KSHB 41 reporter Claire Bradshaw covers portions of eastern Jackson County, including areas like Blue Springs and Independence. If you have a story idea to share, send an email to Claire at claire.bradshaw@kshb.com.
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The Lee’s Summit School District has added a pre-K program for district families this school year.
There are eight full-day classes and one half-day class out of Prairie View Elementary. The program is free for the 200 students thanks to a $1.3M grant. In the future, it will be free and tuition-based.
The district added the program to better prepare 4-year-olds for the expectations of kindergarten.
The COVID-19 pandemic left many of these 4-year-olds have experienced little socialization.
“You know the importance of early childhood education is high and for them to have that experience in school. And the biggest part of what we do here is social-emotional growth,” program director Katie Burt said. “A lot of these kids have not had the experiences that kids pre-COVID have. You know, they didn't get the opportunity to go to the library, they weren't going to the grocery store, they weren't going out to eat, they weren't interacting with other people as much.”
The learning goes beyond ABCs and 123s. The goal is to acclimate the kids to being around others in a classroom setting. They practice words and counting but also have play time to teach other skills.
Michelle Lisle is one of the pre-K teachers. She used to teach kindergarten, so she knows what it takes to succeed.
“It's a lot like kindergarten but yet a lot different,” Lisle said. “Just being able to do the play experiences with them, teaching them how to problem solve, how to have some self-regulation skills. Even in these first few weeks, it's crazy how much they've improved.”
Keli Andresen is a paraprofessional but also a parent of a 4-year-old at Prairie View. She said she has seen her son change since starting school.
“He is really honing in on his social skills. He is singing the ABCs every day,” said Andresen. “I’m seeing him changing in a mature way. It's only been a month, but he is very much changed in an exponential way.”
Right now, there is a wait list for the program that can be found here. The district hopes to expand the program in the future, but for now, it will be offered only at Prairie View.
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