Lakeland Currents: Early Childhood Education

Season 10, Episode 8

In August, Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton announced that 74 school districts and charter schools would benefit from $25 million in new state funding, allowing more than 3,300 4-year-olds to attend voluntary pre-kindergarten programs free of charge. The expansion of the state’s pre-kindergarten funding aims to prepare Minnesota’s youngest learners for academic success.

More than 180 school districts and charter schools applied for funds, but 60 percent did not receive the state aid.

On this episode of Currents we’ll focus on one of the programs that is benefitting from the increased funding. Nevis Public Schools was one of the successful applicants, having been allocated more than $142,000 for around 70 students.  While it’s too early to discuss the impact of the state funding on the Nevis program itself, having had it for only a few months now, we welcome this chance to highlight the Nevis early childhood education program, its class offerings, and its staff.

Host Bethany Wesley welcomes to the program Abbie Henry, the early childhood coordinator, who also teaches the 4-year-old kindergarten preparedness program; and Jen McNamee, who teaches the 3-year-old school readiness program.