6/23/2008 6:00:00 AM A very good place
to start
Kidz Place offers free preschool environment
Laura Marquardt reads with Alex Lemke while Chris Mand watches daughter Jayda interact with Alex after the volunteers set up Kidz Place in the Sugar Creek Elementary School Step Room. The volunteer-run program has books, toys and a couple of computers to provide a preschool setting for kids up to age 5.
Kidz Place
What: Preschool-style learning environment
Where: Sugar Creek Elementary Step Room, 420 Church Ave.
When: 8:30-11 a.m. Tuesdays and
Wednesdays
Cost: Free
Info: Call Julie Gocey at 845-9830
Tena Beno Verona Press Correspondent
When the committee studying 4-year-old kindergarten in Verona recommended against it two years ago, many people threw up their hands and asked, "Why?"
But as often happens by those who dare to bring about change, Sugar Creek Elementary School kindergarten teacher Jennifer Skibba asked, "Why not?"
And Kidz Place was born.
"It's not solely mine," Skibba said. "It was taking that parent piece and taking that teacher piece and putting them together and saying we totally can do this."
Principal Todd Brunner suggested that Skibba contact Sugar Creek parent, Julie Gocey, who was also looking for ways to help every child in the district have the opportunity for a preschool experience.
"(It's) a creative way to prepare kids for kindergarten," Brunner said, adding that research into early intervention over the years has shown that it can "profoundly impact the future achievement of a child."
Skibba, Gocey and a handful of volunteers will open Kidz Place on June 24, in the school's Step Room.
It's free and open to all area families, even those outside the district. Parents, child care providers and even high school age siblings or babysitters are encouraged to bring children they care for. Caregivers are required to stay with the children and interact with them as they play and learn.
"So many families send their children to preschool, and not every family has that opportunity," said Skibba, who was involved in setting up a similar program in Oregon, called Homeroom. "The reason for Kidz Place is to offer a space that is developmentally appropriate for children to get them ready for school and promotes parents interacting."
Kidz Place offers a variety of activities for children up to 5 years old, including blocks, math, dramatics, listening, reading and literacy, art, music, computers and sensory and playground activities. There will be a special area just for infants with soft toys and other age-appropriate items.
"You want a diverse group of children interacting," Skibba said. "There is a core group of kids who you just hope show up. I really hope I see a group ... who haven't had preschool exposure."
She encouraged parents to experience Kidz Place and then invite others to join them, calling it a "powerful" way to make positive change for the children in the community.
"What parents did when they were in kindergarten and what the expectations are now are so different," she explained. "Parents of oldest children sometimes come in thinking playing, coloring, learning to sing the alphabet song and tie your shoes, and the reality is that they are going to learn to read."
Melissa Sedevie, who has a 3-year-old daughter, said she wasn't aware of Kidz Place but was excited to learn more about it.
"I think it's very needed," she said. "As daycare costs and even preschool costs rise and rise I think it's harder for a stay-at-home parent or even a working parent to try to get adequate care to get kids ready for school."
Sedevie said she might have her daughter, Madelyn attend with her grandparents, too.
"During the weekdays her grandparents are involved in her life, so they could possibly take her there to get the experience with her because they don't get to go to school or daycare with her or anything," Sedevie explained.
Skibba said she isn't advocating taking business away from the preschools or child-care centers, and she realizes that many stay-at-home parents already engage in educational activities with their children. This is rather an additional experience.
"And for some kids it will be the only thing," she said. "And maybe it will be the one thing that gives them the tools and resources so that when they enter kindergarten they might know the expectations and understand things that are going to happen in the classroom because they've seen it modeled."
Parents can learn, as well, because Kidz Place will have a resource library for parents and caregivers. Organizers plan to add a toy swap and themed backpacks for children.
It will have a place for children to eat a snack if they bring one, though the entire school is a peanut- and tree nut-free environment, as well as a latex-free space.
Volunteers are still needed. Parents in the district, community members and those with training or experience in a related field who are at least 18 years old are encouraged to apply.
Skibba will provide training on such subjects as working with children and their care givers, safety issues and confidentiality. All volunteers must undergo a background check.
"We are looking for volunteers from all around the community," Skibba said. "College students who are studying education, people who are bilingual, parents and grandparents. ... I think that you get so many great ideas from each other."
Because Sugar Creek will have one fewer kindergarten class next year than it did this past year, Kidz Place will borrow some items from Sugar Creek. But it's hoping to have donations to replace those items by the time school ends next year.
"Right now we're running on nothing," Skibba said. "So we're really hoping some of the grants come through."
The biggest need is sturdy shelving for toys and books. And within the next year the program will also need a new computer. A "Donation Tree" will be constructed in Kidz Place with leaves containing pictures of items needed and the name of its donor.
"All toys need to be new or gently used and we really want them to be washable so we can keep the area as sanitary as possible," Skibba said. "And a great donation item would be parenting resource books."
Kidz Place will be open every Tuesday and Wednesday from 8:30-11 a.m. at 420 Church Ave. throughout the summer and will continue on the same days during the school year, with exceptions based on the school district's elementary calendar. Free parking is available in the Church Avenue lot, and an entrance will be open leading directly to the Step Room.
If you are interested in volunteering at least one morning per month call Julie Gocey at 845-9830 or e-mail jgocey@tds.net.
