ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, March 26, 1997 TAG: 9703260014
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG
SOURCE: JILL JOHNSON SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES
The Virginia Preschool Initiative, new to Montgomery County Public Schools this year, offers a preschool education to at-risk 4-year-olds
A colorful room full of names and numbers, glue and glitter houses 16 4-year-olds each school day at Christiansburg Primary School.
But it's not kindergarten. It's one of the few public preschool programs in the New River Valley. These 4-year-olds ride the yellow school bus in the mornings because their classroom is part of the Montgomery County School System.
The Virginia Preschool Initiative, new to Montgomery County Public Schools this year, offers a preschool education to at-risk 4-year-olds.
"The benefit is to help give children a high quality preschool experience to make them more prepared to enter school," said Larry Oakes, coordinator of the program for Montgomery County.
The program is limited to 16 children in each of six classrooms in schools around the county. In addition to Christiansburg Primary, elementary schools at Prices Fork, Margaret Beeks, Shawsville, Bethel and Falling Branch participate in the program.
Sixty-four percent of the $507,000 the county spent this year on the Preschool Initiative comes from the state. The other 36 percent is funded directly by Montgomery County taxpayers, Oakes said.
Funding limits the number of preschoolers the county can serve to 96, Oakes said. Because of this, not all children who apply or qualify are accepted. The pupils are chosen based on family interviews that help identify certain risk factors.
Being from a low-income family is one of the risk factors, said Oakes. Most of the children would not have the opportunity to go to another preschool program. Recent divorces or family alcohol problems are other factors considered.
"Children who come to this program are generally below level developmentally," said Prices Fork preschool teacher Joy Lipscomb. But the program gives them the boost they need to start kindergarten at or above level, which can positively affect their whole school career, she said.
Oakes anticipates as many as 150 applications for next year's slots. "We wish we could serve them all."
At Christiansburg Primary, the program has a waiting list of 16 for the class, said preschool teacher Theresia Hulnik.
Shawsville's preschool program is also in high demand, said Mary Beth Dunkenberger, the Montgomery County School Board member from Shawsville. There were enough children this year to fill another class, she said.
One teacher, one full-time aide, and one social worker are allotted to each classroom to work with the 16 pupils.
"The social worker works on family involvement - on ways to involve them in the school system. We work with them on what they can do at home. The attention is very individualized," Oakes said.
In addition, the parents have many opportunities to become involved with their children in the classroom, Hulnik said.
Megan Hall's son, Dakota Stanford, is a student in Hulnik's class. Hall volunteers regularly with the preschoolers.
"I think it's been really good for my son's social skills, for recognizing names and getting him a schedule," Hall said.
The classroom curriculum focuses on free play and social skills, said Christiansburg Primary aide Heather Holliday. "They've learned to play together. We always reinforce what they don't learn at home."
The teachers use a lot of artwork to help children learn shapes, colors and simply how to play with paints and crayons.
Hulnik said she includes lessons during class and free time on name recognition, shapes, sharing and how to work things out.
"Excuse me," said one child in Hulnik's classroom, as she tried to get through her classmates. "Please ... ," said another as he asked his classmate a question. Manners are a large part of the preschool's curriculum.
"The ability to have good social skills is a significant part of what prepares you for school," Oakes said.
Because this is the full program's first year in Montgomery County, few children have made the transition into kindergarten.
Last year, however, there were two classrooms in the county, including one at Prices Fork. The kindergarten teachers there were able this year to evaluate how well prepared the children were for the transition to kindergarten.
"I think it's wonderful to have a year under their belt to sit in a circle, writing their name, counting, and knowing the routine that is familiar to them," said Mindi Walker, a kindergarten teacher at Prices Fork.
"The benefits have been tremendous for the kids who went through last year," Lipscomb said.
The program has been well received among both students and parents, said Shawsville Elementary principal Dale Margheim.
"I think that it's had an incredible effect. The kids are used to the environment, used to the routines. I give it very high marks," Margheim said.
Preschools in elementary schools may become more important as time goes on, Oakes said.
"My goal is to have one class in every school in the system. My next goal is to have two classes in every school," Oakes said. That goal, however, may be limited depending on state and local funding.
Falling Branch is the only school participating in the program that does not have its classroom inside the school. It is in the Falling Branch Mennonite Fellowship Hall in Christiansburg.
"Next year we hope to have a room at Falling Branch. It looks like we'll try to buy a mobile unit. It has all the advantages of school, but is more separate," Oakes said.
For more information on enrolling your child in Montgomery County's preschool education program, call 381-6168.
LENGTH: Long : 112 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: GENE DALTON THE ROANOKE TIMES. 1. Katie Liddle recites aby CNBrhyme about a donut during a school activity at Christiansburg
Primary. 2. Preschool teacher Theresia Hulnik listens as Jessica
Bowman (center) and Nikki Liddle read a book about buttons. 3.
Children and teachers gather in a circle for a game at
Christiansburg Primary preschool. color.