Little Aggies Preschool & Child Development Labs
The USU Uintah Basin Little Aggies Preschool is nationally accredited through the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). We are located in Roosevelt and offer a variety of outstanding play-based, exploratory preschool programs for children ages three to five. Our program is part of the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education in the Human Development and Family Studies Department. Consistent with USU’s land-grant mission, the Little Aggies Preschool has a three-pronged focus comprising services for children and families, research, and training pre-professionals.
For more information contact:
Shirlene Law
Senior Lecturer
MISSION
At USU Uintah Basin Little Aggies Preschool, we are dedicated to helping children develop more confidence, cooperation, compassion and creativity. We believe children learn through their interactions with others and their environment. We strive to facilitate learning experiences that allow children to fulfill their potential and explore new possibilities.
PROGRAMS
Four- and Five-Year-Old Program
(Fall/Spring Semesters)
Our four- and five-year-old program serves children in a discovery-oriented environment. Our play-based curriculum is designed to meet the full range of developmental needs and interests of the children. A master’s level head teacher leads the teaching team that incorporates Level IV student teachers as well as sophomore block Level II students. Children attend class two days per week from 9:00-11:15, or 12:15-2:30. Classes are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Three-Year-Old Program
(offered as needed)
Our three-year-old program is designed to provide an introductory social and educational experience for children and their families. This program is offered on an “as needed” basis, dependent on the coursework needs of USU students enrolled in our early childhood, elementary education and human development and family studies programs.
PARENTS
Enrollment Information
Our programs offer children a hands-on, discovery-based learning environment. Teachers focus their planning based on the developmental needs and interests of the children in their classrooms.
Families are an integral part of our program, and our goal is to keep you well-informed of what your child is doing on a daily basis. Each day we send home a note to let you know what we are doing and what we are learning. There are many ways you, as a caregiver, can be involved. At the beginning of the year, we ask you to fill out a survey assessing the development of your child. With this information, we tailor the classroom activities to help enhance your child’s development. We highly recommend volunteering in the classroom (spending a day or part of a day with us, sharing an interest or talent, or going on a field trip), observing in the observation booths, participating in home visits, and attending parent-teacher conferences. We also have some family events throughout the year which you will be invited to attend. Regardless of your schedule, there are many opportunities to be involved in your child’s preschool experience, and we welcome your participation.
You can enroll your child by completing the Waitlist Application. When a child’s application is received, his or her name is placed on the waiting list. We accept 3/4 of each group on the basis of the application date. We accept the remaining 1/4 of each group based on other specific criteria to balance the class groups. Keep in mind that many children have been on the waitlists since birth, so the lists can be long.
| Program | Max # | Semester | Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Three-Year-Old Program | 10 | as needed | |
| Four- and Five-Year-Old Program | 14 | Fall/Spring | Tuesday/Thursday 9:00 - 11:30 am, 12:15 - 12:45 pm |
OUR TEACHERS
Shirlene Law
Shirlene Law is the director of the USU Uintah Basin’s Little Aggies Preschool. She received her BS in Elementary Education from Utah State University and then earned her MS from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. She has spent the last 28 years teaching preschool in both private and university sectors. She is currently a senior lecturer in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, where she has taught for the past 18 years. Shirlene teaches courses in human development, early childhood education and methods and curriculum for preschool children. She also supervises USU students as they complete practicum assignments in the early childhood labs. She is passionate about the value of early childhood education and dedicated to creating the best learning experiences possible for both preschoolers and university students. Her research interests are: early childhood curriculum, teacher training, early childhood writing development, art, large group time, and early childhood core standards. In her spare time, Shirlene enjoys running, eating chocolate, traveling and playing with her amazing grandsons.
Joan Cranney
Joan Cranney is a head teacher at the USU Uintah Basin’s Little Aggies Preschool. She earned dual BS degrees in both Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education. Joan has a MS Degree in Education from Utah State University and received dual BS degrees in both Early Childhood and Elementary Education. Joan works with practicum teachers in the lab as well as is instrumental in creating developmentally appropriate curriculum. Joan is also a trainer for Care About Childcare where she teaches childcare providers courses in best practices, guidance and developmentally appropriate practices. In her spare time, Joan loves to go camping with her family and always finds a reason to travel to Logan to see her grandson!
Danielle Zipf
OUR PHILOSOPHY
Our program is built upon a foundation of providing children with a wide variety of developmentally appropriate activities, a stimulating environment, opportunities for discovery and making choices, interpersonal interactions, and independence-promoting experiences. We recognize that there is no single standard towards which all children work. Instead, children progress according to their individual abilities.
OUR FACILITIES
Our beautiful facility is located in Roosevelt on USU Uintah Basin’s campus. We have two preschool classrooms; one for three-year-old children and one for four-year-old children. Each classroom has been professionally designed to meet the developmental needs of the children who attend. There are large windows to provide natural lighting and large outdoor and indoor play areas to support gross motor development. The play spaces within the classrooms are carefully planned to support learning. Each classroom has a well-developed dramatic play center, sensory table, art easel, wide variety of blocks and manipulatives, writing center, book center, large group area, individual cubbies, and child-sized bathrooms, sinks, and tables and chairs. Our classrooms provide an environment that is safe, nurturing, engaging, and stimulating.
FOR EDUCATION STUDENTS
Pre-requisites
HDFS (Child Development emphasis):
- HDFS 1500
- HDFS 2660 (recommended)
- HDFS 4550
- apply for 6 credits of HDFS 4960
ECE:
- HDFS 1500
- HDFS 2600/2630
- HDFS 4550
- Level II Completed
- apply for 6 credit of HDFS 4960
ELED K-6:
- HDFS 1500
- HDFS 2600/2630
- Level II Completed
- apply for 3 credits of HDFS 4960
ELED/ECE (Dual):
- HDFS 1500
- HDFS 2600/2630
- HDFS 4550
- Level II Completed
- apply for 6 credits of HDFS 4960
ECE & Deaf Education:
- HDFS 1500
- HDFS 2660/2630
- HDFS 4550
- Level II Completed
- apply for 3 credits of HDFS 4960
ECE with Special Education:
- HDFS 1500
- HDFS 2600/2630
- HDFS 4550
- Level II Completed
ELED K-6 with Special Education:
- HDFS 1500
- HDFS 2600/2630
- HDFS 4550
- apply 3 credits of HDFS 4960
ELED/ECE K-6 with Special Education:
- HDFS 1500
- HDFS 2600/2630
- HDFS 4550
- Level II Completed
- apply for 3 credits of HDFS 4960