Successful Summer Pre-K
Sep 06, 2012
Summer Success
First 5 Alameda County sponsored Summer Pre-K Programs in eleven school districts throughout the county, focusing on children without prior preschool or child care experience. This summer's expanded program took place in 44 classrooms, including 7 new classrooms in San Leandro, New Haven and Newark Unified School Districts* thanks to funding from the Thomas J. Long Foundation. Summer classes were free and ran 3-4 hours every day for four weeks. Nearly 800 children at low-performing elementary schools were provided with transitional early childhood experiences.
Early Education Works!
Preschool attendance and Summer Pre-K participation are both strongly associated with increased children's readiness for school. Children who have had neither are the least ready for kindergarten. Previous evaluations of Summer Pre-K participants show that participating children made significant gains in a number of developmental areas, including Initiative, Language and Literacy, and Social Interactions during the 6 week program - gains that will increase their chances to succeed in elementary school.
For more information about First 5 Alameda County's Summer Pre-K program, contact Jessica Straubel, School Readiness Program Manager at 510-875-2419 and visit www.first5.org/school-readiness
* First 5 Alameda County's 2012 Summer Pre-K partners also included Berkeley, Castro Valley, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Oakland, Pleasanton and San Lorenzo school districts.
For a closer look at a Summer Pre-K program at Jefferson Elementary School in San Leandro, click here.
The article contains the memorable quote by San Leandro Unified School District Assistant Superintendent Debbie Wong. "Children on the first day of the program cried because they did not want to leave their parents. On the last day children were crying because they did not want to leave their phenomenal teachers."
