The Ark, Baltimore

The Ark is the only state-accredited preschool for homeless children in Baltimore City. The school serves children ages 3 and 4 years old whose families are homeless and/or in the early stages of addiction recovery. The Ark is open from 8:30am until 2:45pm Monday through Friday, and is licensed to enroll 20 children at a time. The Ark serves over 60 children annually in a year-round educational setting with an MSDE-approved curriculum. Children participate in Ark programming for an average of 4 ½ months. Children are assessed upon arrival using The Ark’s evaluation tool called the Child Assessment Protocol (CAP), which provides an accurate and meaningful evaluation of children enrolled in a short-term emergency preschool setting. The CAP assesses language skills, word acquisition, listening and comprehension, gross and fine motor skills, and social behavior, and is predictive of standardized test results. While at The Ark, children receive: - individual care and attention - early childhood education designed to promote their development - nutritionally balanced meals and snacks - a safe and calm place where they can play and socialize