WCA Schools has chosen to invest in our youngest community members, offering free preschool for all children. The state of Minnesota doesn’t fund pre-school programming at this time, but the administration and school board of West Central Area Schools understand the importance of quality education offered to our youngest students and want all families to be able to participate. The National Forum on Early Childhood Policy and Programs has found that high quality early childhood programs can yield a $4 – $9 dollar return per $1 invested.
West Central Area offers FREE preschool to all students including two programs, Little Knights for three and four year olds and Kindergarten Connection for four and five years olds.
Little Knights is offered three half-days per week. Some specific goals for the Little Knights program include: developing independence, building self-expression skills, strengthening social interactions with peers and adults, exploring the concepts behind early literacy, math, and problem solving techniques. The curriculum used supports creative, hands-on, engaging lessons to find the meaning behind words, letters, shapes and numbers. Little Knights have fun while learning in a caring, fun and creative classroom.
Kindergarten Connection is a full day program that offers a Monday/Wednesday, every other Friday and Tuesday/Thursday, every other Friday option for students who will be entering kindergarten the following fall. Students participate in many academic activities and attend music, physical education and media classes with specialists in their field. Through a strong curriculum, students learn letters, letter sounds, sight words, counting, number recognition, shapes, sorting and classifying, patterning and much more. Social skills are increased through play and peer interaction. This impactful learning is a great stepping stone, preparing students for their kindergarten year.
Preschool teachers, Brenda Lindgren, Emily Malone, Courtney Puchalski and Holly Nadgwick say there is no greater joy than watching the love of learning flourish in the eyes and voice of a young child. When asked what they love about going to school at West Central Area Schools, our preschoolers said:
I like to cut paper.
I like to do arts and crafts and run around the gym.
I like all of the toys.
I like to help clean up.
I like the Packers because my teacher says they are the best!
I love earning tickets. (The PBIS Knight Pride tickets.)
I love learning.
I like playing at free choice time.
I like going to Mrs. Storm’s for music.
I love building cup towers.
I love playing outside.
I like going to gym.
I love snack.
I love everything!