Published: October 31, 2009 07:16 pm      

St. Mark's to host chili supper

Parents have been working for days preparing for the annual chili supper on Nov. 6 that will raise money to support the St. Mark’s Episcopal Church preschool.

Don’t worry, though — they’re freezing the chili they’ve been cooking.

Organizers plan to sell between 1,200 and 1,400 meals for $5. The dinners come with vegetarian or meat chili, crackers and a dessert. Most of the proceeds fund scholarships for preschool students.

The mission of the school since it opened in 1988 is serving students with disabilities in the same classes with other children. Scholarships are based on need and may be offered to families of children with or without disabilities. Tuition is $110 each month for 2-year-olds, $130 for 3-year-olds and $150 for 4-year-olds.

“We’re like any other nonprofit — we’re financially challenged,” said preschool director Ellen Andersen. “We do have some local organizations (Roman Open Charities and the Mohawk Foundation) that are considered our guardian angels, and have been wonderful helping us with the scholarships.”

The preschool has 40 students. Laura Sanders, who teaches the 3-year-old class, said the children with disabilities are accepted like any other child. For example, one of the children in her class functions inside a special harnessing chair.

“The kids love being able to push her in it,” Sanders said. “They don’t see them as ever being any different from them just because they have a disability. These kids, they don’t notice that.”

Years ago, another little girl with one arm shorter than the other was in Sanders’ class. The students never asked about the arm, Sanders said, but the day she came in with new glasses, everyone noticed.

“I thought, ‘Wow, they don’t notice the physical disabilities,’” Sanders said. “They see everybody as being the same.”

Parent Kay-Lynn Davies said the school has served children with a variety of disabilities including Down’s syndrome, autism, stroke complications and heart problems. Her 4-year-old, Emily Rose Davies, has learned how to interact with ease with children with disabilities.

Parent Meredith Andersen said she’s had four children attend the school, including twin 2-year-old boys Charlie and Collier who go there now. Her first child, Peter, had muscular dystrophy and passed away about a year-and-a-half ago, she said. He would be 10 now.

When Peter was a student at St. Mark’s, he moved about in a motorized wheelchair he operated himself. The chair had a “classroom speed” and a “playground speed,” Andersen said.

“Peter liked to use playground speed everywhere. That was his version of running,” she said. “The teachers had to learn along with us how to incorporate that chair in the classroom.”

Andersen’s daughter, Price, now 5, also attended the school. Now it’s Charlie’s and Collier’s turn to learn how to help others as Peter’s classmates once helped him.

“The results you get are the most beautiful, amazing experiences for both the special needs and the typical,” Andersen said.