Minooka grade schools mull offering preschool

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Updated: November 4, 2011 6:04PM

MINOOKA — Minooka Grade School Superintendent Al Gegenheimer has been researching the concept of opening a preschool in the district’s primary center, possibly as early as next year.

The district houses and is the supervising district for the Grundy County Preschool program. However, that program is for children who are at risk or have learning disabilities.

Gegenheimer told the school board he has been looking at a preschool/daycare program that would be housed in the primary center/administrative office building but run by an outside company.

“We have some classroom space; it could be offered from a private preschool provider,” Gegenheimer said.

A program of this nature would be helpful to staff with young children and the community, he said.

The cost of similar programs in the area was found to be $40 to $50 per day per student, for a seven- to eight-hour day. That does not include lunch, transportation or other costs, Gegenheimer said.

Gegenheimer said he found it ironic that the district’s per pupil cost is only $42 per day, which includes transportation, lunches, building maintenance, fine arts, special education, response to intervention, athletics and other programs.

“It includes everything from top to bottom,” Gegenheimer said. “That cost is lower than many daycares that don’t offer other items. It shows how efficient our district is and as a result our students have done very well.”

Gegenheimer will investigate and bring more information to the board.

“This would be a convenience to staff and the community. Many (preschool/daycare programs) in the area have waiting lists,” Gegenheimer said. “We have space we are not using. I would love to be able to lease that space out.”

Assistant Superintendent Steph Paluniuk said the district’s Jump Start program was successful this summer despite the fact the district charged a fee for the first time.

More than 115 kids participated in Jump Start, a summer school program for children entering kindergarten through second grade. Jump Start is designed to prepare them for the school year.

“I have gone into the classrooms and it’s been a very good start to the school year (because of Jump Start),” Paluniuk said.

School principals commented that their first days of school went smoothly.

Aux Sable Elementary Principal Sam Martin said things were great at his building since the district changed boundary lines for this year. One hundred twenty-six students living in Lakewood Trails East subdivision were moved from Aux Sable to Minooka Elementary to balance enrollment.

While some families were unhappy with the district’s decision, it has reduced stress on the teachers and facility. Aux Sable Elementary currently has 490 students, up from 460 just a few weeks ago.

“Thanks for making those changes,” Martin told the board.