Seconds
after the ribbon was cut at his new preschool Friday, Elijah
Little, age 3, grabbed St. Louis Public Schools Superintendent
Kelvin Adams by the hand and pulled him into his
classroom.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Being in Froebel Elementary’s new preschool class since August, Little knew exactly where the puzzles were. Adams, who stands over six feet tall, looked like a giant as he bent down to the two-feet-high table. Yet the agile Adams stayed folded over until the puzzle was complete.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Froebel was one of 37 new preschool classrooms the district opened in the 2010/11 school year, and 12 others are 80 percent complete. It’s part of a district-wide initiative to get more students into early education opportunities. Last year, 500 students were on the waiting list to get into preschool classrooms. This year, even though the district added 800 more slots, there were still 200 students on the waiting list.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“So many students don’t go to preschools, and we want to provide a high-quality opportunity to build that education foundation early,” Adams said. “And we want to expand.”
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Last school year, the district had 77 general preschool classrooms with 1,500 students in them, according to an Oct. 11 school-board presentation given by Paula Knight, the associate superintendent of SLPS elementary schools. And this school year, there are 106 classrooms filled with 2,300 students. Last year, the district also added three special education preschool classrooms and three parent/infant interaction program classrooms for young mothers.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>On Friday, about a dozen guests, from Alderman Craig Schmid to PNC Bank administrators, came to see the Froebel preschool ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Most stood along the side and watched the students play, but Rick Sems, regional president of PNC Bank, dived right into their world. Children surrounded him with drums, shakers and tambourines, and Sems led the young band. Then, he helped answer make-believe phone calls in the hectic play-kitchen area. PNC donated $15,000 towards the classroom, which was also equipped with five computers and new furniture.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“As a company, we’ve said this is our focus, early childhood education,” Sems said. “These are our future employees and customers.”
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>He explained that there is no better return than putting money towards young children’s development because the amount of money it takes to get students back on track later in life is much higher and less effective.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“We believe in the arts as well, generating the right side of the brain,” he said.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Christina Nolan, the classroom teacher, said the three-year-olds love their dramatic play area, where they find costumes and opportunities to play “pretend.”
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“Once they start getting more cognitive, they go to the puzzles,” she said.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Every preschool classroom in the district has a certified early childhood education teacher, said Chris Lee, executive director of SLPS Foundation.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“It really provides our young children with access to the latest early childhood education tools,” Lee said. “I’m confident that it will give them a great head start, so when they enter kindergarten they are at or above grade level.”
