Tumble Time for Tots - An active playtime for children birth to 5 years of age.

Saturdays, 9:30 to 11.

February 23rd at Chelsea Public School gym

March 9th at the South Strafford Rosa B. Tyson Gym

March 16 at Sharon Elementary School Gym

March 23rd and 30th  at the South Royalton Gym

We are very excited to be expanding our early education offering and feel that it will have a significant positive impact on Sharon students’ academic, social, and emotional development.  Please contact me here at school if you have further questions about these programs. - Barrett Williams

Sharon Elementary School has officially opened a preschool/childcare center and we are currently accepting applications for enrollment.

Preschool:

Age 3:  Tuesday – Thursday from 8:00 – 11:30 ($75 per/wk)

Age 4:  Monday – Friday from 12:00 – 3:00 ($107 per/week)

Childcare:

Morning childcare (7:30- 12:00) - $18

Afternoon childcare (11:30 - 5:30) - $24

Aftercare (3:00-5:30) - $10

All Day Childcare (7:30 - 5:30) - $40

Please contact Barrett Williams or Amy Fahey to have your name added to our tuition student list.  We will send you a registration packet that you will need to fill out and return prior to admission.  Parents are welcome to visit the program at your convenience, but we do ask that you call and let us know what day and time works best for you. 763-7425

Dear Sharon Community,

Many of you know that our early education program is changing and will look very different next year.   In the past, we have only offered a half-day of preschool on Friday mornings.  This half-day essentially served as an introduction to the school and allowed us to have a better understanding of the educational needs of each individual student.  One of the many challenges we have found over the years is that not every Sharon family has the flexibility in their schedule to make a half-day program work.  The result of this has been that many students have entered kindergarten without having experienced quality early education and exposure to a school environment.  Consequently, we have needed to address the needs of a young population that lacks kindergarten readiness and the skills needed to be successful in our primary grades.

In an attempt to solve this perennial problem, the school board presented to the town a plan to expand our current preschool offering to better meet the needs of kids and families. Originally, we had hoped to find a property in close proximity to the school that we could rent or lease for a preschool site.  After advertising in the paper, contacting local residents, and exploring a several properties, it became abundantly clear that, because of state regulations, space requirements, and proximity needs, we had to explore alternative space options.

As luck would have it, we found two available modular classrooms at SAU #88.  The school board concluded after much deliberation that having the preschool program on campus was the best possible solution due to its nearness to the kindergarten program.  This option was not discussed at town meeting because, at that time, we did not think that providing services on campus was financially possible.  Through a municipal leasing company, we were able to secure financing over a five-year term for less then it would have cost us to rent a property in town.  Over the next 3-5 years we will need to explore a more permanent solution, allowing us to sell the buildings and get a return on the initial investment.

Finding a location for the building on campus was a challenging process.  After assessing several sites on school grounds, the school board realized that there existed really only one practicable option: the current skating rink site.  We are very aware that this is a recreation area that folks worked hard on to create and we recognize the rink’s value to the community.  After several discussions with community members, the board agreed to explore providing a temporary skating rink for kids and families to use on an annual basis.  Such plans are contingent upon having sufficient community members involved to keep the rink usable.  This rink could be placed on the fields in front of the school, allowing for greater visibility and community access.  We are interested in the possibility of lighting the new rink, permitting after-dark use.  Rinks like this have been in use in towns like Norwich and Tunbridge for many years with high levels of community satisfaction.

It is our goal to begin our program in conjunction with the school’s 2012-2013 academic calendar.   The Sharon School District will provide a public preschool option for 3- and 4-year-old children.  This preschool will address the early childhood educational needs of youngsters who will be entering our kindergarten in just a few years.

In addition, we will be partnering with local childcare providers so that children in our preschool have access to a quality childcare program either before or after their preschool session.  The preschool and childcare programs will be located here on school grounds in separate modular buildings.  While the preschool will be funded through public educational monies, we will be offering the childcare option at a cost.  The revenue created from the childcare center will offset the expense of the overall program.  Taxpayers will not be subsidizing private daycare.

Partnering a preschool with a childcare program will create the best possible situation for children and their families.  In the table below, I have provided a weekly schedule of how the programs will run for the upcoming school year.