Preschool Takes Advantage of Grant
By: Kayla L
Valley Community School, in collaboration with Valley Preschool, applied for the 4-year-old voluntary preschool grant earlier this summer. Notification was received shortly before school started that Valley was approved to receive the funding. As with most state monies, there are specific rules on how the funding will be used to restructure the entire preschool program to satisfy the state’s requirements and best meet the needs of the preschoolers. Some of the funding will cover the costs of teacher’s salaries, transportation, supplies, equipment, and professional development. The funding will last as long as state funding holds out. The amount of money they get depends on how many students they have during that year. This year’s preschool class has 35 students in all, 25 4-year-olds and 10 3-year-olds.
As a result of receiving this funding, the preschool is now able to provide all day programming two days a week for two sections of 4-year-olds. One section of students attends preschool on Monday and Wednesday while another attends on Tuesdays and Thursdays. 3-year-olds can also attend for two half days a week. While at preschool, the children are able to ride the bus to and from school, eat breakfast and lunch at school, have a rest time, visit the library, and receive exposure to many other educational experiences that will make their transition into kindergarten much smoother. Valley decided that it would be in the best interest of the community to have an all-inclusive preschool through 12th grade program under one roof to provide a seamless transition throughout the child’s school care.