Westside Parents As Teachers is sponsored by Westside Community Schools.

Your baby begins learning at birth. Parents As Teachers (PAT) can help you give your child the best possible start in life.

History/Background

As a parent, you are your child's first and most influential teacher. PAT parents are more confident in their parenting role and are more involved in their child's schooling. Parents as Teachers helps you lay a strong foundation for your child's future success in school and in life.

A 1985 independent evaluation of PAT determined that participating children were significantly more advanced than other 3-year-olds in language development, social development, problem solving, and other intellectual skills. A 1991 study of a broader group confirmed these results. A 1989 follow-up study of the first group found that PAT children in first grade were more advanced, as measured by teacher evaluation and standardized tests of reading and math. In addition, parents who participated in PAT were far more active in their children's school than other parents.

You and your baby
deserve the support that Parents as Teachers offers.
Give your child the best possible start in life.
Call today to enroll.

PAT is an internationally recognized early childhood parent education and family support program. It is a voluntary program for parents with children from birth though age five. PAT promotes parent involvement in learning from the very beginning of a child’s life and fosters optimal development of the young child. This free program covers child development; suggests activities that encourage language development, intellectual growth, and social and motor skills; and strengthens the parent-child relationship.

A number of independent studies show that children who participate in PAT are significantly advanced over their peers and that these early gains continue after the children enter elementary school.

District 66 Child Find is designed to identify children (birth-21) who may be at risk for learning and may benefit from special services. Children who display delays in learning, coordination, understanding language, speech development, or have physical, visual, or hearing impairments may qualify to receive services at no cost. Early Intervention services are available for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and their families.

Toddler, preschool, and childcare programs are available at most District 66 elementary schools. Before and after school care is also available at all elementary schools. Westside Early Childhood Centers adhere to District 66's emphasis on child-centered learning, providing a large variety of hands-on activities.

Westside Community Schools welcomes new babies to the district through the First Links program. First Links is sponsored by Parents As Teachers, Child Find, and Creighton University School of Nursing. First Links provides a home visit by a nursing student, a packet of child development information, and a free baby gift. The nurse can also do an infant assessment and answer questions.

Evening programs are arranged throughout the year that provide additional resources and information about parenting and child development. The speaker series addresses topics such as behavior, discipline, stress, promoting reading, health, and safety. Flyers are distributed that provide the date, time, and location of each meeting. Free childcare for children over two is available at these meetings.