A.G. Opens Pre-kindergarten Classroom
Story originally appeared in the Herald-Standard on 11/18/2007

MASONTOWN - "Red, orange and green," said Kaleb Clark happily as he jumped on the corresponding colors, repeating each one correctly as he went.

"X marks the spot," Clark, 3, continued, leaping onto the "X" on a colored alphabet carpet.

Clark and his twin brother, Kade, are two of 17 children who make up the Albert Gallatin Area School District's first-ever pre-kindergarten classroom.

The 3- and 4-year-olds showed off their newfound skills for several adults gathered as part of a ribbon-cutting ceremony recognizing the classroom's recent opening inside Masontown Elementary School.

Despite several onlookers who visited the classroom after Friday's ceremony, the children were full of play as they painted, built puzzles, read books and played dress-up as part of daily activities.

The state awarded the Private Industry Council of Westmoreland/Fayette County $900,000 of the $75 million pre-kindergarten funding set aside in this year's state budget to begin programs locally. Public-private Pre-K Counts grant funding supplemented the program in the Albert Gallatin Area School District.

Full-day classes at Lafayette and Wharton schools in the Uniontown Area School District also have recently begun similar programs earlier this school year at Rebecca Belski's Duck Hollow Discovery Learning Center and the Cub's Den at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus as well as at Denise Kooser's Family Group Homes Inc.

The program fits the routine of a regular school day and follows the school calendar, being held five days a week and running from the morning to the afternoon. It is free to middle-income families whose earnings are above the income guidelines to enroll their child in Head Start.

While the long day can make the transition from home or daycare to preschool difficult, classroom Supervisor Holly Woods said the little ones adjusted well, and with very little tears.

"Most have done a wonderful job and are adjusting smoothly," said Woods, who taught both kindergarten and fifth grade. "It's absolutely a good start. There's so much you can do if you learn the basics."

Classroom Aide Juanita Harris said she couldn't wait to become a part of the first-year program.

"It helps them gain learning and social skills they otherwise may not be getting," said Harris, a 17-year employee of Fayette County Head Start. "This is vital."

As Masontown Elementary's youngest schoolchildren, the preschoolers are able to participate in certain "big kids" activities, like eating lunch in the school cafeteria, romping on the outside playground and taking part in certain school-wide activities.

Plus, the indoor classroom has everything a budding artist, actor or scientist could want: a circle area for singing, learning colors and about the seasons, the calendar and the weather; an art area to paint and to work with modeling dough; a library to read books; a math and science area to use magnifying glasses and microscopes; a block area to construct roads and bridges; a table for building puzzles; a sand and water sink; and a dramatic play area complete with a doll house, costumes for children and a toy kitchen with pretend food.

Masontown elementary first-grade teacher Dorothy Gruskowski said the program is a good preparation for kindergarten. It enables the children to become used to what it's like being in the classroom, and, by time they get to first grade, they are ready to sit down and learn, she said.

"We need to start them as early as we can," she noted.

Locally, the program is in demand. Several families are on a waiting list to enroll their child, according to Head Start Assistant Director Sandra Hall, who said this shows the importance of the state re-funding the program so it can continue next school year.

Kaleb and Kade's mother, Stacy Clark, is grateful her children are a part of the program, which she called "wonderful."

Clark said she knew it was time to look into preschools when her sons turned 3 years old, but at the same time realized the cost of attending preschool would be doubled since she has twins.

She said it would have been a struggle to afford the type of quality program her sons are enrolled in now.

Her children love the program, she said, and are picking up on certain good behaviors taught to them in the classroom like "using their walking feet" instead of running indoors.

"I'm so happy they have this program," said Clark. "We feel we're reaping the benefits of some of our tax dollars."

Denise Martin, A.G. federal programs coordinator, said the district wants to expand the program, and has asked that any additional funding go toward establishing another classroom at D. Ferd Swaney Elementary School.

At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Martin thanked local legislators for their effort in making the program possible for this school year.

Representatives of the offices of state Rep. Timothy S. Mahoney, D-South Union, and state Rep. H. William DeWeese, D-Waynesburg, attended the ceremony with Masontown Mayor Thomas Loukota, school board members Ed Sutton, John Gruskowski and Edward Colebank and district Superintendent Walter Vicinelly.