[Southsider2k12]

Then again if Pishkur paid more attention to what was going on in the school system, it is possible that this cut would have never had to happen.

http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2012/0...93065647010.txt

MCAS contracts for Pre-K program providers, but parents must pay

By Lois Tomaszewski
Staff Writer
Published: Monday, May 21, 2012 5:07 PM CDT
MICHIGAN CITY — Based on the emotions that surfaced at the May 9 Michigan City Area Schools board meeting, cutting the district-run pre-kindergarten program to meet severe budget deficits touched a lot of nerves. But there is a solution in the works.

Eliminating seven full time teaching positions in the district’s pre-kindergarten classrooms is expected to save $160,000 in salaries alone. The program costs in excess of $1 million and is not paid for by the state.

Board member Beth Pishkur is a supporter of the importance of the pre-school program. MCAS made efforts to build up the program and now are closing it down, Pishkur said in remarks to the board at the May 9 meeting. Supporters of the program say students who have attended a Pre-K program are usually better prepared for school, including being able to recognize letters and numbers, write their name and have better social skills.

MCAS has announced that the La Porte County Family YMCA and Imagination Station will be contracted to provide the pre-kindergarten program for 3- and 4-year old children at eight elementary schools. These contractors will use the school’s facilities to provide the programs in the fall.

The YMCA will offer programs at Coolspring, Edgewood, Knapp, Lake Hills, Niemann, Pine, and Springfield Elementary Schools, while Imagination Station will offer a program at Marsh. Students living in the Joy district will be served at Pine, according to a news release provided by MCAS.

Information was mailed Friday to families of all Pre-K students who registered at MCAS “Pre-K Roundup” this spring, and to those whose 3-year-olds are currently served in the MCAS Pre-K program, communications director Betsy Kohn wrote in the news release. The mailing also contained information about other area providers, including Head Start, a federally funded program available at no cost to families who qualify.

While both providers will charge for services, scholarships and a sliding fee scale are available. Vouchers from Indiana’s Child Care and Development Fund are also accepted.

Fees are being set at $100 per week for a full day or $55 half day through the YMCA program and $90 per week for a full day for the Imagination Station program.

A series of meetings between representatives from the La Porte YMCA and Imagination Station have been scheduled so parents can get additional information about the changes, Kohn wrote.

On Thursday, parents can talk with YMCA representatives at:

Coolspring Elementary School – 6 p.m.

Edgewood Elementary School – 6 p.m.

Knapp Elementary School – 3:30 p.m.

Lake Hills Elementary School – 6 p.m.

Niemann Elementary School – 3:30 p.m.

Pine Elementary School – 3:30 p.m. (also serving Joy students)

Springfield Elementary School – 3:30 p.m.

Imagination Station representatives will meet with parents of students at Marsh Elementary at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 31.

The pre-school program will be offered on all school days during school hours. MCAS will continue to provide bus transportation to pre-kindergarten students and these students will be required to wear uniforms as outlined in the MCAS Dress for Success policy.

“Despite the fact that we were forced to eliminate our district’s Pre-K program due to significant budget shortfalls, Michigan City Area Schools strongly believes that early childhood education is critical in preparing children for success in school,” said MCAS Superintendent Barbara Eason-Watkins. “I am pleased that through this partnership, high-quality programs will still be offered in our elementary buildings for 3- and 4-year-olds.”

There is also a possibility that some of the MCAS instructors who lost their jobs because of the budget cuts may be offered a position with the YMCA and Imagination Station programs, Eason-Watkins said at the May 9 school board meeting.

[Southsider2k12]

I'd also throw out there that after the way the national YMCA organization abandoned Michigan City in 2007, it'd be a cold day in hell before any of my kids went to any YMCA sponsored school.

[eric.hanke]

The MCAS initially looked at farming out pre-k programs a few years back. This was before they discovered they could rob all the Title 1 funds from those children to fund this useless program.


Unless finding is available to continue remediation at the elementary level, any pre-k program funding is lost by 3rd grade.


The MCAS needs to form a comprehensive educational plan and discontinue buying break/fix programs. We need long term planning and oversight at the Administrative level. This will not occur with the current school board and administration. They are looking at short sighted needs and test scores. Our system is broken and needs new blood.

[Southsider2k12]

We certainly have a history of putting a program into place only to decimate it shortly later.

[indianamaniac]

The MCAS initially looked at farming out pre-k programs a few years back. This was before they discovered they could rob all the Title 1 funds from those children to fund this useless program.

I have had an outstanding experience with the Pre-K program in the MCAS and really find it very disturbing and offensive that you would refer to it as "useless."

I was planning on replying to your most recent post on the other thread, but I'm not going to waste the time. It is obvious that you have no desire to do anything but bash the system at every possible opportunity.

Best of luck on your relocation to Florida.

[Ang]

I have had an outstanding experience with the Pre-K program in the MCAS and really find it very disturbing and offensive that you would refer to it as "useless."

I was planning on replying to your most recent post on the other thread, but I'm not going to waste the time. It is obvious that you have no desire to do anything but bash the system at every possible opportunity.

Best of luck on your relocation to Florida.

"like"

[Southsider2k12]

I have had an outstanding experience with the Pre-K program in the MCAS and really find it very disturbing and offensive that you would refer to it as "useless."

I was planning on replying to your most recent post on the other thread, but I'm not going to waste the time. It is obvious that you have no desire to do anything but bash the system at every possible opportunity.

Best of luck on your relocation to Florida.

I think the Pre-K program is very vital for a community whose kids get to K not ready for school. They start out behind literally on day one. The problem has always been the funding of the program, and not the program itself.

