Integrated Early Childhood Program
 

Each of our Integrated Early Childhood classrooms consists of 7 students receiving special education services and 8 peer partners for a half-day program Monday through Friday.

The Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District (HWRSD) invites typically developing children to enroll as peer partners in its Inclusive Preschool Program.

Eligibility and Priority:

Applications are accepted from families in surrounding communities. However, priority enrollment is given to residents of Hampden and Wilbraham, Massachusetts.

Program Schedule (Monday through Friday, Half-Day):

• Morning Session (3-year-olds): 8:55 a.m. to 11:35 a.m.
• Afternoon Session (4-year-olds): 12:20 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Tuition and Payments:

The annual tuition is $3,300. A deposit of $300 is required to secure a spot. The remaining balance is dispersed in scheduled payments over the remainder of the school year. Tuition is prorated for children who start after the school year has commenced.

For a child to be considered as a peer partner we look for the following qualities:

Age requirement: Children who are 3 years of age before September 1st of that calendar year- 5 years of age are eligible to become peer models. (They need to be 5 before September 1st to enroll in kindergarten.)

• Completely toilet trained; no more than 1-2 accidents a month
• Separate easily from parents at drop-off
• Able to follow the rules and routines of the classroom and school environment
• Can attend to a preferred/self-directed activity for at least 8-10 minutes
• Can attend to an adult-selected activity for at least 4 - 5 minutes
• Plays with a variety of toys appropriately and cooperatively with peers
• Able to play beside and/or with other children while sharing the same bin of toys
• Speaks in clear English sentences
• Speech is clear and understandable by unfamiliar adults
• Can understand and answer simple questions in English
• Demonstrates the ability to use arts and crafts tools to complete a project (e.g. crayons, markers, glue sticks, etc.)
• Is well-coordinated and able to walk, run, jump, and can navigate age-appropriate playground equipment

If you are interested in having your child participate as a peer partner, please complete this application for the 2025-2026 school year. You will be contacted by the Early Childhood Coordinator to schedule a screening at your convenience.

2025-2026 Peer Partner Application for our next school year

https://forms.gle/5aDSjveZAtjcSbXR9

Pre-K screenings for the 2026-2027 school year will be scheduled in the Spring 2026. Families will be contacted separately.

To be eligible for special education services within the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District (HWRSD), a child must be a resident of Hampden or Wilbraham.

If you have concerns regarding your child's development and believe they may qualify for services, please contact Lynn Pollard at 413-279-3866. We can discuss your concerns and, if appropriate, initiate the evaluation process required by the district.

For More Information:

For additional questions regarding the application and enrollment process for our Integrated Preschool Program, please contact our team.

You may contact:

• Corinne Roberts, Administrative Assistant, at 413-279-3863 or croberts@hwrsd.org.
• Lynn Pollard, Early Childhood Coordinator, at 413-279-3866 or lpollard@hwrsd.org.

After your child has completed the screening for a peer partner and you have been notified of their acceptance into the Integrated Preschool Program, the parent/guardian must complete the registration steps listed below.