Brownsburg Community School Corporation (BCSC) is known for excellence, from academics to sports to fine arts, but did you know they also have an Early Childhood Center (ECC) for ages 3 to pre-K?
They are preparing our youngest for a solid start as they move into kindergarten at Brownsburg schools, and will open enrollment this spring for the 2025-2026 school year. They’ll host an open house on January 15 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
“We follow the Indiana Early Learning program through the Department of Education, using math, reading and social/emotional curricula,” said Emily Zeto, preschool coordinator. “One important piece of getting kids ready to head to kindergarten is making sure they are on track developmentally.”
Not only does it include academic readiness, but Zeto said they’re looking at other skills too, such as problem solving, fine motor skills, independence and more.
“We have certified staff members who have a degree in special education along with their teaching license,” Zeto said. “We also have a speech language pathologist, an occupational therapist and a physical therapist for additional support.”
They serve a wide range of students. For example, children in the Indiana First Steps program receive an evaluation, and staff at ECC are ready to support families throughout the entire process. Parents can reach out to discuss a concern regarding their child’s development.
Students who qualify for special-education services prior to kindergarten can utilize the speech, occupational and physical therapies, but even if the child is not in need of special education, families can take advantage of the extra support through their tuition-based program like any other similar preschool offering.
The concern surrounding early childhood development and preparation has been a hot topic for years in legislation, at the school level and in parents’ homes across the country. The earlier children become engaged in learning and the earlier they are surrounded by peers, the better the chance of success down the road.
Staff at ECC work hand-in-hand with the elementary schools, teaching preschoolers the first steps toward curricula they will see in kindergarten.
It’s not all academics, however. They have a lot of fun too.
“We love to involve the community in some of the things we do here,” Zeto said. “Brownsburg Community Schools does a Fun Run, we have a Pup Strut event with puppies, other various fundraisers, and a pumpkin patch we grow here. We have parties over the holidays and on occasion have pizza with a bulldog. The kids love that.”
The more children participate in school events and interact with each other, the more they become ingrained in the BCSC family.
Transitioning to a different grade in school can be unsettling and even scary at times. For students at the preschool, the transition is made fairly easily.
The staff members at ECC do everything they can to prepare preschoolers for the next step.
“In the spring we invite the principal, assistant principal and kindergarten teacher to meet the students here,” Zeto said. “They meet them ahead of time and students already have a familiar face when they reach kindergarten. Our staff arrive on that first day of school to help with the students entering kindergarten. We’re there to comfort and love on those kids as they get off the bus.”
For students receiving therapy, information is passed on to the special education elementary level, further closing the gap children may experience when transitioning from home to kindergarten.
Hopefully, those connections with teachers, staff and parents create a positive experience for every student.
“I think it’s nice for the kids to become a part of the Brownsburg school community,” said Dr. Katie Mitchell, assistant director of elementary special education. “Families get to know the school district and our certified staff members are getting them ready for the next step. Emily operates as the building principal and really supports the staff, making sure great things are happening, and we’re getting students ready for their entire educational career.”
They may be one of the community’s best-kept secrets, but they don’t want to be.
“We have a brand-new playground families can explore,” Zeto said. “Our staff will be here and we’ll be giving tours as well as offering information about our program, developmental concerns, and discussing things parents can do at home. We want the community to know we’re here. Come see the building and the classrooms, and what we’re all about.”
