How do we sign up for PlayGroup?
At PlayGroup, our registration process includes supportive conversations and deeply thoughtful consideration to group our students into mutually supportive cohorts. In addition, we are thrilled to share that PlayGroup is now covered as a community class by OPWDD,* making us even more financially accessible to many families!
To join PlayGroup, the first step is to fill out our intake form. We will then contact you to schedule a call with our co-founder Becky Thomas. Becky will answer any questions you have about PlayGroup’s approach and structure, and ask some questions about your child to get to know them better. Becky will want to know about your kid’s interests, as well as what they are currently struggling with. Becky loves learning about families, and has a wealth of knowledge about various issues including schools, evaluations, supports, and more. These calls are generally very reassuring for caregivers.
Following this initial call, Becky carefully considers the students currently registered (or planning to register) for PlayGroup, and curates the groups using her own highly experienced formula for connecting kids to balance shared interest, mutual support, and navigation of challenges. This incredibly purposeful approach to class arrangement is an important factor in what makes PlayGroup so uniquely successful in supporting kids.
Once your child is assigned to a group, they’ll participate in that group for a semester. This first session is an opportunity for mutual assessment of fit. You and your child have time to settle in and evaluate if PlayGroup is the support that you want and need. PlayGroup staff also has the opportunity to observe whether or not our model is the most beneficial for your child. Please note: we are not in the habit of kicking kids out! This period is not a test, and we expect and understand that kids may struggle in ways that are generally not supported in other classroom settings. PlayGroup is different from most programs in this way. Even so, each child is unique, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. So, for some families, PlayGroup may not be the right fit.
If there is mutual agreement about continuing after the initial semester, returning families receive priority registration for the following semesters—and can remain in the program until age ten, in most cases. Families who wish to enroll mid-semester will be placed on a Wait List and offered a spot if and when a space becomes available in an appropriate group (based on Becky’s expert curation, as noted above). We hope you’ll join us!
*OPWDD = Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, a New York State agency providing services to New Yorkers with developmental disabilities.