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Metro Deaf School
Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow

Early Childhood Education

The Early Childhood Education (ECE) Program serves deaf and hard of hearing children and their families from birth through pre-kindergarten with three levels of programming:

  • Birth to 3
  • Early Childhood-3 (EC3)
  • Early Childhood-4 (EC4)

Click here for birth to 3 program

All classroom instruction is provided in American Sign Language with bilingual methodologies applied throughout the curriculum, as well as tools for spoken English. Students enjoy an active day filled with student-centered and purposeful learning, physical activities, lunch and rest time.  

Each child in ECE, babies and toddlers included, participates in a variety of sensory-based experiences in a bilingual environment. Learning takes place in child-centered, play-based classroom centers that incorporate active learning and hands-on developmental experiences. We also partner with other service providers families may be using for their child. To discover more about our birth to 3 program, click here.

Our 4-6 year old class (PreK and Kindergarten) class is unique, in that it follows a Montessori approach, which accommodates all learning styles.  The Children's House classroom is a structured environment with different areas of focus (Practical Life, Sensorial, Math, Language Arts, and Cultural Studies).  With guidance from the teacher and classroom staff, students are free to choose what to work on and learn at their own pace while working on the academic standards.   

The program runs Monday Through Thursday for EC3 and Monday through Friday for EC4, 8:30 a.m - 3:15 p.m.  Based on the age of the student, readiness skills are part of the daily instruction on as the child progresses through the program and eventually transitions into all-day Kindergarten.

There is no cost associated with the program if the student qualifies for service under Minnesota special education requirements.  Parents are encouraged to work through their resident school district for placement at MDS.  

Contact Information
Melissa Sweetmilk
Principal
msweetmilk@mdsmn.org
(651) 224-3995- Main Office
(651) 964-1636- Direct (VP)