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Pre-K Counts Receives Grant to Expand Program, Provide Busing for Students
Highlands School District is pleased to announce that it will be able to expand its preschool program through the recent award of a 5-year, $289,000 grant from Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts. The district will now be able to provide a preschool education for 68 students, an increase from 40.
“One of the positives of the reconfiguration of schools is that we have the classrooms and space available to expand the Pre-K Counts Program,” said Samantha Perlik, principal of Highlands Elementary. “We wouldn’t have been able to do this otherwise.” Federal Programs Coordinator Randy Rybak and Ms. Perlik both applied and submitted the grant for approval.
In addition, the funding allows for transportation services for all Pre-K Counts students, which is a benefit that the program has been unable to provide due to budgetary constraints.
Pre-K Counts is a high quality preschool program that prepares children for the early literacy, cognitive, and mathematical reasoning activities needed to be successful in Kindergarten by using the Pennsylvania Early Childhood State Standards and Creative Curriculum to increase the students' readiness.
Children must be 4 years old on or before September 1 of the school year in order to be eligible for the program. Applications for 3-year old children will also be accepted; however, 4-year olds take preference when filling class rosters to capacity.
Highlands will offer two morning sessions (8:55am-11:25am) and two afternoon sessions (1:10pm-3:40pm). Pre-K students will attend Monday through Friday and follow the Highlands calendar. The program is currently limited to 68 students - 17 in each session. The Pre-K classrooms are located at the Highlands Early Childhood Center, 1060 Atlantic Avenue, Brackenridge.
Apply NOW for Enrollment!
Highlands is currently accepting applications for the 2018-19 school year. Registration packets are available at all district schools and the Administrative Center. Please note that families must meet the Pre-K Counts income guidelines that are specified in the registration packet. Please email program secretary Jaye Misejka at 724-226-2400, ext. 4518 or jmisejka@goldenrams.com for more information.