New preschool program in Cape still has openings

The Cape Girardeau School District has room for more children in its new preschool program that kicks off Aug. 16 with the start of the regular school year.

The district has received about 30 applications for enrollment since school officials first announced the enrollment process in mid-July.

School officials encourage parents to apply by the 4:30 p.m. Monday deadline. But Deena Ring, the school system's director of special services and the official in charge of the new program, said applications will be accepted after the deadline if slots still are available.

The district plans to enroll a maximum of 60 prekindergarten children for the program's inaugural year.

The district plans to open a prekindergarten classroom at Blanchard Elementary School and one at Jefferson Elementary School for 4- and 5-year-olds who will be entering kindergarten in fall 2008. Each classroom will seat up to 15 students in the morning session and the same number in the afternoon session.

Children behind in motor or language skills will be given preference for nine of the 15 slots in each class, Ring said. But the preschool is open to all children in the district. School officials said it's not a special education program.

Application forms are available at the district's administrative offices at 301 N. Clark Ave. Families also can telephone the district office to have forms mailed to them, or print out the form on the district's Web site, www.cape.k12.mo.us. Forms also are available at the Salvation Army office on South Sprigg Street.

Children will be screened Wednesday and Aug. 3 at the district administration building on Clark Avenue. Parents will be contacted by telephone to schedule an appointment, school officials said.

Ring said some families only recently learned of the new preschool program. "It is hard over the summer to get the information out," she said. "We didn't make the decision to even do this until toward the end of June."

Although slots are available now, Ring said she believes the program will be full by the fall. The district will operate preschool classes regardless of whether all the slots are filled, she said.

The district will charge families a sliding fee for preschool: $2 a day for children who qualify for free lunch, $4 a day for children eligible for reduced-price lunch and $8 a day for all other children.

mbliss@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123