Tag Archives: Stepping Stones preschool

[OPINION] Special Ed Parent Says: “Thank You, Westport!”

Posted on November 2, 2025 | 11 comments

Raising a child today is challenging. It is especially so when that youngster has special needs.

Ali Wachtel moved to Westport nearly 8 years ago. Today, she shares an inspiring story about her son Nate, and the Westport Public Schools. She writes:

When I moved here in December of 2017, I did not know how lucky I was. My son Nate was 18 months old.

I knew in my bones that he was autistic. What I did not know was that I had just moved to a town that could, and would, support him.

On Nate’s 3rd birthday, he had his very first day at Stepping Stones Preschool.

Nate’s first year at Stepping Stones.

Nate was not just mildly affected. He was non-verbal.

I was not sure he would ever be able to communicate with us in the way every parent dreams. As I was new to the world of special education, the team at Stepping Stones walked me through every step of the IEP (Individualized Education Plan) process.

Together we crafted a strategy for Nate to develop the necessary skills to access the academic curriculum.

Nate and his mother, Ali Wachtel, as she read to his Stepping Stones class …

Three years later, Nate graduated and moved on to Long Lots Elementary. To my delight, he matriculated into the general ed classroom. A dream of mine had come to fruition.

Nate still required a great deal of support. He is in the IR (Intensive Resource) program, which means he has 1-to-1 paraprofessional support. He is pulled out for reading, writing and math support to this day, in addition to participating in social skill building groups.

There is not a single area in which Nate does not require support. But it is all given to him.

I am writing this not solely as a co-chair of the Westport Special Education PTA, nor as an advocate for children who receive SpEd services, but as a proud parent.

Like so many I navigated this process, armed with little if any information or insight, and terrified that this outcome would never be an option for my child.

Yet 5 years later, on October 17, my incredible young boy was invited to return to Stepping Stones preschool to read aloud in his former teacher’s class.

… and Nate in October, reading to another Stepping Stones class. (Photos/Andy Fleischman)

This has, in no small way, been made possible by Westport’s dedicated educators.

My son who walked into Stepping Stones 7 years ago without the ability to speak, returned a confident 4th grade reader who shared his experiences in the Westport school system with a group of 5-year-old pre-school students.

To say this moment was the honor of my life is an understatement. It is all thanks to our good fortune in having moved to the town of Westport.

So thank you Westport, for granting me my annual birthday wish and prayer that one day my child would be able to express himself.

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Inclusive Schools Week Includes All

Posted on December 8, 2023 | 3 comments

You may not know that this is National Inclusive Schools Week.

But your kids sure do.

All 5 Westport elementary schools — and Stepping Stones Preschool — planned special programming to celebrate the annual event. Begun in 2001, it encourages schools to support cultures of inclusion, and provide quality education to an increasingly diverse student population.

“Many activities open doors to understanding and respecting different ways of thinking, reflecting on themselves as learners, and fostering a sense of belonging in our schools,” says Coleytown Elementary principal Janna Sirowich.

“We are educating students about neurodiversity  — the different ways that people’s brains work — and how disabilities do not define or limit an individual’s potential.”

Every elementary school read a book about a famed disability rights activist.

Each school designed a variety of learning opportunities and experiences, across all areas of the building.

For example, Stepping Stones classes read “It’s Ok to be Different,” by Sharon Purtil, which celebrates diversity and encourages acceptance.

All elementary classes read “All the Way to the Top: How One Girl’s Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything,”  the true story of disability rights advocate Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins. Born with cerebral palsy, she joined the “Capitol Crawl” in Washington — which led to the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Among other activities:

Stepping Stones Preschool students watched a PBS show featuring Sesame Street character Julia, who has autism. The video promotes awareness and understanding of neurodiversity at a developmentally appropriate level.

Coleytown Elementary students learned about Special Olympics and Paralympics in their physical education classes — including many athletes who achieved great success in a variety of sports.

All kindergarten through 5th grade artists at Greens Farms Elementary studied Henri Matisse. In a wheelchair and despite his physical limitations, he made incredible art. Students creating their own all-school mural, using organic shapes.

