Bristol parents say they want a public pre-K program and they’re ready to defend the proposal to possible opponents.
Twenty-one people, including 13 parents, attended a Jan. 19 informational meeting about Bristol Consolidated School’s proposal to add the program.
The parents included some parents of prospective students who also serve on town committees.
“I think it’s going to be a tough sell to the budget committee,” Bristol Budget Committee member Jason Lord said. “They’re pretty tough when it comes to the school committee.”
Bristol Planning Board member Andrea Cox and Bristol Budget Committee member Paul Leeman III tried to impress on other parents the importance of their vocal support.
“I hope to see a strong turnout in support of [pre-K] come March during the meeting,” Leeman said, referring to the upcoming annual town meeting, where residents will vote on the school budget.
“It’s going to be a tough sell,” Cox said.
The school offers babysitting during the meeting, BCS Ed Tech Christina Bradbury said. “We do need parents there because it won’t pass if we don’t have you,” she added.
The program would cost about $115,000 in year one and less thereafter, BCS Principal Jennifer Ribeiro said. Bristol’s proposed education budget incorporates the new program without an increase, partially however, due to declining numbers of high school-age students.
The costs are primarily for staff, as the students would occupy an existing classroom and ride existing buses.
“We have this facility that we have to maintain whether there’s 100 kids or 400 kids,” Bristol School Board Chairman David Kolodin said, gesturing to the school.
“What a great opportunity if we can keep the budget at zero, without an increase, and introduce this program for four-year-old students,” Kolodin said.
Proponents say pre-K programs pay for themselves in a variety of ways.
Cox pointed out that the program might “encourage some families to move to this area.”
Carol Wynne, a Department of Education employee who helps communities start pre-K programs, said the evidence supports Cox’s conclusion.
“People from literally across the country who were looking for a place to live in Maine inquired specifically about public pre-K,” Wynne said.
Bristol, at present, doesn’t have any preschool options, public or private – a possible deterrent to parents considering a move. “If there aren’t options for families, they can’t stay,” Ribeiro said.
Public pre-K programs reduce other long-term costs to communities, Kolodin and Wynne said. Studies show the extra year correlates to lower crime and dropout rates and higher high school graduation and college acceptance rates.
BCS administrators also fielded questions about the non-fiscal particulars of the program.
Cox asked how the school would handle a case where the parent wants their child to attend part-time – either half-days or full days less than five days per week.
Ribeiro said full-time pre-K increases access for parents who work during the day and helps the budget absorb transportation costs, as the students would be able to ride existing buses.
“If a majority of families weren’t interested in full-time, certainly we’d look at that,” Ribeiro said.
Cox also suggested adjusting bus routes annually “to make sure the youngest kids get the shortest ride.”
“I don’t see four-year-olds riding for 50 minutes,” she said.
Ed techs will ride the buses with the four-year-olds, which would be “necessary for the four-year-olds but beneficial for everyone,” Bradbury said.
Ribeiro responded to a question about whether the pre-K students would participate in art, music and physical education classes.
“I’d like to see some of that happen, but we’d like to do it in a way that makes sense for four-year-olds,” Ribeiro said.
Another mother asked if the students would have an introductory period with shorter days as the students acclimate to their new surroundings.
Ribeiro said the school would “certainly” adopt something similar to its “gentle start” kindergarten program for the pre-K students.
Ribeiro said the school has not hired a teacher for the program and no one on the existing staff has the certification necessary to teach four-year-olds. She said the school might collaborate with Coastal Kids Preschool in Damariscotta to bring someone in.
Ribeiro expects 12-14 students to enroll in the program, which would be the first of its kind in Lincoln County.
Approximately 168 public pre-K programs currently operate in Maine and the state continues to add about “a dozen or so every year,” Wynne said.
At the end of the meeting, Cox and Leeman appealed to the other parents to actively advocate for the program.
Cox said she expects it to be “a hot topic” at the annual town meeting. “Everybody should come and bring every supporter they can find,” she said.