PRAIRIE GROVE -- A new pre-kindergarten class for Prairie Grove School District starts this week, with at least 18 children registered for the program, according to Missy Hixson, assistant superintendent.
The district received a $97,200 grant from Endeavor Foundation of Springdale to fund a pre-K class for three years. Space is available for 20 4-year-old children and openings must first be filled by children from low income families. If openings are still available, then the district can allow other children to register for the class.
Prairie Grove requires children to live within district boundaries.
Robyn Smith, a teacher certified in early childhood and pre-kindergarten, will teach the class with one assistant, who also is a licensed teacher. Both have experience working with pre-kindergarten children. The class is located in the new section of Prairie Grove Elementary School.
Hixson, coordinator for the program, is excited for the first day of class but said work to get the program ready required a lot of time and effort. The class had to be licensed by Arkansas Department of Human Services and also has to meet rules and regulations of Arkansas Better Chance, the state's pre-K program, funded by the Arkansas Department of Education.
"The rules are very specific," Hixson said. "There's just a lot of rules. They are good rules because they are for safety. But I didn't realize what all was involved."
Children, for example, have to have at least one hour of recess during the day and two hours and 20 minutes of center time each day. The school is required to have 35-square-feet per child in the classroom and 75-square-feet per child in the playground. The playground has to be fenced in and separate from any other play area at the school.
Any adults who will be with the children have to be fingerprinted, with FBI background checks performed for each adult. In addition, the school is required to have one adult with 10 children at all times and must provide lunch or snacks no more than three hours apart during the day.
Class will be held 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. each school day and parents are required to bring their child to the classroom and pick them up.
Hixson said a pre-K program helps the community.
"It's a developmental program for those kids who need an extra push to be ready for kindergarten," Hixson said. "Some kids have the luxury of starting kindergarten with all the skills needed and some don't. Hopefully, this bridges the gap."
The curriculum is called Adventures in Learning and children will explore, discover and learn through hands-on activities. The curriculum aligns with Common Core in that its goal is kindergarten readiness.
Hixson said the school hopes to be able to offer more pre-K classes in the future. At the end of the three-year grant, the district will be responsible for all costs associated with the program. She said school staff have talked about a pre-K program for five years, hoping to qualify for a state education grant but none has become available.
Plans are to have a parent orientation Oct. 5 and Oct. 6. Ten of the children will come to school on Oct. 7 and the other half will come Oct. 8. The first full day of school for all children will be Oct. 9.
Endeavor is a Northwest Arkansas organization that has awarded about 3,000 grants totaling more than $80 million in the past 15 years. According to its website, its vision is healthy people, thriving communities and a vibrant Northwest Arkansas. The organization helps to fund health and well-being, education and community opportunities.
Hixson said she did not apply for a pre-K grant from Endeavor but received a call from the organization to see if the school district would be interested in receiving a grant. At first, she said, she did not believe the caller.
"Who calls you up and gives away money," Hixson said.
Along with Prairie Grove, Pea Ridge School District received a similar grant from Endeavor at the same time.
For more information on the class, call 846-8106. The class is free to families. Requirements: child must be 4 years old on or before Aug. 1, 2015; must reside in school district and show proof of residence; family must show income eligibility. Even if the class is full, a child can be placed on a waiting list.
General News on 10/07/2015