How to sign up
Monroe Schools preschool application process:
Beginning at 8 a.m. on May 21, at the district’s Board of education office, 500 Yankee Road, parents who have preschool age children not on IEP’s can pick up a registration form.
A birth certificate, proof of residency in Monroe and a $200 deposit check is needed to apply.
The program is on a first-come, first serve basis for 12 open spots in the program.
There also will be a waiting list for age appropriate children — preschoolers 5 and under — in effect for one year.
Source: Monroe Local Schools
MONROE — Monroe schools will once again offer its own preschool program instead of Head Start for the 2010-11 school year due to some additional funding from the state.
The Ohio Department of Education awarded the district an additional half unit or year of funding — $19,000 — to fund the special education preschool program that currently cost the district $144,000 a year, said Superintendent Elizabeth Lolli.
The district had offered its own preschool program from 2000-08, then the Butler County Educational Service Center began offering the Head Start Program this year when the district “was not financially capable of sustaining it,” she said.
“When I got here (in 2007) there was only one teacher doing preschool, she did two half-day units. Within my first four weeks, we had enough identified special education children that we needed to add another half day. Then during my first full year here, we added the other half so we ended up with two preschool teachers,” Lolli said.
“The cost just kept going up, up and up. Now we’ve got a little more money.”
The Board of Education approved a recommendation by Lolli during its meeting Monday, April 26, that the preschool be a district program instead of Head Start as a result of the additional funding.
“We’re very appreciative that we had the opportunity to work with Head Start. However, the idea of being able to afford our own preschool once again is helping us make this decision,” she said.
“We’re going to continue to apply for additional preschool units each year so that we can try and cut down the cost even more.”
Jon Graft, Assistant Superintendent for Early Childhood Programs for the Butler County Educational Service Center, said Monroe’s program will allow more children to be served for Head Start, which has a waiting list.
“For Monroe to be able to provide the preschool services and for us to be able to allocate our 34 spots to other portions of the county, as long as we’re able to serve more families, we’re always excited for all the districts.”
Under the plan, Lolli said four units or two classes will offered to all Head Start children who are Monroe residents on Individual Education Plan’s or those not on IEP’s who were Head Start students in the district.
Two teachers assisted by two aides will teach the two-and-a-half-hour classes per day of 32 IEP students and 32 non-IEP kids four days per week, she said.
Tuition will cost $200 per child a month, except for IEP students and children who qualify for free and reduced lunches, she said.
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