How about we get a proposal in front of the school board that they can't add any programs unless they demonstrate they can fund it for at least five years?

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2012/0...87669736200.txt

MCAS approves preschool contracts

By Lois Tomaszewski
Staff Writer
Published: Wednesday, May 23, 2012 5:07 PM CDT
MICHIGAN CITY - Contracts for pre-kindergarten programs in Michigan City Area Schools have been approved to two outside providers, guaranteeing a program will be in place for families in time for the start of the next school year.

For $100 per month rent for each classroom at eight elementary schools, the La Porte County YMCA and the Michigan City-based Imagination Station will provide the service to families.

The low rental fee irked several citizens attending Tuesday night’s school board meeting, who saw the fee as too low, especially in the midst of the school district’s budget crisis.

“This is not enough to pay for the gas and electric to heat that room,” Michigan City resident Dennis Metheny said. “I think you need to be charging a lot more. This is total incompetence. That’s why we are in this problem.”

Click here to find out more!
To balance the budget, the school board approved a plan to cut the preschool budget from MCAS. The district receives no money from the state to operate the program, which costs more than $1 million to run.

Responding to this criticism, Superintendent Barbara Eason-Watkins said the low rental fee is a compromise to ensure that numerous scholarships, a generous sliding fee scale and other considerations are made to district families. A family that does not meet any of these financial criteria may be charged $90 per child per week, in addition to the cost of meals.

“How can you charge so much per child?,” asked parent Sarah Messinger. “There are a lot of families that will not be able to get a scholarship.”

Both the YMCA and Imagination Station programs will act separately from MCAS, providing their own disposable supplies and staff and pre-employment background checks. Both providers will be required to provide insurance, including workman’s comp and professional liability insurance. They are each required to offer services on a sliding fee scale, accept state vouchers, offer scholarships and show a willingness to work with families.

MCAS provides the space, pays the utility costs, covers the janitorial service and provides bus transportation to students who attend a full day program, provided MCAS buses already serve that route. Pre-kindergarten students attending these programs will be required to wear uniforms, but MCAS will have no authority in discipline or other student issues, the superintendent said.

Information meetings are planned for Thursday at the seven schools which will have the full-day YMCA program in place. Parents should attend meetings where their child would go to school. These meetings are 3:30 p.m. at Knapp, Niemann, Pine and Springfield and at 6 p.m. at Coolspring, Edgewood and Lake Hills.

The meeting detailing the program at Marsh will be 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 31.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2012/0...6b808953657.txt

MCAS holds pre-K meetings

By Lois Tomaszewski
Staff Writer
Published: Saturday, May 26, 2012 5:06 PM CDT
MICHIGAN CITY — Meetings on Thursday between parents and pre-kindergarten providers were at times emotional, but provided answers to parents questions.

Parent Aimee Rusboldt, the mother of three children, expressed frustration at the fees proposed by the La Porte County YMCA program, which will offer services at Coolspring, Edgewood, Knapp, Lake Hills, Niemann, Pine and Springfield elementary schools. For families who do not meet the sliding fee scale, are not eligible for state vouchers or cannot qualify for a YMCA scholarship, the cost for a child to attend the program is $100 per week. Half days are available for $55 per week.

Rusboldt, who was one of the teaching assistants who will lose her job next year because of Michigan City Areas Schools efforts to recoup a $16 million deficit, was concerned that her families income level would be too high to receive any help. Debt obligations mean that despite the higher income, there was nothing extra to pay for pre-kindergarten. She also questioned why the attendance fee was so high, especially when compared to the potential income the program will generate.

The sliding scale is based on state and federal guidelines. It considers family income and the number of dependents in the family.

YMCA Director Cindy Berchem said the fee for the schools-based program is lower than those charged at other YMCA facilities. In addition to staff salaries, any revenue generated from the program will have to be used to pay other payroll expenses, purchase disposable supplies and other needs for the program.

“We are not a government-funded program,” Berchem said. “Money for our scholarships comes from contributions from people in the community. We are going to try to work with families as much as possible.”

Pine Elementary School Principal Charles Kaiser told parents gathered in the school’s cafeteria that the pre-kindergarten program was eliminated as part of the MCAS program “because the district is not receiving reimbursement from the state for these children who come into our school for the pre-kindergarten program.” The unfunded program was costing MCAS more than $1 million per year. The state does not pay for pre-kindergarten education.

“I think the school is trying to work with us,” parent Angela Grupe said. “We have benefited for seven years with a free preschool program and we have to be thankful.”

Hooper said MCAS has a “commitment to early childhood education.” Educators know that programs for 3- and 4-year-olds builds academic success, improves social skills and provides an element of child care for parents, he said.

“I was very impressed with the La Porte YMCA program,” Hooper said. “I think it is a good match.”

The YMCA has been operating a pre-kindergarten program since 1992. The program includes fully licensed and certified teachers, before and after school care and the I-Start evaluation, which can transfer learning information to the elementary school and is a preliminary assessment to the state testing that begins in elementary school, Berchem said. The curriculum is play-based and is considered a “high-quality” program, she said.

Joy Elementary School will not have a pre-kindergarten program at that school because there are no empty classrooms, principal Jason Hopper said. The program for his school’s families is offered at Pine. He attended the parents meeting to help register families from his school’s area.

Services are available from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with variations based on whether students ride the bus or with parents. The schedule and days off follows the school calendar. Pre-K students who ride the bus will check-in when the buses arrive. Snacks are provided by the program, but meals will be the families’ responsibility. The free and reduced meals program administered by the school will apply to students in the pre-kindergarten program.