Students in Kings Highway Elementary music classes students incorporated sign language in songs they sang. They also learned about a number of musicians who use their abilities and talents in different ways.

Inclusive Schools Week bulletin board.

All Long Lots Elementary 2nd graders visited with a therapy dog. They learned how animals provide emotional comfort and support to people of all ages and circumstances.

The daily TV news show, Saugatuck Seal News, highlighted individuals with disabilities who have adapted and overcome challenges to create new opportunities once seen as impossible.

Inclusive Schools Week began last week, with a special Cultural Arts performance. “Magic Into the Deaf World” was an inspiring show with Matthew “Magic ” Morgan, who enchanted his audience. Westport science coach Phaedra Taft signed and interpreted for “Magic Morgan.”

“Magic” Morgan (far right), his wife Liliana (2nd from left), with Kings Highway principal Tracey Carbone (wearing green), and parents during Inclusive Schools Week.

“National Inclusive Schools Week provides an opportunity for educators, students, families and communities to engage in conversations and activities that foster a more inclusive and supportive atmosphere within our schools,” Coleytown El principal Sirowich says.

“It encourages reflection on current practices, and the exploration of new strategies to ensure that every student feels welcomed, respected and valued.”

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Bobbi Burns Teaches — And Learns

Posted on October 11, 2021 | 11 comments

Bobbi Burns is a teacher. But every day, she says, she learns something from her students.

That’s impressive. They’re 3 to years old, at Stepping Stones — Westport’s public pre-school.

Even more impressive: Burns has been teaching for 50 years.

She began her educational career — and started learning from children — at a New Jersey school for youngsters with significant emotional and behavioral disorders.

Special education was in its infancy. But she enjoyed the challenges of problem-solving, the chance to make a difference — and the new knowledge she gained every day.

Yet as she worked with troubled 13-year-olds, she wondered: What if we could get to them when they’re 3?

Bobbi Burns, in her classroom.

She got her master’s degree, moved to Connecticut, and pivoted to early elementary education in Newtown. Their preschool was a model for the state.

Excited by the possibilities, Burns earned certification as a reading consultant, and in administration and supervision. She added a doctorate from George Washington University, where she supervised student teachers.

As she finished her coursework, she saw a flyer for a position at Tufts University. The school was world renowned for early childhood work. The deadline was that day. Hastily, she sent in her application. She got the job.

After 3 years, she was recruited by Bright Horizons Children’s Center. She developed curriculum, trained teachers, and talked to parents all over the country. It was rewarding work.

But after 7 years, Burns missed direct contact with youngsters. In 1995, Westport was looking for experienced teachers. She’s been here — including the last 17 at Stepping Stones — ever since.

She never expected to teach this long. But she’s not ready to stop. The biggest challenge, Burns says, is her knees. It’s tough getting on and off the floor.

Teaching keeps her young. She loves finding out how to reach every child in a different way. The collaboration with colleagues like psychologists, speech and occupational and physical therapists, social workers, fellow teachers — and parents — is invigorating. “We all help each other,” she says.

Stepping Stones preschool is housed at Coleytown Elementary,

And she believes more firmly than ever in the important of preschool.

“There’s so much attention now to social and emotional learning,” she notes. “But that’s always been true of early childhood education. We teach them how to make friends, take care of themselves and others, how to learn, how to be curious, how to be part of a community.”

Westport is a high-powered place. There are high expectations, and plenty of stresses. Burns gives the district high marks for recognizing those issues, embracing ideas like mindfulness, and prioritizing social and emotional growth.

Most preschool teachers never get to see the fruits of their work. Former students seldom go back to Stepping Stones. For Burns, the rewards are intrinsic. She knows she has had an impact, at a very significant time in a youngster’s life.

Occasionally, she’ll see a parent of a former student. She still remembers one who said gratefully, “You changed the trajectory of my child’s life!”

Teaching through COVID was tough, Burns admits. But she and her Stepping Stones colleagues powered through. Their students were safe. They grew, and learned.

And of course, Bobbi Burns learned right along with them.

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