The P.S. 347 Pre-K Program
We offer a warm, nurturing environment for 3K and Pre-K children. Our mission is to provide a bilingual education that values American Sign Language (ASL) and Deaf culture. Our students include children who are deaf, hard of hearing, and children of deaf parents (CODAs), as well as hearing children from families who have an interest in ASL.
We accept neighborhood children, as well as D/HOH children and those with deaf families from all five boroughs.
“You see them come in as a baby, and grow and blossom into beautiful human beings. And when I see that, it makes my heart swell.”
—Rita Fattorousso, teacher, 13 years
Our innovative preschool program focuses on the development of the whole child. Our classrooms encourage exploration and give children the freedom to explore the world around them. And most importantly, we respect childhood as a time to explore, create, and be joyful.
DUAL LANGUAGE ASL
We use a dual-language approach that incorporates both English and American Sign Language (ASL). Classrooms are typically led by one Hearing teacher and one Deaf teacher, plus a class Para. This makes communication accessible for everyone. Students are a mix of deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing children.
“My daughter has been learning ASL and that has opened her mind in a way that nothing else could have done.”
—Ana, mom
American Sign Language is its own complete visual language. It is not a derivative of English and follows its own rules and grammar. With signing, the brain processes linguistic information through the eyes rather than the ears. The shape, placement, and movement of the hands, as well as facial expressions and body movements, all play important roles in conveying information.
“It’s interesting to see the hearing students without any type of ASL knowledge pick up the language, and see just how they light up by being able to communicate with the Deaf teacher in the class. The even more amazing part is they go home and share with their families.”
—Cheritha Saulsby, teacher, 20 years
OUR CLASSROOMS
“ This is a very special and unique place in the middle of New York City that many people don’t even know exists.
—Samantha Pitta, teacher, 4 years
Our classrooms are spacious and full of natural light. We gather in circular groups to facilitate communication via the visual language of ASL and to ensure accessibility, especially for our DHOH (Deaf and Hard of Hearing) students and teachers.
We strive to include as many natural, repurposed, and recycled materials in the classrooms as possible. We have a Pre-K atelier that houses a variety of materials with which our students and teachers can work, play, and explore.
FIELD TRIPS
Although we are located in the middle of Manhattan, we are fortunate to have a beautiful courtyard garden, greenhouse, and playground, which are at the center of our school—and in the hearts of our students. These spaces provide an important outlet for city kids to access fresh air, outdoor exercise and socializing, and time with nature.
GARDEN & PLAYGROUNDS
The greenhouse, trees and planting beds for vegetables and flowers also allow us to offer our students experiential STEM-based learning. Every spring we host a City Growers garden residency. Their mission is to “utilize the wonders of nature to teach kids where their food comes from, why it matters, and how they can change the world.”
P.S. 347 PRE-K
ASL is the third-most commonly used language in the United States after English and Spanish and the third-most studied foreign language among college students. It is the backbone of American Deaf Culture, which brings with it a long and rich history of storytelling, poetry, theater, and visual arts.
We believe wholeheartedly in making the world around us our classroom. We take full advantage of our NYC location through various field trips. Walking tours expose children to the architecture of the nearby Flatiron district, the Empire State Building, and local parks and businesses. Favorite bus trip destinations include the Queens County Farm and annual pre-K picnic at Jacob Riis Beach.
PARTNERSHIPS
Thanks to generous grants, P.S. 347 is able to host various residencies. These include Broadway Junior Musical Theater Program, Children’s Museum of the Arts, Dancing Classrooms, and City Growers.
We also collaborate with IRT Theater to produce ASL music videos with our students.
DAILY SCHEDULE
Non-IEP 3K students stay from 8:30am to 12 noon, Monday through Friday. 3K students with IEPs stay from 8:30am- 2:30pm.
In the second year of preschool, Pre-K, all students are invited to stay the full day from 8:30 to 2:30.
Children are dropped off and picked up at the door with the silver fence (closest to 2nd Ave).
EVALUATIONS & PROGRESS
There is no homework in the preschool, but teachers will send home newsletters to inform parents of what the children are working on in the classroom. Teachers encourage participation from home and communicate with families on ways to be involved in school activities.
Preschool students do not receive report cards. Instead, teachers meet several times a year with parents for conferences. (There is also a parent engagement time each Tuesday afternoon by request.) Teachers provide progress reports as well as portfolio work which illustrates particular areas of development. These reports are based upon developmentally-appropriate guidelines such as developmental tools for observation and the New York City early childhood learning standards.
One goal of our integrated curriculum is to weave the arts into the fabric of each and every school day. Reggio Emilio philosophy emphasizes process art using a variety of materials. Expect to be dazzled by the projects your child brings home.
In addition, our school also has a dedicated visual arts teacher who shares art techniques and art history with students, as well as a dance instructor who teaches different styles of dance and movement classes multiple times each week.
P.S. 347 participates in the Music Together Program, which supports children’s music development while making music fun and uplifting.
Additionally, our children are exposed to the magic of theatre by attending plays throughout the year at venues including the Tribeca Performing Arts Center and the New Victory Theater in Times Square. We also visit the Big Apple Circus of the Senses, a fully accessible performance of NYC's favorite circus at Lincoln Center.
Our Pre-K programs has its own dedicated school library and librarian. Children visit weekly for read alouds and are welcome to borrow books from our extensive collection. We feature many stories about children like ours, with hearing differences and Deaf families.
We also regularly host children’s authors and illustrators who visit and share their work.
OUR LIBRARY
CLASS SIZE & MAKE-UP
We are an integrated CPSE preschool and Pre-K program. There are a maximum of 12 students per class: six students with an Individual Education Plan (IEP) who are D/HOH or CODA and six non-IEP seats assigned by lottery. Any children without an IEP who have a deaf relative will be prioritized for these lottery seats.
Class sizes are smaller than other public schools which helps enable full visual access, minimize background noise, and ensure each student gets the attention and support they need.
THE ARTS
