Preschool Services Receive a Boost from City Contract

Preschool services received a boost this year with a grant from the NYC Department of Education to enhance early childhood learning at Odyssey House.

Odyssey House is the first residential treatment program to be awarded a competitive contract from the City as part of New York State's Universal Prekindergarten Program. The additional resources, $105,000 over three years, will allow our team of licensed preschool teachers to focus on what educators term the four learning domains: social-emotional, physical, creative and cognitive development that includes language, literacy, pre-writing and mathematics.

The award also recognizes the high quality of Odyssey House's childcare services and our partnership in working to achieve New York State's ultimate goal of creating Centers of Excellence for prekindergarten services.

Studies have shown high-quality preschool programs provide one of the best foundations young children need to become successful learners. This is especially important for children, such as those enrolled in the Odyssey House Family Center, whose parents have struggled to provide for their children because of substance abuse and other problems. 

More than 75 children from newborn to school-age live at the Odyssey House Family Center of Excellence while their parents are in treatment.  The children are cared for in age appropriate settings dedicated to their development needs. Of these youngsters, currently one classroom – up to 15 students – is exclusively devoted to preparing four-year-olds for kindergarten.

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