Rosen Family Preschool ASL/English Bilingual Program in Seattle

What We Do

Preschool Mission		Preschool Vision
At Rosen Family Preschool, children are capable, families are engaged, and educators are inspired; we collaborate in a joyful, accessible, bilingual learning community rooted in Deaf identity and American Sign Language.		To be leaders in Deaf education devoted to providing an exemplary ASL and English bilingual program for the diverse community of Seattle, empowering children and families to become creative and confident thinkers.

Rosen Family Preschool is a program for children ages 3-5 that emphasizes both American Sign Language (ASL) and English, giving children a bilingual language foundation that lasts a lifetime. We have a classroom dedicated to Deaf and hard of hearing students, as well as an ASL immersion classroom for hearing students whose families have made a commitment to using ASL in the home. All instruction is conducted in ASL.

Classes take place Monday through Friday, 9am-3pm. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we are offering virtual programming that ensures our students can continue learning at home.

Curious about the benefits of bilingual education? Check out our Resources page or contact us with questions.

Classrooms

A photo of Rosen Family Preschool. In the foreground on the left, the arm of an instructor is signing to two sitting students on the right. The student on the left is looking at the student on the right, who is signing the letter L.

Rosen Family Preschool has two cohorts: our Bilingual ASL/English Classroom for Deaf and hard of hearing students, and our ASL Immersion Classroom for hearing children whose families have made a commitment to using ASL in the home. Both classrooms will learn and grow together over the course of the year.

Bilingual Deaf & Hard of Hearing Classroom		ASL Immersion Classroom
This classroom serves children who identify as Deaf, deaf, or hard of hearing* and have chosen visual communication in ASL and written English as their primary language. No prior experience in ASL is needed.		This classroom serves a variety of students who would benefit from a bilingual ASL/English classroom, including: CODAs (children with Deaf or hard of hearing parents) SODAs (children with Deaf or hard of hearing siblings) Children who are unilaterally deaf* Children with a family commitment to include ASL as one of their languages No prior experience in ASL is needed.
* Because we respect the diverse nature of the unilaterally deaf and hard of hearing population, we will make individual decisions about placing unilaterally deaf children in the classroom that best meets their needs. Families will work with teachers and specialists to make placement decisions.

Bilingual Deaf & Hard of Hearing Classroom

ASL Immersion Classroom

This classroom serves children who identify as Deaf, deaf, or hard of hearing* and have chosen visual communication in ASL and written English as their primary language.

No prior experience in ASL is needed.

This classroom serves a variety of students who would benefit from a bilingual ASL/English classroom, including:

CODAs (children with Deaf or hard of hearing parents)
SODAs (children with Deaf or hard of hearing siblings)
Children who are unilaterally deaf*
Children with a family commitment to include ASL as one of their languages

No prior experience in ASL is needed.

* Because we respect the diverse nature of the unilaterally deaf and hard of hearing population, we will make individual decisions about placing unilaterally deaf children in the classroom that best meets their needs. Families will work with teachers and specialists to make placement decisions.

Curriculum

Rosen Family Preschool fosters a constructivist, play-based classroom inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy of early learning. Using that philosophy, we have developed our own framework based on Creative Curriculum and guided by Emergent Curriculum principles. Key elements of the Rosen Family Preschool curriculum include:

We promote bilingualism in ASL and English for all of our students.
Direct instruction in ASL to ensure accessibility for Deaf and hard of hearing students
Deaf-friendly, culturally appropriate, visually accessible classroom environment with modern technology
Family engagement, including daily communication and home visits
Culturally competent education team including teachers, audiologists, and speech-language pathologists who work regularly with students to meet individual spoken language and listening goals as appropriate

Family Commitment

All families are expected to show a commitment to the use of American Sign Language in the home. We support your journey with ASL classes for family members and the community. Parents and caretakers set individual goals for ASL studies and participate in our Parent/Teacher Association.

Virtual Programming

We have developed a virtual learning plan to ensure that all of our students continue their growth if our physical classroom is closed. We hold family meetings with teachers to build personalized at-home curricula, including learning and social opportunities.

Personalized curricula may include:

Twice weekly live circle time with staff
One-on-one learning time with staff
Online playdates and playgroups
Teacher-produced ASL story videos with related activities
Teacher-produced social emotional Learning videos and curriculum

Arts activities
Coaching for parents to develop open-ended engagements
Virtual field trips
Ongoing, evolving curriculum
IEP Continuous Learning Plans

Enrollment

A photo of an empty Rosen Family Preschool. It is a bright classroom with a couple desks, loft, counter, cabinets, and friendly decorations. In the background is a long set of windows.

If you think your child may be a good fit for Rosen Family Preschool, please contact us to discuss your options, or submit an enrollment inquiry. To join our Fall 2020 class, your child must be 3 years old or above before September 1, 2020.

Most of our students are located in the Seattle area. Deaf and hard of hearing children, or other children with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), may be eligible for tuition assistance from their local school district. All families in Seattle may be eligible for tuition assistance from the Seattle Preschool Program.

Scholarships may be available to families who need additional financial assistance.

Some families choose to pay out-of-pocket. We are committed to removing barriers to enrollment for children and families who are an excellent fit for our program.

Submit an Enrollment Inquiry

Policies & Procedures

View the Rosen Family Preschool Handbook to see the classroom’s policies and procedures. We have ASL videos below for some sections of the handbook.

American Sign Language handshape spelling

What should I bring on the first day of school? (page 3 of the handbook)
Rosen’s mission and vision (page 6)
What does learning look like in the Rosen Classroom? (page 7)

Contact

Online
Email: rosenpreschool@hsdc.org
Phone (voice): 206-323-5770
Fax: 206-328-6871

Location

Seattle office

Staff

Click on a staff member’s picture to learn more about them. Interested in working for Rosen Family Preschool? Check out HSDC’s job listings for the latest openings.