What We Do

Classrooms | Curriculum | Virtual Programming | Calendar-at-a-Glance | Enrollment | Policies & Procedures | Tuition & Tuition Assistance PolicyContact Info | Staff | Parent Portal

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.

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Rosen Family Preschool is a program for children ages birth to 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 other children whose families have made a commitment to using ASL in the home. In 2021, we opened our third classroom for infants and toddlers. All instruction is conducted in ASL.

Preschool classes for children age 3 to 5 take place Monday through Friday, 9am-3pm. The infant and toddler room runs from 8am to 5pm.

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


Contact us to learn more

Reflections

A circular image of the face of Sam Sanders, HSDC staff member. Sam has light skin, shoulder length brown hair, a brown and gray beard, and glasses.

Sam Sanders
Lead Teacher | Family Infant & Toddler Classroom

I was undergoing an alchemy, the fusion of two languages building a storm of inextricable synapses; I was learning two languages at the same time, learning how to think in either. It was a gift from my parents who came from a world where they were poked, prodded, slapped through phonetics without understanding what sound meant. They drew in silence through their ears and regurgitated noise that made specialists happy, a success, despite an accent that marked them as different. The world is not kind to those who have to try harder, and my parents chose to be kind. They chose to view me as a human being, the product of their experiences, and wanted to give me what their parents didn’t know to give.”

See the full Reflection

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 is designed to have 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 learn and grow together over the course of the year. Depending on the number of Deaf students enrolled each year and the ASL background of the hearing students, we may combine the two cohorts into one.

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.

Our Infant and Toddler room welcomes children age birth to three Our licensed program runs 8am to 5pm Monday through Friday and has slots for 8 children. Apply through our registration portal, here: http://bit.ly/rfpapply

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 Learning

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.

  • 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.

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.

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.
  • Amir Ahmed

    Amir Ahmed

    Preschool Classroom Assistant

  • Deborah Coffman

    Deborah Coffman

    Lead Infant-Toddler Classroom Teacher

  • Brandon Cross

    Brandon Cross

    Preschool Classroom Assistant

  • Angela Evatt

    Angela Evatt

    Education Program Support Specialist

  • Lyn Gallo

    Lyn Gallo

    Infant-Toddler Classroom Assistant

  • Pamela Grossman

    Pamela Grossman, MA

    Rosen Family Preschool Director

  • Misty Haggard

    Misty Haggard

    Preschool Assistant Teacher

  • Takeshi Matsumoto

    Takeshi Matsumoto

    General Assistant

  • Sam Sanders

    Sam Sanders

    Lead Preschool Teacher

  • Teuaililo Tiatia

    Teuaililo Tiatia

    Infant-Toddler Classroom Assistant