40 children on wait list for Peru preschool, Northview Elementary to expand program

With 40 kids on the waiting list for Northview Elementary’s preschool program in Peru, Principal Sara McDonald knew the program needed to expand.

Last month McDonald was notified by the Illinois State Board of Education the program was approved for more funding, allowing for two more sections of half-day preschool, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

“Our pre-k program has had very high reviews from the State Board of Education ... and we currently have a waiting list of almost 40 students,” Superintendent Jamie Craven said. “With this additional funding, we’re going to be able to service those students and families.”

Northview’s preschool program currently has 96 3- and 4-year-olds enrolled in either a half-day or full-day program. It’s entirely grant funded at no cost to parents. The program is open to all future Peru elementary students and has five slots each for Dimmick and Dalzell students.

With the additional grant money, the program will have room for 136 students beginning this winter. The funds will cover hiring a new full-time teacher and paraprofessional along with supplies, transportation, extra programs, parent programs and professional teacher development.

McDonald said the preschool program allows students to be ahead in academics when they enter kindergarten. She also said she’s seen an increase in demand for the program as evidenced by the long wait list.

“I think parents see the benefit of having their children in academic preschool. Parents don’t always have time to work with their children ... so having that academic basis before they get into kindergarten is so important,” McDonald said. “And the social aspect, that’s the big thing. Some of these kids don’t always have the social exposure to cousins, family members, neighbors that they can socially play with age appropriate.”

The preschool program is largely play-based with integrated academic curriculum as required per state regulations. Those regulations include blocks of time allotted for center time, gross play and whole-group instruction.

Center time includes a writing center, dramatic play center, blocks and building and science and math. Gross play is an opportunity for the children to go outside or do activities in the gym, and whole-group instruction is based on unit curriculum adhering to early childhood standards, including areas like math, literature and social emotional learning.

Teachers also will pull students to the side either individually or in small groups to address specific areas of difficulty based on the students, which could include additional instruction on fine motor skills, such as writing their name or holding a pencil.

“That’s when they learn how to raise their hand to talk, how to sit quietly, how to listen to their teacher, how to listen to their friends when they answer ... and learn how to do school and be a good student,” McDonald said.

“It’s about getting children ready,” Craven said. “The expectations for kindergarten and first grade have dramatically changed, so we need to get kids in earlier to help get them ready.”

McDonald said one example of the expectations changing is evident in how children are already reading by the time they finish kindergarten.

Students in the preschool program also do art and music lessons and are able to visit and check out books from the library. McDonald said another important aspect of the program is the social and emotional learning that happens.

“It prepares them for when they have to come to school in kindergarten,” McDonald said. “It prepares them not just academically, but it prepares them as a whole student and a whole child, (including the) whole social-emotional aspect of how to get along, play with other students and problem solve.”