MARQUETTE COUNTY, Michigan (WLUC) – Some preschools in Uttar Pradesh are finding space is limited for the upcoming school year.
Sara Croney, superintendent of Gwinn Area Community Schools, says there are still spots available in her district’s programs.
“I don’t want to limit the number of parents who can take advantage of this offer for their child,” Croney said. “So I would strongly encourage them to register their children as soon as possible.”
She says the high demand is due in part to increased financial requirements for the Great School for Readiness Program (GSFRP), Michigan’s free preschool program for eligible four-year-olds.
In Gwinn, the preschool program has two classrooms with two adults and 16 children per room. Croney says Gwinn is the size required by Community Action Alger-Marquette (CAAM).
“If they told me they needed a third one because we need to fill these first, but if they told me they could use a third one, we would do what we can to accommodate them,” Croney added.
For parents who cannot enroll their children in such a program, Croney recommends reading a book with them for at least 20 minutes each night. This will help them learn letters just as well as they did in preschool.
“It’s been a waiting game for these parents, and I hate it, but we have to wait until the state issues guidelines and we know how many spots are available and allocated,” said Carrie Meyer, superintendent of Ishpeming Public Area Schools.
She says her district now has two preschool classes, but there is still an overall shortage of teachers.
“For a class of 16 students, you need a teacher and a teaching assistant,” Meyer said. “So we are working on finding another teaching assistant for the class so that we can accommodate up to 16 children in the class.”
She says preschool spots are available through the Marquette-Alger Regional Education Service Agency (MARESA). Information about screening can be found here.
Information about Gwinn’s GSFRP can be found here.
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