Editorial missed the importance of preschool I...

Editorial missed the importance of preschool

I feel I have had enough and must respond to your editorial

(“District’s decision is in students’ best interest,” Sunday).

The facts of the matter are as follows:

For 24 years, I have successfully run the preschool program at

Newport Harbor High School. The district took over the program, and

it failed in less than six months.

As to the quality of the learning by the preschoolers, everyone

agrees it is a great program, and the children are ready for

kindergarten. Most of my referrals have come from other parents and

three school board members who have had their children in the

program.

The Newport Harbor High School students have a quality lab program

in which they can interact and learn from working with the children.

The children get one-on-one attention from the high school students.

How can the cancellation of this program be in the “best interest

of the students?”

Your editorial also stated that the “closure will not affect the

high school students’ hands-on learning experience since they will be

sent to other preschools in Newport-Mesa to work with children.” With

the opportunities provided by the district, and unless transportation

is provided by the district, the students will have an experience

with children approximately once every 3 1/2 weeks.

Most of the preschool experiences set up by the district are

observe-only experiences, not working with the children. At the

district’s suggestion, I have been sending some of my period 3

students to Harper Preschool every other Monday. They walk for 20

minutes each way to mostly watch the children eat lunch.

Lorie Hoggard said the district had to require a teacher with a

children’s center permit because the job descriptions had to be the

same for both the state funded and the Newport Harbor private

preschool teacher positions. The preschool does not have the same

requirements as the state-funded program. If you check other private

preschools in our area, you will find none that require Children’s

Center Permits, and there are many that have quality programs. You do

not need a teacher with a children’s center permit to have a

“properly credentialed, quality part-time” program.

The editorial also stated that the district will “work with the

parents of preschool children to find an alternative.” There are no

alternatives available at a comparable price. The parents have called

around and found the same thing.

The editorial stated that the district has been “footing the bill

for years.” This is not correct. For 24 years, I have been charging

the parents what the district says it will cost because they have the

figures for benefits, etc. For 20 years, I had a surplus of money at

the end of the year. I was asked to spend about $3,500 on equipment

and supplies three years ago so I wouldn’t have a surplus.

When I went to the district to discuss the budget last May, I was

informed by Sylvanna Temple that I was going to be approximately

$2,700 overdrawn for 2002-03. This was a complete shock to me, since

I charged the parents what I was told to charge.

At that time, Temple told me that we were ahead about $33 for the

year 2001-02. I quickly figured out with Temple that if I charged the

parents $100 more for each semester in 2003-04, I would have a

surplus of $4,000 and could easily pay back the debt.

When I left school in June, I had 20 children enrolled and the

deficit covered. A parent paid a late fee, which reduced the deficit

to $2,100. Later, last summer, the district decided we were overdrawn

approximately $700 for the year 2000-01. I found this rather

interesting since Temple had already told me we were $33 ahead for

2001-02.

If I had known, I would have raised the fees for both 2001-02 and

2002-03. However, we still had enough money to cover the debt if we

had hired a teacher with the old job description, which met state

licensing requirements.

The way the district financially handled the preschool this year,

I’m certain, it is very much in debt.

Although the district has been unable to find a teacher with a

children’s center permit, I talked to a lady this week who has her

master’s degree in early childhood education. She is willing to take

the preschool position

In summary, the Newport Harbor High School Preschool is unique.

There is no other place else where the preschoolers will get the

one-on-one attention they get at Newport Harbor High, and the high

school students will get the interaction they receive with the

children for learning about child development. It is definitely not

“in the best interest of the students,” both high school students and

preschoolers, to close the program.

I really hope you will print the correct facts about this issue.

The information the district has given you is not correct.

WANDA SHELTON

Newport Harbor High School

Preschool administrator

Worse things in air outside

of school than at school

I’m surprised the spokesperson from the South Coast Air Quality

Management District didn’t explain to parents that asbestos removal

in schools have a higher standard for clearance at the conclusion of

the work than other jobs (“Asbestos removal finished at school,” Nov.

30).

Since 1989, all schools should have had a program for controlling

asbestos in place. If parents are really concerned about children’s

exposure to things in the air, then I would advise them to never,

ever wipe a wet sponge on their window screens.

JACK PERKINS

Costa Mesa