A Great Start for Carmel's Universal Pre-Kindergarten

A Great Start for Carmel’s Universal Pre-Kindergarten

One group of four-year-olds served their teacher a make-believe breakfast while another played with building blocks and a third practiced cutting out pictures.

It was a busy day in Carmel Central School District’s first Universal Pre-Kindergarten program, which started on Monday, January 6. 

“We want to teach them everything they need to know before kindergarten, but we do it in a fun way,” said Theresa McCaffrey, Executive Director of Little Leaf preschool in Carmel.   

Little Leaf is one of three preschool programs chosen to provide services to the 75 students who enrolled in Carmel’s first semester of universal pre-kindergarten. Creative Kids and Kids Cottage preschools are also hosting the program.

School Superintendent Erin Meehan-Fairben made starting Universal Pre-Kindergarten one of her first goals for the district. The program, which is funded through state and federal grants, is provided at no cost to district families.

“The benefits of early childhood education are clear, and include improved school readiness, better academic performance and a reduced achievement gap,” said Dr. Fairben, who took over as Carmel’s School Superintendent in July and got to work right away to ensure that all of Carmel’s students would have access to good preschool education. “It is an investment that lasts a lifetime.”

The program follows the school calendar and ends on June 2, 2025. Next year, it will start in September and run through June.

At Little Leaf, the day’s schedule varies. If the weather is good, the children start their school day outside. Every day, however, includes circle time, some discussion of letters or numbers and a project.

On Monday, four-year-old Bennett concentrated on cutting out paper shapes.

“The thumb goes in the small hole on top and the two finger friends go in the bottom hole,” Teacher Jackie O’Brien said. “Then you snap them together. The thumb is the boss.”

Bennett followed the instructions and worked on a skill that will help him in years to come.