Tuesday, March 7, 2017

DEVELOPING: DPS To Offer Its Own Pre-School


Big news for first-five education in the Dorchester area.

A Dorchester Public Schools-administered preschool is coming to town, the Times has learned.

According to Dorchester Public School information, at the February DPS board meeting, Mrs. Alison Nickel was hired as DPS' Preschool Teacher for the school year beginning August 2017.  

Nickel comes to DPS with over three years of preschool experience.  School officials say she believes in creating a "caring, warm environment, where the children are exposed to play, social skills, and academic learning."

Dorchester Public Schools will have an open house on Thursday, March 23, from 7:00 - 7:30 p.m. for potential preschoolers and their parents to meet Mrs. Nickel.
 
All the details have not yet been worked out for DPS' new preschool.  However, we are told the plan is to have 3-year-olds in the morning for at least 3 hours (probably 8:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.) and the 4-year olds in the afternoon for at least 3 hours (probably 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.).  Please note that the days of the week are not set in stone, according to school officials.

Questions should be directed to Daryl Schrunk, DPS Superintendent, at 402-946-2781 or dschrunk@dorchesterschool.org.

5 comments:

  1. Is there a fee to attend this preschool or are the taxpayers of the district paying for this?

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    1. On Monday evening, the Times received this e-mailed in response to the question:

      "As reported in the the school newsletter, the school has submitted application for a three year grant from the Nebraska Dept. of Education to offset costs for the first three years of the preschool program. So in short, yes, the state taxpayers (income and sales taxpayers) would pay for the program. Otherwise, district property owners will be paying for it, as with most K-12 functions."

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    2. Well, that's just great! Not! How much does all this cost after the three years are up?

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    3. I do think more people need skin in the game when it comes to funding education. Asking people with children to help fund this preschool by charging a fee is reasonable. Too many handouts these days and too few people with skin in the game.

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  2. Its nice to see that Dorchester schools is doing something that is good for the kids. we don't really have a preschool around here.
    On the funding I have listened to one of Friends board members complain about the costs at the Green Top. But I think he was all about taxes cause he said they were going to cut wrestling, part of the preschool, part of the math program and maybe FFA or other programs that were added over the past few years.

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