Name of Site: Wellerwood Early Childhood Center

Contact Person: Denise Ludwig, Principal  

Address: 800 Wellerwood NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505

Phone: (616) 819-3683

Fax: (616) 819-3685

Email: ludwigd@grps.k12.mi.us

Designation Date as MOVE Model Site: May 18, 2006

MOVE International Trainers:

Julie Sues-Delaney, Physical Therapist
Elizabeth Tanja, Physical Therapist

Mission Statement:

The mission of the Wellerwood Early Childhood Center Program is to ensure that all children from birth though preschool years grow developmentally in partnership with parent and community.

Description of Site:

Wellerwood Early Childhood Center (WECC), operated by the Grand Rapids Public Schools District, is a center-based preschool providing educational services to children from birth through age six. WECC provides developmental evaluations, home-based services, parent/child intervention and preschool classroom services. Children from ten different school districts attend WECC. It is the home of one of three Ken-O-Sha Preschool Sites servicing children with special educational needs in Kent County who are not able to be served by their home school district. Ken-O-Sha Preschool, an Early On provider, offers ‘Home-Community’ services for children from birth to age three and ‘Classroom’ services for children ages two to six. WECC is also the home of a Kent County preschool playgroup “Bright Beginnings”, a Michigan School Readiness Program for at risk 4 year olds and a Head Start Program for 3 year olds. WECC boasts a new Outdoor Learning Environment where children MOVE to play and play to learn.

WECC provides services to over 350 children.

Number of Children Using the MOVE Program: 30

Age Range of Children: Birth through 6

Number of Classrooms Using the MOVE Program: 3

Student/Staff Ratio: 8:3 and 8:2

WECC Staff:

Our Highly Qualified Staff includes:
Teachers
Physical Therapists
Occupational Therapists
Speech and Language Pathologists
Social Workers
Nurses
Paraprofessionals
PAL (Parent Action Leader)

Educational Programs Include:

Home community services:
A variety of groups are offered including a MOVE group
Home Visits

Classroom services:
5 half day sessions a week (morning and afternoon)
4 half day sessions a week with a parent group or home visit component
Multi-disciplinary Team Approach
Inclusion opportunities with MSRP and Head Start

We include the following strategies in interventions:
PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System)
Responsive Teaching
Therapeutic Listening
Sensory Integration
Floor Time
Active Learning
START (STate wide Autism Resources and Training)

We collaborate with outside agencies to provide orthotic and wheelchair fittings and evaluation for assistive technology devices at school.

Music Therapy

Michigan School Readiness Program for at-risk four year olds

Head Start Program for three year olds.

Annual Family Events:

Open House
Ice Cream Social
Monthly Parent Group Meetings
Winter Festival
Pajama Jamboree
Farm Day
Very Special Arts

Directions:

From the South:
Take US-131 N toward Grand Rapids
Merge onto I-96 E via Exit 89 on the LEFT toward Lansing
Take the PLAINFIELD AVE exit – EXIT 33
Turn LEFT onto PLAINFIELD AVE NE.
Turn RIGHT onto LAMBERTON ST NE
Turn RIGHT onto CHENEY AVE NE
Turn LEFT onto WELLERWOOD ST NE
WECC is at the end of the street.

From the North:
Take US-131 S toward Grand Rapids
Merge onto I-96 E via Exit 89 on the RIGHT toward Lansing
Take the PLAINFIELD AVE exit – EXIT 33
Turn LEFT onto PLAINFIELD AVE NE.
Turn RIGHT onto LAMBERTON ST NE
Turn RIGHT onto CHENEY AVE NE
Turn LEFT onto WELLERWOOD ST NE
WECC is at the end of the street.

From the East:
Take I-96 W to the PLAINFIELD AVE exit – EXIT 33
Turn RIGHT onto PLAINFIELD AVE NE.
Turn RIGHT onto LAMBERTON ST NE
Turn RIGHT onto CHENEY AVE NE
Turn LEFT onto WELLERWOOD ST NE
WECC is at the end of the street.

From the West:
Take I-96 W to the PLAINFIELD AVE exit – EXIT 33
Turn LEFT onto PLAINFIELD AVE NE.
Turn RIGHT onto LAMBERTON ST NE
Turn RIGHT onto CHENEY AVE NE
Turn LEFT onto WELLERWOOD ST NE
WECC is at the end of the street.