Handle High Energy

I was a very active little girl and I do mean, really active. I can remember running through the neighborhood backyards and feeling the need to do so. My grandmother affectionately referred to this as “getting the sillies out”. Not the most technical explanation but my parents sure understood what

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