Welcome to the Ridgefield Public Schools Preschool Program

The Ridgefield Public Schools Preschool Program is designed to provide our youngest learners with a strong foundation for academic and social success. Our program serves children ages 3–5 and includes a range of high-quality, developmentally appropriate services and supports. As part of the district’s continuum of special services, we are committed to fostering an inclusive, nurturing, and engaging environment where every child can grow, play, and thrive.

Program Overview
We offer a constellation of programs and services to support early learning, recognizing that the experiences children have in preschool significantly impact their long-term educational journey. Located at Barlow Mountain Elementary School (BMES) and Veterans Park Elementary School (VPES), the RPS Preschool Program includes half-day, extended-day, and full-day integrated classrooms. Our classrooms are led by a multidisciplinary team of experts in early childhood education, including special education teachers, related service providers, and paraeducators.

Our curriculum is aligned with the Connecticut Early Learning and Development Standards (CT ELDS) and emphasizes learning through play, relationships, and discovery. Instruction is delivered in whole group, small group, and individualized formats. Classrooms are mixed-age groupings (3- and 4-year-olds), with a combination of students who receive special education services and students who participate as peer models.

Peer Model Program
Our integrated classrooms include typically developing children who serve as peer models. These children are selected through a screening and lottery process, and must:

• Be Ridgefield residents
  
  

• Be three years old by the first day of preschool
  
  

• Not yet be age-eligible for kindergarten
  
  

• Be toilet-trained
  
  

• Provide their own transportation
  
  

We are no longer accepting peer model applications for the 2025–2026 school year. Please check back in January 2026 for information about the 2026–2027 application.

Preschool Services and Supports
Our team approach to early childhood education includes support from:

• Special Education Teachers
  
  

• Speech & Language Pathologists
  
  

• Occupational and Physical Therapists
  
  

• School Psychologists
  
  

• Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs)
  
  

• Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Specialists
  
  

• Nurses
  
  

• Paraeducators
  
  

We also provide community-based itinerant services for students who attend other preschools in Ridgefield but receive related services through the district.

Child Find and Referrals
We are committed to identifying and supporting children who may benefit from special education services. Ridgefield Public Schools conducts Child Find screenings for preschool-aged children who are suspected of having developmental delays or disabilities. These play-based screenings are led by our preschool team and assess key areas of development.

To learn more about referrals or to schedule a Child Find screening, please contact:
Christina Salvestrini
Preschool Supervisor
csalvestrini@ridgefieldps.net
203-894-5800 ext. 6173

Family Communication and Engagement
We believe that families are a child’s first and most important teachers. Our program is family-centered and built on strong communication and collaboration. Parents can expect:

• Weekly teacher newsletters
  
  

• Parent-teacher conferences
  
  

• Progress reports three times per year
  
  

• Monthly parent events
  
  

• Transition planning for kindergarten
  
  

• Access to family engagement tools like the Sparkler App
  
  

Health and Wellness
Our school nurses work closely with families and staff to support students with medical and health-related needs. We collaborate with the district’s Health & Wellness team and participate in Planning and Placement Teams (PPTs), Section 504 teams, and school-based support teams.

Christina Salvestrini
Preschool Supervisor
csalvestrini@ridgefieldps.net
203-894-5800 ext. 6173