The Asian Center Preschool is in session daily from Sept. to June, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. It enrolls children between the ages of 2 years 9 months, and 5 years. There are spaces for 17 children in one classroom with a Lead Teacher, and an Assistant Teacher. The Preschool is licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care.

The Preschool classroom is large and airy with play areas for blocks, cars and trucks, a train table, a kitchen/home center, and a book corner. There is also an outdoor play space for balls, riding toys, and active games.

The Preschool curriculum is based on the Creative Curriculum model. The teacher’s weekly lesson plans include English language development, number recognition and use, science concepts, music and rhythmic movement, arts and crafts, socialization, and large and small motor development.

The Preschool subscribes to The Weekly Reader series for this age group, and partners with the Raising A Reader book-lending program.

The Asian Center’s focus is on teaching English to speakers of other languages, and this is true in the Preschool as well. Preschool families come from many countries, and for most, English is not the language they speak at home. It is our goal to prepare the children to succeed in American Kindergarten, and to that end we stress English language development. We find that children who arrive in September speaking no English, are communicating with each other in English by January. Standardized testing shows that, on average, the children gain 1+ years of English vocabulary yearly.

The Asian Center was founded in 1987 to serve refugees and immigrants arriving at that time from Southeast Asia. Today, although still focused on arrivals from Asia, the Center’s reach has expanded to include immigrants from all parts of the world. During the same hours that the Preschool is meeting, English classes for adults are also being held. This makes it convenient for parents and other relatives to study English while their children are in the preschool.

To enroll a child in the Asian Center Preschool,visit the office at 1 Ballard Way, Lawrence,or call (978) 683-7316  xt. 14.

Fees:  $60. Application Fee

          $540 per quarter