Vicenza Elementary School has available the Sure Start Preschool Program that is modeled after Head Start in the United States. It is a full day, high quality preschool for 4 year olds. It targets children who may potentially be “at risk” for not being ready for kindergarten the following year. There is a mandatory parent education component that includes scheduled home visits, quarterly parent meetings and participation in the classroom. Applications are being accepted now for the school year 2008 – 2009, and children must be 4 years old by Oct. 31st. The program is designed for children of sponsors ranking E4 and below, but anyone is welcome to fill out an application. For the first time this year there will be two classes of 16 children each! Applications are accepted all year long. If the classes are full, applicants are put into a “waiting pool” and when there is an opening, the child most qualified is selected by the steering committee.
Considerations for enrollment may include one or more of the following conditions:
o Child will be 4 by Oct. 31st
o Sponsors rank is E4 or below
o Child had a low birth weight, below 5.5 pounds
o Child has parent/s whose primary language is not English
o Parent/s were teenagers when the first child was born
o Parent/s did not graduate from high school
o Child lives in a single parent home
o The child’s sponsor is currently deployed
o The child has an older sibling with a disability
o At home there are 3 or more children close in age
Go in to the Vicenza Elementary School office and get an application if you are interested, or call 634-7579 for more information about Sure Start.