Red Oak, Stanton to start preschool program in fall

The Red Oak Community School District and the Stanton Community School District announced each district has received notification from the State of Iowa Department of Education of a grant to fund the Statewide Four-Year-Old Voluntary Preschool Program.

Through the collaboration of Red Oak Community School Right Start program, Early Childhood Special Education program, West Central Community Action Head Start Preschool, Kaleidoscope, Lil’ Tigers Preschool, Boost 4 Families, and Good Shepherd Preschool in Stanton, preschool services to all three and four-year-old children will be provided throughout the area.

For this new educational adventure, the collaboration of preschool services is named the Red Oak Early Childhood Program in Red Oak. Program standards will be met by providing a licensed teaching staff, a well-planned curriculum in alignment with the Iowa Early Learning Standards, and low teacher-child ratios. There will be collaboration with parents and continual professional development for all staff members.

Right Start Preschool and the Head Start Preschool will be located at the Webster Building, 904 Broad Street in Red Oak, offering preschool services four days a week.

Kaleidoscope Preschool will continue to be located at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church four days a week.

The Red Oak Early Childhood Special Education program will be located at Washington Intermediate School four days a week.

Tammy McFarland of Lil’ Tigers Preschool will operate the preschool program for all three-year olds in the Red Oak community.

Families already registered at one of the programs, do not need to do any further registration. Program directors will contact parents with details prior to the start of the 2009-2010 school year.

Families not yet registered for a preschool, should visit the Central Office at the Webster Building, 904 Broad Street to bring a form of income verification (such as a pay stub, or last year’s tax return) to complete registration.

State of Iowa guidelines will determine whether families fall into free or will nominal fees for preschool. Children must be four years of age by Sept. 15 to be accepted in the four year old program.

Families with eligible three-year old children should register if interested in attending preschool. A form of income verification is needed to determine if tuition grants can be awarded. A child must be three by September 15.

The Central Office at the Webster Building is open 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. daily.

Registration forms should be submitted no later than July 17.

After all applications are processed, families will be notified with additional information to prepare for the school year. For more information, call 623-6600.