Derby schools Jan. 29 will unveil renovated space within the high school that will serve as the new home for the district’s preschool program.
Right now only about 23 children are in the program which is housed within the Bradley and Irving schools.
Superintendent of Schools Matthew Conway is pursuing grant money that could see the program expand to 54 children by the start of the next school year and to about 84 students down the road.
The ultimate goal — universal preschool in Derby.
But the concept of “universal” preschool is still rather new, and means different things to different districts.
In Derby, the age of the children who will be accepted to the program is still in discussion, as are fees parents will pay to send their children. The fees will be on a sliding scale, depending on income levels.
The school district used grant money to renovate a large space that formerly housed the high school’s art program. The 23 children who currently attend preschool in Derby will move into the new space Feb. 2.
The renovation cost about $94,000.
The current Derby preschool program is a small mix of children in special education and what educators call “typical peers,” that is, kids who do not require special education services.
Preschool, by the way, is no longer considered a place to drop your kids off for a few hours while you run errands.
The emphasis these days is on “school.”
Modern education puts expectations on kids entering kindergarten to be able to write their name, recite the alphabet, count to 10, to be able to get dressed and a bunch of other basic skills.
And everyone from President Barack Obama on down the line are stressing the need for high quality preschool education, citing studies that draw a correlation between preschool and future academic performance.
Derby, an alliance district in the state, qualifies for expanded preschool funding from the state, due to the community’s socioeconomic status and struggling test scores.
“We had an opportunity to apply for grant funds from two different sources, both school readiness funds as well as newly-passed Smart Start grant funds which passed during the last legislative session,” Conway said. “That grant made available to all districts funding for a universal preschool within your community. It was an opportunity for Derby to make application and put in place a universal preschool for all children, three to five years old.”
Last month, state officials announced Derby is one of 13 communities in Connecticut eligible for a piece of $12.5 million in federal funding being used to expand preschool and “early intervention” in general. It’s not clear how much money Derby Public Schools will receive from that grant, but Conway indicated whatever the district receives will go toward funding preschool.
Conway said improving literacy skills will be a top priority of the district’s preschool program.
“To get more students reading at grade level when they begin kindergarten,” Conway said. “And we’ll be measuring this from the start. If we find that preschool and our programs within that preschool are not preparing students to read on grade level than at any higher rate than normal, then we don’t want to continue the program. We’ll have to show that what we’re doing is actually having an impact on student readiness for kindergarten.”
State of the District
The preschool ribbon-cutting is only part of the festivities planned for Jan. 29 at Derby High School at 8 Nutmeg Ave.
Conway is also planning to give a “state of the district” address.
The superintendent, who was hired in January 2013, said he will review the city’s five-year strategic plan in terms of goals met and accomplishments.
“We will be reviewing those strategies and what has been completed. We will be highlighting and informing people of achievement, academic growth of students in that same period of time and highlighting both our music and arts programs,” Conway said.
In addition, Conway said the district is looking for volunteers to serve on its next five-year strategic planning committee. There will be a number of subcommittees created, examining everything from building space to school “culture and climate.”
“It’s really an opportunity for members of the community to become very involved in developing that strategic plan for the district,” Conway said.
