The Mt. Vernon School District Preschool strives to offer children an opportunity to develop in an environment planned with their physical, mental, social, sensory and emotional needs in mind. The program provides experiences with the intent of meeting the needs of all attending preschoolers. It is a language-based, developmental preschool. This means that activities are implemented with attention to different needs, interests and developmental levels of individual children as well as the group. Research indicates that preschool aged children learn best through a multi-sensory approach. As examples, preschool activities may include playing with play-dough, water, sand, shaving cream, rice, games, puzzles, and lots of reading. Music and singing are important elements to the preschool curriculum, as the children learn listening and language skills through these activities. Phonemic awareness is taught through repetition and familiar patterns heard in routines and everyday experiences.