Sunshine Kids: The Dual -Immersion Darling Preschool in The Dalles

By Robin Denning

THE DALLES, Ore., Aug. 7, 2025 — Sunshine Kids Preschool, a program of the Early Learning Department at Columbia Gorge ESD (CGESD), is now enrolling for fall classes at its two locations in The Dalles.

Located on 10th Street (sharing building space with Mid Columbia Children’s Council) and on the Wahtonka campus, Sunshine Kids Preschool operates four classrooms staffed by bilingual teachers. One classroom on the Wahtonka campus follows a 90/10 Spanish‑to‑English Dual Immersion curriculum and serves as a pathway into the Chenowith Elementary Dual Immersion program. All classrooms include both English- and Spanish-speaking staff, which greatly supports communication with The Dalles’ diverse community of children and families.

The preschool day runs from 9 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, with Wednesday sessions from 9 a.m. to noon. Free lunch and snacks are provided, and transportation assistance is available. Children do not need to be potty trained to enroll. Children must turn 3 by September 1st, 2025 to be eligible.

Sunshine Kids Preschool intentionally fosters social and emotional development through a blend of guided and free play, outdoor exploration, block play, dramatic play, and story time. Using the Pyramid Model framework alongside a dedicated social-skills curriculum, teachers support children in learning routines, turn-taking, and sharing. Family involvement is an integral part of the program, with many opportunities for families to engage in classroom activities throughout the year.

One unique feature of Sunshine Kids Preschool is that it operates within the same department as Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education (EI/ECSE) serving Wasco County. Children with an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) anywhere within Wasco County receive tailored support in the same environment as their peers; specialists also help support teachers to implement general and specialized supports and strategies across classrooms.

What is Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education?

Early Intervention (EI) and Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) are programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that provide developmental support and therapeutic services to children from birth through age 5 who have or are at risk for developmental delays. Through an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP), families work with specialists in speech, occupational, and physical therapies as well as behavioral and social-emotional supports, often delivered right in the classroom or the child’s home. To learn more about common developmental milestones and find out if your child may benefit from an evaluation, visit the CDC’s “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” site at https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/index.html

“EI/ECSE specialists serve children birth to 5 anywhere they spend the majority of their day. That could be in the home, at child care or their preschool. Providing therapies on site allows us to meet each child’s needs without taking them out of their classroom.” said Kristen Slatt, Director of Early Learning at CGESD. “Our inclusive classrooms provide a true least‑restrictive environment for learning and growth for all of our students”

Space is limited and enrolling now for the 2025–26 school year, which follows the D21 calendar and classes begin Sept. 2. Administrative staff will return Aug. 5 to assist with enrollment questions. Families interested in touring the classrooms or learning more about tuition and assistance programs may contact Sunshine Kids at (541) 506-2242 or fill out an application through Four Rivers Family at FourRiversFamily.org/preschool-connection