Putnam Co, NY: District to create inclusive preschool called "ThinkDIFFERENTLY"

June 11, 2025, Mid Hudson: Putnam Early Learning Center approved 

CARMEL – Young learners who have access to early childhood education benefit from lessons that initiate lifelong learning and overall well-being.

The Putnam County Legislature, meeting in special session Tuesday evening, approved the creation of a facility and program known as “Putnam County Early Learning Center: A ThinkDIFFERENTLY Initiative,” to better serve the county’s special needs pre-school aged children.

Earlier this year, the County Health Department joined forces with the Brewster and Carmel School Districts along with educational experts and local stakeholders to create the combined universal pre-kindergarten and special education preschool program that will be held at Community Based Services on Jon Barrett Road in Patterson.

During the past three months, numerous discussions took place regarding the initiative with the county’s new Public Health Director Rian Rodriguez and Early Intervention and Preschool Supervisor Valerie Kurtz along with Putnam Health Department Educator Shanna Siegel who outlined plans for the county’s first pre-K inclusive childcare and learning center.

During the public forums held before SRO audiences at the County Office Building, Rodriguez explained the county’s innovative approach was known as a “braided inclusion” model that is supported by the state Education Department that “ensures students, regardless of their ability, have access to high quality early learning and services.”

The new health director noted the new program will “provide services to children close to home.”

Kurtz told the group that throughout the day opportunities would arise to “foster children’s social-emotional development, language, communication, gross and fine motor skills, as well as early literacy skills, by licensed speech, occupational and physical therapists and special education classroom teachers.”

Kurtz noted the new program would enable students with and without disabilities to participate in cognitive and motor development activities led by experts in the field enabling students of all abilities to “engage and learn from each other in a warm, nurturing and supportive environment.”

The program will be at no cost to the Universal Pre-K families and at no cost to the families of students with disabilities who are eligible for Committee on Preschool Education programming.

Legislator Paul Jonke, who voted in favor along with his colleague,s expressed concern that the lawmakers had been unfairly pressured since the project had to be submitted to the state for its approval no later than June 15. He also encouraged the county to “house something like this on the western side of the county; however, the administration must do a better job in planning such a facility since I don’t like being backed into a corner.”

Legislature Chairwoman Amy Sayegh added, “We have to make sure the county is getting value for its money.”

Legislator Nancy Montgomery reminded her colleagues, “We want a fair solution since we can’t afford to postpone this. We are investing in children not bricks and mortar. There is a desperate need in Putnam County and this is a very attractive deal.”

Kurtz was pleased with the legislature’s vote.

. “Special needs children will have a quality education while people from Putnam will be hired to staff the facility. This is a ‘win win’ for everybody.”

“Special needs children will no longer have to be driven great distances to class each day. It’s all about the children,” Rodriguez said.

Following the meeting, County Executive Kevin Byrne issued a statement:

“The Early Learning Center will cut commuting times for children, save taxpayers money on a mandatory educational service, and provide well-deserved peace of mind to parents of special needs students,” Byrne said. “None of this would have been possible without our county Department of Health spearheading this dual childcare and cost-savings initiative. While more work remains before we can fully implement this program, today’s action marks a critical step to ensure we’re on track to open in time for the upcoming fall semester. This administration asked the county legislature to ‘think differently,’ and they responded with their unanimous support.”

Kurtz said the program would be starting in September at the beginning of the 2025-26 school year.