By Alyssa Ramsfield
Early learning has been proven time and again to be a pinnacle piece in a child’s education. North Thurston Public Schools has heard this message loud and clear. The North Thurston Public Schools Early Learning Centers and the new Family Partnership Center provide necessary services to our youngest Thurston County residents.
“The time from birth to age 5 is when the brain develops rapidly, so education during those years is essential to success in school,” explains Debby Gaffney, a former kindergarten teacher and Director of Early Learning for North Thurston Public Schools. “That’s when we learn and grow those necessary skills for life. We are working on providing those cognitive skills necessary to be a productive citizen in the future.”
Early learning has always been a strong priority for North Thurston Public Schools, but more so recently under the leadership of Superintendent Raj Manhas, who made it a district goal in 2009. “We know from research that early learning is vital for success in school. The more we can help educate parents earlier the better for the children involved, in terms of brain development, success in school and positive behaviors. It needs to be a community effort and we are proud to do our part,” says Manhas.
The Family Partnership Center is one example of where this is happening. Located in a former childcare center near North Thurston High School, the Center is home to the Early Intervention Program that provides services to families with children birth to age 3 who qualify.
“Early learning has really become a passion in our district,” says Gaffney. “There are about 2,000 days between birth and the first day of kindergarten. We need to maximize that time. Studies show that 85 percent of the human brain develops between birth and 3 years of age. Anything we can do as a community to promote growth we need to do.”
Currently about 113 children are enrolled. South Sound Parent to Parent is the lead agency for this group. Parent/toddler groups meet daily at the Center to work with their children to develop skills and work with early learning educators. The district Early Childhood Assessment team is also located at the Center. This team provides assessment services for children ages 3 – 5 who reside within the district boundaries.
Throughout the district, there are currently about 250 students enrolled in NTPS preschool classes. In an effort to free up more classrooms across the district and consolidate preschool services in several locations, the district opened an Early Childhood Center this year at Meadows Elementary with five preschool classrooms. This move helps staff to enhance their service model.
“The ability to collaborate in person with therapists and other teachers simply by stopping by their classroom has been invaluable. It is convenient and time-saving to share preschool-themed resources and materials with my colleagues, as well,” said Stacey Smith, a preschool teacher at Meadows. She credits the district with the vision to create the centralized locations designed specifically with students’ and staff needs in mind. “A lot of thought went into this…down to a reinforced beam for an Occupational Therapy swing in each center, pull-down changing tables in each classroom’s bathroom, and a sanitizing dishwasher in each center for toys and snack dishes. Early learning is the place to be.”
The Meadows ECC joins Seven Oaks which already has three preschool classrooms. Another center with five preschools is scheduled to open in the fall at Mountain View. These preschool classrooms allow for many necessary programs. “Having classrooms that are designed for preschoolers allows children to grow and learn in a developmentally appropriate environment,” Gaffney said. “Children get the opportunity to build important skills with kids their own age in a cohesive learning environment that they may not get through other programs.” Cognitive skills, fine motor skills and social skills are just a few of the abilities taught throughout the daily routine.
Families from different parts of the district agree that the focus on early learning is a blessing for their children’s education. “The developmental preschool program at Meadows Elementary has exceeded my expectations this year. Not only has my son made friends and interacted with a variety of kids from different backgrounds, he has thrived academically, socially, emotionally, and developmentally,” said mother Genevieve Matokovic.
“His academic success has been exponential, but it has been his growth socially and emotionally that has truly amazed me,” continues Matokovic. “I see huge leaps in how he interacts with his peers and siblings at home as well as developmentally. This along with the amazing and caring staff, I wholeheartedly recommend this program to future families of preschoolers. My four-year-old has thrived and blossomed into a curious, confident, compassionate, and passionate five year old excited about learning and more than ready for Kindergarten in the fall. Way to go Meadows!”
For information about North Thurston Public Schools’ early childhood education programs, visit North Thurston Public Schools online.
North Thurston Public Schools staff contributed to this article.
