Ansonia, Clinton, East Haven, Wallingford get funds for preschool

By Luther Turmelle
Register Staff
Fourteen Connecticut towns, including four in the New Haven area, will share in more than $3.5 million in state funding to expand available preschool space.
Gov. Dannel Malloy announced the funding Monday. Nearly $2.09 million of the money will come from Connecticut’s portion of the Tobacco Settlement fund, with the remaining $1.58 million to come from the state Bond Commission, which will consider the expenditure at an upcoming meeting
Ansonia, Clinton, East Haven and Wallingford are the New Haven area towns that are receiving the funding. Wallingford and East Haven are getting the largest amounts of funding, $300,000 and $298,000, respectively, while Clinton is receiving $150,000 and $90,000 is going to Ansonia.

Read more here. 

Derby opens new preschool at high school, program to accommodate 54 children

By Jean Falbo-Sosnovich
Register Correspondent
DERBY >> Preparing children “socially, emotionally and academically” for their educational careers is exactly what a newly expanded preschool program at Derby High School aims to do.
That’s according to Superintendent of Schools Matthew Conway, who along with other school officials will unveil the new preschool at 7 p.m. Thursday at DHS, 8 Nutmeg Dr.
Derby used $94,000 in state Alliance District Grant funds to renovate a former art wing at the high school, and transform it into the preschool space.

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Currently, Derby has a small preschool program with 23 children enrolled that is run out of Bradley and Irving schools. The newly expanded program will accommodate 54 children, Conway said, in its first round, and ultimately another 30 seats will be opened up.

Read more here. 

Crisco hails Smart Start education initiative

HARTFORD  - Standing with teachers, superintendents of schools and early education experts, state Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, Jr., D-Woodbridge,  cheered legislative leaders’ announcement Wednesday  of Connecticut Smart Start, an historic 10-year, $200 million plan to provide 50,000 children with high-quality early education.

“We want to give our children the best possible start in life, and pre-K initiatives are one of the most effective ways to achieve this,” said Crisco.
 “This is an opportunity to lift more students out of the achievement gap and dramatically improve life outcomes across our state. This is a plan for Connecticut’s future,” he said.

Program Structure:

• Oversight: grant program administered by Office of Early Childhood.
• High Quality: teachers must be certified; programs must obtain National Association for the Education of Young Children accreditation within 3 years of receiving funding; classroom size cannot exceed 16 children with child-teacher ratio not greater than 10 to 1. 
•  New Capacity: funding is directed toward traditional public schools and cannot supplant existing program funding; towns must create or expand current programs.

• Creating Efficiencies: programs will be funded on a programmatic basis rather than a “per-slot” basis of the current system.
• Allowable Expenses: capital costs such as renovation of classroom space, and operating expenses such as hiring of certified teachers, and purchasing materials and supplies.

Who can Apply?

• Any city or town that can demonstrate an unmet need for preschool.
• Programs must prioritize space for students eligible Free and Reduced Price Lunch.
• Programs in traditional public schools are eligible for funds.
• Includes but is not limited to Priority School Districts, Competitive School Districts and Alliance Districts.

Cooperative Efficiencies:

• Program offers the potential for regional cooperation – multiple towns could join together to create a regional program and submit a joint proposal.
• Professional development offered by school districts for their teachers must be made available at no expense to community child care providers – currently some professional development offered regionally – private providers could take advantage of greater opportunities for professional development.

How is it funded?

• $10 million each year over 10 years in bonding for capital expenses; $10 million each year over 10 years appropriated from Tobacco Trust Fund for operating expenses.
• Initial funding grant to town is for five years; possible renewal for another five years assuming quality and outcomes; annual reporting to OEC.
• Any funding allocated for this purpose will be excluded from the Minimum Budgetary Requirement.

“I am encouraged to see the commitment by state leaders for early childhood education,” said Ken DiPietro, Superintendent of Plainfield Public Schools.
 “Given stresses on families, the changing economy and the expectations of student achievement, we need to provide schools with the means to give all children the tools they need to succeed in school.”

“This initiative gives teachers a much better chance of reaching those young minds and opening them up to a myriad of possibilities, so that they can make their own lives better,” said Blaise Messinger, 2013 Connecticut Teacher of the Year. 
“That’s why we teach. To make lives better. Yes, as the research shows, it will help to close the achievement gap, but it’s about more than just academics and test scores," she said. 
"It’s about kids getting a real opportunity to become good citizens and make a better state, a better nation, and a better world.”

This is a press release from Crisco's office.

Ansonia preschool to hold open house

ANSONIA - Redwing Pond House Preschool will hold an open house from 10 a.m. to noon Jan. 11.

The facility on the grounds of the Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center is a unique, licensed, nature-based preschool offering high quality education for three-to five-year olds.

The preschool is at 21 Milan St.

For information call director Jacqueline Lema, 203-734-7974.

Ansonia's Redwing Pond House to host spring fair

ANSONIA - Families are invited to celebrate  nature and get a unique gift for mom at the 2^nd Annual Redwing Pond House Preschool Spring Fair from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 11. 
 

Held at the Redwing Pond House Preschool, 21 Milan St., the Fair will feature a Mother’s Day flower and plant sale, wild animal exhibitions, games for children of all ages, a visit from “Mother Nature,” arts and crafts, and raffles. 

There will be a full slate of entertainment, including police K-9 unit demonstrations, a magic show, a children’s school dance performance and a music performance by “The Singing Principal” Al deCant, a local songwriter, storyteller and concert performer.

Proceeds from the event will support the school’s natural playground, scholarships for area children and supplies for the school.

Opened in January 2012, The Redwing Pond House is a nature-based preschool at the Ansonia Nature Center that focuses on developing the whole child, promoting growth in cognitive, physical, social, emotional, and creative development through interactions with the natural world. 

The fair will be an opportunity for parents to see the preschool and meet the teachers.

For information about the Spring Fair or the Redwing Pond House Preschool, contact Jacqueline Lema, 203-734-RWPH(7974) or email directorRWPH@yahoo.com.

This information is taken from a press release.