District preschool programs get children off to good start

Don Quixote author Miguel de Cervantes once said "to be prepared is half the victory," and Henry Ford was quoted as saying that "before everything else, getting ready is the secret to success."
The San Bernardino City Unified School District believes, as these famous individuals did, that preparation is the gateway to success, which is why it offers several free preschool programs to help all children prepare for school.

According to the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER), good preschool programs prepare children for school socially and academically. Preschool provides children with a supportive atmosphere where they can experience positive interactions with peers and learn to pay attention to and follow directions. Preschoolers can also become familiar with letters, words, and numbers and learn problem-solving strategies.

The District provides free preschool at 27 schools through the State Preschool Program, soon to
be called the California State Preschool Program. Children ages 3 and 4 whose families meet income-eligibility requirements may attend up to 180 days of preschool classes.

Participating children are assessed within the first 60 days of enrollment to determine their social and academic development levels. Students are assessed again in six months to determine their level of growth. Assessment results are shared with parents during parent conferences.

According to State Preschool Coordinator Pat Krizek, preschool not only prepares children for school, it can also help prepare parents. For first-time parents, preschool can be an opportunity for them to learn about the role they play in their child's education.

"It's important for children and parents to be prepared for what is expected of them and what is necessary for school success as early as possible," Krizek said. "If children, with their parents' assistance, enter kindergarten with school readiness, they are more likely to earn a high school diploma."

A study begun in 1962 by the High/Scope Educational Research Foundation followed 123 low-income African Americans from ages 3 and 4 to age 40 and determined that the children who attended high-quality preschool programs were more likely to graduate high school and earn more than those who did not attend preschool. By age 40, 65 percent of the group who attended preschool had graduated from a traditional high school, but only 45 percent of the non-preschool group had done so.

According to NIEER, low-income and at-risk children receive the greatest benefit from high-quality preschool programs, but preschool has a positive effect on children of all income levels. To better serve all children, the District offers the free Lexington MA Preschool Experience Program, also known as PEP, in partnership with First 5 San Bernardino. All four-year-olds, regardless of family income, can learn kindergarten-readiness skills from credentialed teachers. Preschool students benefit from the small class sizes, about 15 students per class, and parents benefit from the 18 convenient locations.

Each PEP session is three hours a day, five days a week for four weeks. Both morning and afternoon sessions are offered, and children may attend up to three sessions.

PEP is free to all families as long as the child is not already enrolled in a federally or state-funded preschool program. Class sizes are limited, and enrollment is on a first-come, first-served basis.

To qualify for the District's preschool programs, children must have a birth record, proof of a physical exam, an immunization record, a tuberculosis test clearance, and proof of address.

For more information or to enroll your child in PEP or the State Preschool, contact the Preschool Central Office at (909) 880-6721 or 1535 W. Highland Avenue in San Bernardino.

Additional, low-cost preschool and child development programs are available through the District's Allred Child Development Center. For more information about the Allred program,

PREPARE FOR PRESCHOOL

Beth Freeman wasn't sure where to start when her daughter was ready to attend preschool. "We had just moved to the area last year from Philadelphia," she explained. "I tried asking around, but you get a lot of different opinions and not a lot of details."

 

With the number of preschools in the area, the Naperville mother of two could have been overwhelmed by the task.

Fortunately, she had heard about a preschool guide published each year by the Parent and Child Education Society.

The PACES guide contained more than 40 area preschools and information about each one.

Freeman was able to determine her priorities and use the guide to match a preschool to her needs.

"I was looking for a small teacher/student ratio," she said.

"I wanted more of a preschool, not a daycare.

And I wanted afternoon hours."

After narrowing her choices to a few and visiting each place, Freeman registered her daughter Holly at Zion Lutheran Preschool.

Freeman's search is no different from hundreds of other parents across the area.

And PACES understands this.

With the release of its 1999 "Guide to Preschools" set for Tuesday, Nov. 10, PACES -- a nonprofit organization promoting educated parenting -- once again will provide a service to area parents who are seeking the right preschool.

