On December 11, the USD 234 School Board approved the purchase of the former Family Physicians building located at 902 S. Horton Street from Fort Scott Community College.
The building is slated to become the school district’s new Early Childhood Center, according to a press release from the center’s principal, Nick Johnson.
The Fort Scott Preschool Center is currently located at 409 S. Judson Street.
“This building houses three preschool classrooms, two operated by USD 234 and one operated by Head Start,” Johnson said. “USD 234 also leases a classroom in the Happy Kids Daycare and Preschool building.”
“All USD 234 preschool classrooms are half-day, blended classrooms,” he said. “The blended classrooms contain a combination of students who qualify for an Individualized Education Program, students who qualify for the state Preschool-Aged At-Risk Program, and peer models.”
“All students participate in an engaging, interactive curriculum that is aligned with the Kansas Early Learning Standards and focuses on physical, academic, and social-emotional development,” Johnson said. “Special Education staff provide cognitive and social-emotional intervention, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy to students with developmental delays.”
In addition to providing special education services for students attending classes, the preschool staff also provides services to home-based students and students in community-based preschool programs.
“Through partnerships with the Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center and Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, students and families have access to a variety of mental health and healthcare services,” he said.
The Fort Scott Preschool staff members include four Early Childhood Special Education teachers, one part-time intervention teacher, and ten paraprofessionals.
“The new building will bring the three existing preschool classrooms and two additional preschool classrooms under one roof,” Johnson said. “Two new classrooms are much needed as the desire for early childhood education continues to grow.”
The current preschool has 103 students enrolled, with 29 on the waiting list.
“The two additional classrooms will increase the program’s maximum capacity to 180 students which will eliminate the need for a waitlist and reduce class sizes,” Johnson said.
District staff have been working with representatives from Greenbush Education Service Center and Hight Jackson Architects to apply for the Capital Projects Fund Accelerator Grant administered by the Kansas Children’s Cabinet & Trust Fund, he said.
If awarded, grant funds will be used to remodel the existing building so that it can meet the range of employment, health, education, and childcare needs of families in the community.
To fulfill the grant requirements, current plans for the building include space for preschool classrooms, a small health clinic, a workforce development room, and a daycare area, he said.
“These new opportunities, combined with existing partnerships, will allow the Fort Scott Scott Preschool Center to achieve its vision of a community working together to support the academic, social-emotional, and physical development of each child to ensure that they are ready for Kindergarten and beyond,” he said.