NSU’s Mailman Segal Center for Human Development Creates Program to Support Preschool Children’s Behavioral Health

MSC’s Preschool Plus Program begins Monday, October 28.

FORT LAUDERDALE/DAVIE, Fla. – Your child has been expelled from preschool – now what?

While research confirms that most young children have the ability to control their emotional and cognitive impulses, the reality is that preschool children are three times more likely to be suspended or expelled from school for behavioral issues than all K-12 students combined. Preschool suspension and expulsion has serious consequences for children, schools, and families. To help address this growing crisis, Nova Southeastern University’s (NSU) Mailman Segal Center for Human Development (MSC) has created the Preschool Plus Program, a therapeutic intervention program.

“Parents can find themselves lost and looking for answers when their young child with behavioral challenges is expelled or suspended from school. At MSC, we have a dedicated team ready to help provide the support these students need to thrive in a classroom setting,” said Roni Cohen Leiderman, Ph.D., Dean of NSU’s Mailman Segal Center for Human Development. “Our goal is to alter a child’s trajectory in life and set them up to be successful in a preschool environment, which is really their foundation for learned behaviors going forward.”

Preschool Plus is an eight-week intensive program for children ages three to five who have behavioral challenges such as ADHD, aggression or oppositional defiance. The course provides multi-tiered support to improve social, emotional and academic outcomes for young children with conduct and behavior disorders.

A behavioral therapy point system is used to reinforce positive behavior throughout the entire day. Children also participate in a range of daily activities including academic instruction, social skills groups, meeting time, and outdoor activities such as water fountain, playground and sports.

In addition to focusing on the child’s needs, the program provides parent training that takes place one time per week for two hours. The training teaches parents how to incorporate therapies from the curriculum into home life.

MSC’s Preschool Plus Program runs Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. The fall semester begins on Monday, October 28. For more information contact Karina Soto Ramirez, Associate Director of Early Learning Programs, at 954-262-6912 or ksoto@nova.edu.

 

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About the Mailman Segal Center for Human Development: Nova Southeastern University’s Mailman Segal Center for Human Development (MSC) is a multi-disciplinary demonstration and professional development center for education, research and the advancement of knowledge in the fields of  early childhood, autism and infant mental health. MSC’s ongoing research, academic programs and experiential learning opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students highlight our commitment to both providing evidence-based programs of excellence and training future professionals. The integration within NSU’s wider community of higher education supports its commitment to quality educational and clinical programs and positions MSC for preeminence in their fields.  For more information, please visit msc.nova.edu.

 

About Nova Southeastern University (NSU): At NSU, students don’t just get an education, they get the competitive edge they need for real careers, real contributions and real life. A dynamic, private research university, NSU is providing high-quality educational and research programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree levels. Established in 1964, the university includes 16 colleges, the 215,000-square-foot Center for Collaborative Research, a private JK-12 grade school, the Mailman Segal Center (early childhood education) with specialists in Autism, the world-class NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale, and the Alvin Sherman Library, Research and Information Technology Center, one of Florida’s largest public libraries. NSU students learn at our campuses in Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Miami, Miramar, Orlando, Palm Beach, and Tampa, Florida, as well as San Juan, Puerto Rico, and online globally. Classified as having “high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, NSU is one of only 50 universities nationwide to also be awarded Carnegie’s Community Engagement Classification, and is also the largest private institution in the United States that meets the U.S. Department of Education’s criteria as a Hispanic-serving Institution. Please visit www.nova.edu for more information.

 

Thursday, October 17, 2019

MEDIA CONTACT:
Tasha Yohan
tyohan@nova.edu
954-262-2172

tyohan