"Because it's the first learning experience for the child outside of the home, parents want that first school experience to be a pleasant one," explained Anna Fattore, this year's guidebook coordinator along with Johanna Lewis.

"There are a lot of good schools out there.

It's just a really easy and simple way to get a lot of information in a short period of time."

The Naperville/Aurora PACES region includes Naperville, Aurora, Bolingbrook, Lisle and Wheaton.

The guides cost $5, and it can be purchased at the PACES meeting from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Nov. 10 at Grace United Methodist Church, 300 E. Gartner Road, Naperville.

Also featured at the meeting will be a panel discussion with several area preschools directors. They will answer questions and discuss the selection process involving preschools.

The guide then will be available at three area bookstores: Anderson's Bookshop, 123 W. Jefferson Ave. in Naperville; Borders Books and Music, 336 S. Route 59, Naperville; and Family Bookstore in Fox Valley Mall, Aurora.

Many area preschools begin registration in January.

To be included in the guide, preschools must be accredited and pay a $30 fee, Fattore said.

The guide then gives one full page to each preschool, and information includes enrollment, licensing agent, student/teacher ratio, religious affiliation, daycare availability, hours, ages of children it serves, field trip possibilities, outdoor play area availability, special programs and the preschool's philosophy.

Fattore said all 400 copies of last year's guide were sold.

This year, 600 guides will be printed.

"We've had people calling us wanting to be in the Concord MA Preschool guide," she said.

"There is no other vehicle like it out there."

Nancy Doddridge, one of the regional coordinators for the Naperville/Aurora PACES, was a coordinator for the guide last year.

She was overwhelmed by the response to the guide.

"I was amazed," she said.

"Preschool directors told me they would refer their families to the guide if they couldn't help them.

The stores who sell it for us call us when they run out.

We even get calls from people in other communities where there isn't a guidebook."

For Freeman, the guide was invaluable.

She expects to use it when her son Jake, now 2, enters preschool.

"It helped us find out what fit our child's needs," she said.

"I would encourage people to use the guide when looking at preschools.

There are a lot of options out there."

For more information on PACES, call Nancy Doddridge at (630) 585-6097 or Joy Black at (630) 904-5969.

HOMEWORK HELPS PARENTS MAKE RIGHT DECISION While the PACES "Guide to Preschools" provides important information, parents need to do their homework before choosing the right school.

Paula Olson, director of the Hobson Cooperative Nursery School in Naperville, often informs parents about the PACES guide.

"It's a very valuable tool," she said.

"Many parents don't know the distinction between a preschool and a daycare.

Or they may have a one-item agenda."

"With PACES, they can narrow down their choices a bit.

It's particularly of help to new residents who can't rely on word of mouth."

Parents should keep several points in mind, Olson said:

• Watch the teacher/child interaction.

Are teachers respectful of children? Are children allowed to move about the room and make choices?

• Look for a wide variety of activities.

• During a specific activity, like art, is the child doing the project and not the adult?

• Every parent must visit their final choices before selecting one, because they can learn about each place just from walking in the door.

Anna Fattore, co-coordinator of this year's guide, added that parents should continue checking out their school of choice.

"Even if you've been happy with it the year before, things can change from year to year," she said.

Hobson Cooperative Nursery School director Paula Olson combs Jamie Grimes hair for school pictures while Norm Malkusak, the photographer, talks to Jamie. (NS/LS--Svehla photo) | Four-year-old Jason Gaca works on a project in his preschool classroom at New Beginnings Christian Montessori School in Bolingbrook. (BS/Stanford photo) | Children play before their lunchtime at First Care of Wheaton, an early-learning center. First Care is among the many preschools profiled in the PACES Guide to Preschools, a publication the Parent and Child Education Society has provided to help families find preschools. (WS/Meese photo) | Ryan Kennedy, left, is rocked right of of a boat by his playmate Nolan Bialek on Friday at the American Preschool in Aurora. (60504/Henderson photo)