SCS board to consider potential preschool program

The Salem Community Schools board will consider the possibility of offering preschool at Bradie Shrum through the YMCA during their meeting on Monday, April 9.

"Studies continue to show that a student's success in school is directly related to their performance in kindergarten and we know that students who are enrolled in a high quality preschool program are more successful in kindergarten than their peers who are not," Superintendent Lynn Reed wrote in a letter to the board. "This partnership between the YMCA and BSE will strengthen the education of students entering BSE as kindergarteners."

West Washington began hosting a YMCA preschool for students in their district 2 years ago.

"Since then, we saw our preschool program grow," said Y CEO Kristy Purlee. "We're excited from feedback we've received from West Washigton about their success."

"It is the belief of the West Washington staff and school board that this partnership has been a great advantage since the start of the program," wrote West Washington Superintendent Keith Nance in a letter of support for the partnership. "The kindergarten students that attend the YMCA/WWSC PreK are well-prepared to start school. We observed that students attending the YMCA/WWSC PreK were not only more prepared for kindergarten, but they were also more prepared than their peers that attended other preschools."

Purlee calls a potential partnership with Salem Schools a "win-win."

"It's mutually beneficial," she said. "We'll be able to serve more families and prepare more kids. There's a considerable gap in children who went to preschool and those who didn't.

"Because of the success of the West Washington preschool program, we'd like to offer a full-day program for Salem," continued Purlee. "This way, they could have access to specials, the library, nurse, gym and playground, transportation and school lunch. We know our facility is limited. If we were going to offer it full-day, we would have to do it somewhere else. By collaborating, we could give students everything they need and more."

There is currently only one state-recognized, licensed High Quality-certified preschool program in the county — Head Start — and there are only 34 slots open there. In a letter the Y will present to the Salem board Monday evening, data is listed that 68 percent of 4- and 5-year-olds in Washington County are in need of quality care and that the county only offers high quality programming to 3 percent of children with both parents working. Indiana as a whole only serves 15 percent of that population. 

The YMCA preschool serves 90 to 100 students each year, but isn't licensed and therefore can't receive state and federal funding to make the program affordable for all. "By introducing licensing and quality guidelines, we hope to better prepare our students for kindergarten," the letter reads.

"In order for us to become that, we need more space," said Purlee. "We have a staff willing to put in the work and the Y board fully supports putting our resources into early learning endeavers. We're just looking to increase opportunities for low-income families to have access to early childhood education."

Should the board approve the partnership Monday evening, the classes for 4- and 5-year-olds would move to Bradie Shrum and the 2- and 3-year-old classes currently held at the Y would stay there.

The board meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the Salem Schools administration building.