Isle Grow Preschool

Isle of Wight County Schools applications will open February 14, 2025 for typically developing three and four-year-olds to serve as role models in the division’s tuition-based, full-day Reverse Inclusion Program for the 2025-2026 school year.

Applications will be accepted through March 13, 2025. With limited space, this program is offered for children who meet screening requirements to be peer models for children with disabilities. IWCS employees' students meeting screening requirements will receive priority admission.  Complete your 2025-2026 application to begin the enrollment process and review the program contract. 

The program will follow the IWCS instructional calendar and elementary school hours.  Before-care and after-care are available for peer models beginning at 7:30am and ending at 5:00pm.  

What is Reverse Inclusion?

Reverse Inclusion is the practice of placing typically-developing students into an Early Childhood Special Education class on a voluntary basis to serve as social-emotional and communication role models for students with disabilities. Our preschool "Reverse Inclusion" classrooms are language-based learning environments where children with and without disabilities engage in play and learning activities supporting Virginia’s Early Learning and Developmental Standards. Students engage in the Virginia Kindergarten Readiness Program and the Virginia Language and Literacy Screening System.

What are the benefits of Reverse Inclusion?                                                                                                                                    

Our program is specially designed to meet the educational needs of both children with disabilities and typically developing children, using Virginia Department of Education approved curricula and additional supports. This opportunity allows children to: 

• Develop positive self-concepts,

• Learn acceptance of others, 

• Make developmental progress,

• Participate in a program that uses developmentally appropriate practices and activities to prepare children for kindergarten, 

• Engage in a classroom with a staff to student ratio of 2:12.

Who Should Apply?
Parents of children who are age 3 by September 30, 2025 and who are able to attend a full-day preschool program five days per week for the entire 2025-2026 school year. With limited space, this program is offered for children who meet screening requirements to be role models for children with disabilities. IWCS employees' students meeting screening requirements will receive priority admission, and are offered payroll deduction for tuition payment. Apply here between February 14 - March 13, 2025.

What is the Cost?
Tuition is $5500 for the school year. Before-care and after-care are included in tuition, as well as field trips and curricular supports.

What is Expected?
Parents are required to provide all enrollment documents and to agree to all terms of the contract, so please review this prior to applying.

Students without disabilities participating in the program are expected to be strong peer models with average social, emotional, language, cognitive and adaptive skills. Peer model students should: 

• be able to play comfortably in a small group of children, 

• detach from caregiver after acclimation and show appropriate emotional reactions,

• communicate wants and needs,

• follow classroom directions and routines with minimal prompting,

• attend to an activity for 5-10 minutes,

• engage in conversation with other children,

• respond to age appropriate questions,

• be able to independently take care of their feeding and toileting needs, 

• attend school daily and arrive on time, 

• not be receiving special education services.

Next Steps...

Applications for the 2025-2026 school year will be accepted until February 14, 2025 through March 13, 2025. Following the close of the application window, parents will be contacted to set up a screening/observation for their child and a parent interview. 

To learn more about the IWCS Reverse Inclusion program and other IWCS preschool opportunities, please visit the links from the IWCS Instruction website or see this brochure. If you have additional questions about the program, or would like to request an application be mailed to your home, please contact Marcy Pronovost, Special Education Coordinator in the Office of Special Education, at 757-365-1616 or mpronovost@iwcs.k12.va.us.