S. Portland, ME: New preschool to address "most severe needs"
SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine — A recent University of Maine report found that over 20% of Maine’s K-12 public school students qualify for special education, one of the highest rates in the country.
Skills for Life, a new preschool in South Portland, will soon welcome its first students. The program aims to help children with the most severe needs build the skills they need to succeed in public school. But placement delays are slowing enrollment.
The program is designed for children with autism and other developmental disabilities who need extra support. The school was ready to welcome students by mid-September.
“We had a bit of a delay getting referrals, and we started getting them at the end of September,” Nicole Heal, PhD, BCBA-D, Skills for Life’s co-founder and director, explained.
She helped start the school to help meet a community need, offering space for up to 40 preschoolers. Last year, more than 1,000 preschool-aged children in Cumberland County were waiting for early intervention services through the Maine Department of Education Child Development Services.
Now, more children ages 3 to 5 with special needs are moving from CDS to public school districts, which Nicole says could explain the lower-than-expected demand. By law, all districts must use this model by June 2028. Nicole thinks Skills for Life could eventually serve preschoolers in public schools who have more severe challenges.
“What they are kind of telling us is that they will know better by October or November that students in their district might need a higher level of education,” Nicole added.
The first three students will start next week, and three more will join later in the month. The school has four classrooms where students get one-on-one support for behaviors and other challenges. The program runs all day, year-round, and includes therapy spaces and play areas. Co-founder and clinical director Ashley St. John, PhD, BCBA, says helping young children build skills now is important for their future.
“They can learn to follow a schedule and be part of a group. Even if they are not fully toilet trained, they can handle bathroom changes without problem behaviors. These children are much more likely to succeed in public school,” Ashley explained. . . .
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