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Preschool will give kids jump start Joint White City effort financed by grant for anti-poverty programs By VICKI GUARINO WHITE CITY -- A small public preschool is expanding enrollment and services this fall to get educational and social services to more children and families sooner. The effort, financed by a special allotment of federal anti-poverty aid, will be free for the community's 4-year-olds. It is a joint effort of two schools, White City and Mountain View elementaries, but will be housed in a classroom at White City Elementary. The program gives kids a jump start on kindergarten, says coordinator Mary Jo Anderson. In addition to simple school lessons, students learn social skills and become familiar with school routine. By the time they enter kindergarten, for instance, preschoolers already know how to use school computers. Anderson notes that last year, the kindergarten class that had all of the previous year's preschoolers wound up in June with the highest library check-out rate among kindergarten classes. The goal of White City's preschool goes beyond preparing incoming students, however. Anderson says the program gets a range of school services -- including referrals for health care, counseling and parent assistance -- to families a year early. "Kindergarten and first grade is sometimes too late," Anderson says. Anderson began a small preschool program for 13 kids four years ago with encouragement of then-principal Bill Jones. Jones, now superintendent of the Eagle Point district, remains a strong backer. "We just need to get kids into school as soon as we can," he says. His successor at White City Elementary, Jay Sparks, says teaching at younger ages can have great benefit. "There's a tremendous capacity to learn at the younger ages," Sparks says. Anderson is expanding the program with a $27,000 grant from federal funds for education programs in low-income communities, where family poverty can be a hindrance to education. Despite the funding source, the preschool itself is open to all children regardless of family income. That distinguishes the program from the White City-Eagle Point Head Start program, which is generally open to low-income families or disabled youngsters. "We want the kids here, in school," says Anderson. The open enrollment of the preschool gives children the experience of cross-section of families. Also, says Anderson, it answers a common family need. White City parents might not be below the federal poverty level, but they often work two or three jobs and have little time to learn about the services available from local schools. Each year since the preschool began, Anderson has made changes to bring the service to more kids. The additional federal money this year will more than double the program. For the first time, the preschool will have its own classroom. It will grow from two sessions twice a week to four sessions twice a week. Anderson also hopes to add a fifth session that meets four days a week. Enrollment could go from 28 last year to 40-48 in the fall. Registration has begun at both White City schools. "We're not going to turn away anyone, we hope," Anderson says. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA