School Information
8:30 - 11:00 AM
Monday through Friday
School Hours
Early Childhood Schedule will follow the District School Calendar
Teacher: Tracy Fisher
ParaProfessional: Elizebeth Vasut
Early Childhood- Pups and Paws
Pups and Paws offers children ages 3-5 with developmental delays the chance to reach their potential in the important early years of childhood, giving them a jump-start on the rest of their education.
Funded by the state of Missouri, the Pups and Paws is a no-cost program for families of eligible children who are three to five years old.
There is also a limited number of spaces within the Pups and Paws classroom for typically developing children to serve as Integrated Peers (peer models). Please note that there could potentially be a waiting list for Integrated Peers.
If you are concerned about your child’s development or are interested in having your child considered for an Integrated Peer spot, please register for a screening by clicking on the button below.
PEER Model Program
Integrated Peer Models are placed in Early Childhood Special Education classrooms to assist the Special Education students with their development by acting as a role model and being a friend. Students will receive instruction in phonics, writing, and math skills while in the classroom. Parents are responsible for providing their own transportation unless your student is a student with an IEP.
It is time to prepare for the 2024/2025 School Year. Enrollment for the next school year is currently being accepted. Preschool Screenings will be March 25, 26, and 27, 2024 at the Gower Baptist Church, 102 S Second St, Gower, MO. It will run concurrently to the Kindergarten Screenings.
Appointments must be made and you may choose your top three time choices on the survey linked below. A district staff member will be in contact with you to schedule your appointment. If those days won't work for you, you may request a screening appointment for another day.
There are limited Integrated Peer Model slots available for this program. Enrollment forms will not be accepted electronically; they may be brought to the Central Office Mondays- Fridays 8:00am to 4:00pm or mailed to the Central Office, 100 Smith St, Gower, MO 64454. Enrollment forms will be dated, time stamped and placed in order received by the district. Once slots are filled the waiting list will start. Enrollment forms are located in the Section of this Page labeled "Screenings."
The following criteria must be met in order for a child to qualify as an Integrated Peer Model
-
Must be an East Buchanan CI School District Resident
-
Must be 3 years of age
-
Potty Trained
The following criteria must be met within 30 days of the enrollment form being submitted or signed up for one of the March Screening Days and prior to the start of attendance in the program in August of 2024.
-
Participate in a peer model screening (Dial 4)
-
Pass speech/language screening
-
Obtain an above average score on concepts and language section of the screening measure
After enrollment Integrate Peer Model must
-
Demonstrate appropriate social interaction and behavior
-
Miss no more than 8 times per semester or be dismissed from the program
For any questions please contact Heidi Schoemaker at 816.424.6466 or shoemaker@ebs.k12.mo.us
Screenings
Screenings are for children who are ages three and four and who will not enter kindergarten in the fall 2023. A kindergarten screening will be conducted as part of the enrollment process in the spring of the child’s pre-K year. Screenings last about one hour. Please note that developmental screenings are designed to be informational and do not guarantee admittance into the Pups and Paws classroom.
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
Since launching in 1995, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has become the preeminent early childhood book-gifting program in the world. The flagship program of The Dollywood Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has gifted over 200 million free books in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and The Republic of Ireland. This is achieved through funding shared by The Dollywood Foundation and Local Community or State Partners. The Imagination Library mails more than 2.6 million high-quality, age-appropriate books directly to children’s homes each month. Each child enrolled in the program receives one book per month from birth to age five - at no cost to families. Dolly envisioned creating a lifelong love of reading and inspiring children to Dream More, Learn More, Care More and Be More.
The program’s impact has been widely researched, and results demonstrate its positive impact on early childhood development and literacy skills. Penguin Random House is the exclusive publisher of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. For more information, please visit ImaginationLibrary.com.
Nov 8, 2023
All Missouri children under five years old are now able to register for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. There is no deadline to register. The Imagination Library is dedicated to inspiring a love of reading by providing age-appropriate books each month to children free of charge. In order to receive books, a parent or guardian must register their child on the Imagination Library national website. Books will be mailed directly to the homes of registered children every month.
"I was so excited to hear that now every child in Missouri is eligible for my Imagination Library!” said Dolly. “I want to personally thank the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Childhood, Governor Parson, and everyone else involved for making this happen."
“Ensuring young children are exposed to reading early in life sets students up for success down the road, and access to high-quality books is a huge part of that process,” said Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven. “Missouri is the 14th state to commit to a statewide program, but no other state has been fully funded, with all children under age five eligible on the first day of the statewide program. This is certainly a day to celebrate, and like, Dolly, we thank Governor Parson and the General Assembly for their support.”
“We are proud to partner with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to bring quality educational resources to more Missouri children and help inspire a passion for reading and learning,” said Governor Mike Parson and First Lady Teresa Parson. “The education of Missouri children is near and dear to us, and we know learning starts early. Even simple access to quality books at a young age can make a transformational difference in the life of a child as they grow older and seek to achieve their own American Dream. We appreciate Dolly, her team, and DESE for helping make this possible and encourage all eligible Missouri parents to utilize this program.”
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has already been available in some areas of the state thanks to the great work of the 57 local affiliates that distribute books to more than 17,000 Missouri children. Those children currently registered will be automatically enrolled in the new statewide program.
The statewide expansion of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library was made possible through Section 178.694, RSMo, and $11 million included in DESE’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget for the distribution of books.
Learn more about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Missouri here. Media can access approved promotional materials on this link as well.
