New grant serving 165 4-year-olds in facilities throughout Marion County
With the start of the new school year, a new program begins its first full year in Marion County.
The Early Learning Collaborative is funded through a grant with the Mississippi Department of Education. In December 2018, the program was expanded to include Marion County. Marion County is one of 19 counties involved. Columbia Primary, West Primary, East Marion Elementary, Pearl River Valley Opportunity, My Luv Daycare and Tender Loving Daycare are all part of the pre-K program. This is the first pre-K program the state has invested in.
Coming into 2019, the state Department of Education approved a total of $6.7 million to be spent in grants in the program across the state’s participants.
Marion County first became involved Jan. 1, 2019. The program is funded for three years at a rate of $387,000 per year. The first year was considered January through June 2019.
“We set in motion a process by which we could add 180 seats to the Marion County/Columbia area. These are 180 4-year olds who would not be in a learning environment,” Michael Day, a county school administrator who is chairing the Collaborative, said.
There are three classes at Columbia Primary, a class at West Marion Primary, a class at East Marion Elementary, three classes with PRVO in each local school and one class each at My Luv Daycare and Tender Loving Daycare.
Amanda Stevens, director of the Collaborative, said there are currently 165 students enrolled.
Year one funds were spent mostly on supplies, Day said. All classrooms received new furniture and supplies. Each of classrooms are set up the same, with the same materials and furniture. Each of the classes has centers for the students and also a library.
“One of the coolest things I saw on the second day of school was kids being drawn to the library (in the classroom) which is set up like a living room and trying to read the books. That is what this is all about,” Day said.
Training was provided for all of the staff, including the workers at the daycare centers.
“This is a complete transformation for the daycare centers; they have everything a school class would dream about now in the daycare,” May said.
“Imagine where these kids will be when they start kindergarten next year,” May said.
The grant pays for the salary of some of the staff and one-half of the salary for other staff members. There is no charge for the students to be a part of the program. Children from all social and economic backgrounds are a part of the program.
“This program is really great,” Superintendent Wendy Bracey said.
Stevens said they were able to provide Chromebooks and laptops for each of the classes.
Jennifer Warren, a pre-K teacher at Columbia Primary School, said she loves the curriculum. Studies, she said, have shown children who start their education earlier are more likely to complete school and advance their learning either through college or a trade school.
“The children come in with a smile on their faces, wanting to learn,” she said.
Warren said there is a lot of parent involvement as well. She also said by starting early it will instill a love of writing and puts the children on a right path for kindergarten.
When asked what her favorite part of the day is, student Jada Jackson answered “learning.”
Smart girl — she already knows what the most important thing is.
Pictured Above: Dallas McGowan, left, and Jada Jackson hold their baby dolls Tuesday in the pre-K program at Columbia Primary School, which is part of the Early Learning Collaborative funded by the Mississippi Department of Education. | Photo by Susan Amundson
