Description of Blended Program

The Tiger Tots preschool program at John V. Leigh School offers a blended preschool experience. Classes are taught by teachers that are certified by the State of Illinois in Early Childhood Education and as Learning Behavior Specialists. Classrooms provide a richly diverse environment and exposure to a "blend"  of children that are typically developing along with children that have identified specialized needs.

Benefits of Blended Preschool:

• Increased appreciation and acceptance of individual differences.

• Increased empathy for others.

• Increased school readiness for all students. 

• A multidisciplinary approach to early childhood learning.

Schedule and Times: 

The preschool program runs five days a week in half day sessions, offered in either the morning or afternoon.  Times are as follows: 

Monday - Friday:  AM 8:45 - 11:15 and PM 12:00 - 2:30

How Can Children Join the Program?

Children 3-5 years of age may attend preschool at John V. Leigh School in one of two ways:

• Through the State of Illinois Preschool for All (PFA) grant. 

• Children who do not qualify for the PFA grant may attend through the tuition-offered preschool, per availability.

Note: PFA eligible students may be either a Norridge or local resident. Tuition-based students must be Norridge residents.

Preschool Screenings/Qualifying for the Preschool for All (PFA) Grant

Preschool For All Grant (PFA):  

The PFA grant is funded by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and is awarded to qualifying districts. This grant provides preschool-aged children with a high-quality early learning experience that is aligned to Illinois Common Core State Standards and is research-based. The overall goal of the PFA Grant is to provide early childhood education services to larger populations of children, especially those who may be considered “at risk.” With this grant opportunity, more children are provided with early learning foundational support which helps to prepare them for long-term school success. 

Qualifying for the Preschool For All Grant: 

To qualify for the Preschool for All Grant, a child must participate in a comprehensive developmental screening. The screening team considers outcomes from the screening assessment  as well as information gathered from questionnaires and interviews with the parent/guardian. Each child is given a total score that is recorded based on a weighted at-risk eligibility point-system as outlined in ISBE’s PFA grant procedures. Outcomes from screenings are reviewed by a multidisciplinary team and parents are notified of PFA eligibility status. Children who do not immediately qualify for the PFA grant are added to a waitlist in which parents are contacted, should additional grant funds be awarded to the district. 

Preschool Screenings: 

Norridge School District 80 conducts free developmental screenings for children 3 to 5 years of age. Parents/Guardians may seek out a screening if there are any concerns with the child’s development and/or to determine if their child qualifies for the Preschool for All (PFA) Grant. The purpose of these screenings is to identify children who may be at-risk for developing delays or who may be delayed in major milestones. Screenings include an assessment of concepts/pre-academic readiness, speech-language, and motor skills. The screening team also collects information about the child’s independence, behavior and social skills. At the onset of the screening, the child will be led into the screening room while the parent is interviewed in a separate location. Accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis for children who may not be able to separate from their parent/guardian. 

Outcomes of screenings may include:

• Qualifying for the Preschool For All (PFA) grant.

• Monitoring of developmental skills in the preschool program and implementation of interventions.

• Additional evaluations may be recommended after a period of monitoring if necessary. A child may qualify for an Individualized Education Program (IEP) based on identification of a disability and adverse impact(s) in the educational setting. All services provided through a student's IEP are provided at no-cost to the family.

Signing Up For A Preschool Screening:

If you have questions, or are interested in signing your child up for a screening, please contact our school district registrar Tammy Dicintio at 708-441-3045 or tdicintio@norridge80.net. If you have concerns for a child ages birth to 3, please contact Child and Family Connections 888-566-8228 for information about Early Intervention (EI) Services.

Tuition-Based Program

For children who do not qualify for Preschool For All, a tuition based program is available to enroll your child into the half day Tiger Tots Preschool program. For the 2025-2026 school year, the tuition fees are outlined in the table below: 

Tuition Fee	$3,000
Curriculum Fee	$150
Total Fee	$3,150

Deposit: A non-refundable deposit of at $650 must be provided at the time of registration. This deposit must be paid through cash or check and will be put towards the total fee ($150 curriculum and $500 tuition). Checks must be made payable to Norridge School District 80.

Tuition Due Date: Tuition fees must be paid in full by December 31, 2025 or your child will no longer be eligible to attend the Tiger Tots program until tuition fees are paid in full.