By HOLLY GASKILL
Southern Wells High School will open a new pre-kindergarten program in August.
The program will work alongside an early education course where high school students can participate in and learn about early childhood education.
SWHS Principal Kim Conner said the program will offer a morning and an afternoon session on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Then, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, high school students will have a class with the director.
To offer this program, the school will renovate its previous fax room, which included the installation of a child bathroom, an observation room, and a playground.
While the school is still taking bids for the construction, Conner stated the total cost should not exceed $150,000, 20 percent of which will be covered through grant funding. Construction is expected to start in mid-March and finish by mid-April.
Conner has tackled much of the planning for this project for the last several months but hopes the school will be able to hire a director in March to help build the program. The school will also hire an aide for instruction at a later time.
With 20 students in either session, Conner anticipates the pre-K being self-funded after its first year. However, specific costs and financial assistance options are still being determined. Conner is also working with the elementary to create a latchkey program for childcare.
The school will begin accepting applications by the end of January, Conner said. Information will available on the school district’s website or in the office.
“The biggest benefit for us is being able to start the students off on the right foot,” Conner said. “We are going to be working with the kindergarten teachers to know exactly what they need to be doing and for them to transition right into our elementary.”
Having visited several schools with similar programs, Conner expects broad interest in the course since it partners classroom knowledge with hands-on experience.
When children are present, students will take turns doing hands-on instruction, lesson planning, preparing materials, and observation. The observation room — one of the primary additions in construction — will allow students in the CTE course to observe course instruction without crowding the instructional room. The course may also be available for dual credit.
Conner believes it will be beneficial to garner student interest in education amidst the national teacher shortage.
Currently, high school students from Bluffton and Norwell high schools will be able to take the course in the morning, and SWHS students in the afternoon. However, more details will become available after a director is hired and class scheduling takes place.
Above all, Conner said she looks forward to seeing how this brings the school corporation together.
“Little guys are just so fun,” Conner said. “They just always bring a smile to my face, and it’s great to see our students interact with them … I fully anticipate letting them participate in our activities — pep rallies, dress-up days, things like that.”
In the meantime, the school is still seeking classroom materials, toys and other related items. Conner invited anyone with gently used items for donation to contact the school.
holly@news-banner.com
