The new fine motor skills enhancement program in Northport and East Northport kindergarten classrooms is a hit for students and staff alike. Students in every building received push-in occupational therapy services focused on building fine motor skills, such as pencil holding and coloring in the lines, once per week for 10 weeks. 

Occupational therapist Robyn Mikulas visits each kindergarten classroom throughout the district, working with students on engaging projects that can appear like arts and crafts or games, but serve as a means to identify those who may need additional support with fine motor skills. Activities range from using small tweezer like tools to pick up small objects to placing small beads on a string.

“Having these reminders and an extra adult in the room who is an expert in this field to push in has been tremendous for the students’ writing, for their coloring, for their cutting and pasting - all of their mechanics,” said Pulaski Road Kindergarten Teacher Jennifer McCabe.