Sparta Community Education

For more detailed information concerning the above programs, career counseling, job skills training, or assistance for someone who cannot read, please call the Sparta Community Education office at (616) 887-7321.

This program servces children ages 3 and 4 from 6:30a.m. - 6p.m. through out the year. Except for major holidays and Christmas recess. It is open snow days and springbreak. Children must be potty-trained. This is a well balanced child care program with planned preschool activities, nutritious snacks and outside play. Children must bring a sack lunch. The program will be housed with Kindergarten Care at White Early Childhood Center (WECC). The fee is $26 per day. For further information or a registration packet, call Sparta Community Education at 887-7321. Fees are charged on the basis of enrollment not attendance.

Smart Start Kindergarten Care (top)

This program is for Sparta's kindergartners for the portions of the day when they are not in school. It is open 6:30a.m.-6p.m., throughout the school year except for major holidays and Christmas recess. It will be open on snow days and springbreak. Students may attend before and/or after school and the half day when they are not in school. The program includes games, arts and crafts, activity centers and play time - all planned with the kindergarten - aged child in mind. Morning and afternoon snacks will be provided. Children must bring a sack lunch. The program will be housed at White Early Childhood Center (WECC) with the 3 and 4 year old's daycare. Children will be shuttled to and from Central Elementary for kindergarten. The fee is $21 per day. For further information or a registration packet, call Sparta Community Education at 887-7321.

Childcare programs will open begining the first day of school. Programs are licensed by the State of Michigan and staffed by certified child-care providers. Program space is limited. Enrollment will be on a first-come, first served basis. Fees are charged on the basis of enrollment not attendance.

Parents As Teachers Program (top)

The Parents as Teachers program is a free, voluntary early childhood program for families with children ages birth to three. PAT offers home visits, developmental screening, hearing and vision screening, parent education speakers, family activity sessions and a toy and book lending library.

When you enroll in the PAT program, a parent educator will join you in your home to share ideas with you to best enjoy your child. She will assist you in communicating with your youngster and address any parenting concerns you may have. She will offer ideas on assisting your child with developing a positive self-concept, social skills, problem-solving skills and language skills and will provide you with many examples of age-appropriate activities for your child. Her job is to help parents to be their child's best first teachers.

Who to contact: Wendy Bronkema at 887-3782 or 887-7321.

Tuition Preschool Programs (top)

Sparta Schools' tuition preschool program provides children with opportunities for play and interaction while emphasizing "doing" and discovery. The emphasis is on providing a family-centered approach to educating young children. Children are assisted in developing motor skills, making friends, learning to express feelings and ideas and to do some counting and measuring of real things. Three year olds meet twice a week. Four year olds meet three times a week. Program hours are 8:30-11:00a.m. and 12:30-3:00p.m.
Eligibility

To be eligible for the three year old program, a child must be at least three years old by December 1. To be eligible for the four year old program, a child must be at least four by December 1. All children must be toilet trained. Parents provide transportation. Proof of immunizations and birth certificates must be presented upon enrollment.
Fees

For the 2007-08 school year, fees are as follows:

$30 non-refundable deposit due upon enrollment. The cost is $11.50 per session. For further information on Sparta's Tuition Preschool Programs call Sparta Community Education at 887-7321.

4 Year Old's Readiness Preschool (top)

For students who qualify, Sparta's Readiness Preschool provides children and their families with the extra attention and helping hand they may need to prepare for kindergarten. The free program, funded by a Michigan Department of Education grant and monitored by the state, helps provide area four-year-olds with the skills that will help them succeed in school and in life.

Research shows that the earlier children are reached with academic and social lessons, the more likely they will succeed later in school and life. This program allows children who may not generally have the chance to get the benefits of a quality preschool to get the skills needed to start kindergarten prepared.

About the Program

Children in Readiness Preschool get help in social and pre-academic skills, including language and literacy, art and creative expression, music and movement, dramatic play, and pre-math. Students meet for 2 ½ hours per day, four days a week. Small class sizes allow for more individualized attention and the ability for students to make their own choices. Students are encouraged to learn things hands-on and at their own pace.

Readiness Preschool recognizes that parents are children's first and most important teachers. Therefore, the program has a substantial outreach to families, including home visits, workshops and group meetings. Parents are also invited to participate in the classroom. The Readiness Preschool program is licensed and staffed by highly trained teachers certified in White Early Childhood Center (WECC) and Child Development.

To be eligible for the Readiness Preschool program, the child must be four years old by December 1 of the year the child is applying. Also, two of 25 state-developed criteria must be met such as:

• low birth weight
• language deficiency or immaturity
• non-English or limited English speaking household
• family history of low school achievement or drop-out
• single parent
• unemployed parent(s)
• teenage parent
• housing in rural or segregated area

Information on eligibility is gathered through a confidential application and interview process.

To receive an application or further information on the Readiness Preschool Program, call 887-0068 or 887-7321.

Before and After School Care Program (top)

The Open Door, Before and After School Care Program, provides supervised care for children in grades K-5 before and after school. The program offers children a safe, comfortable environment where they can learn, build appropriate social skills and relax. The highly qualified child care staff provide an array of activities, field trips, crafts, creative play, supervised games and unstructured play times as well as homework assistance and an after school snack.

The Open Door program is located at Ridgeview Elementary School. Hours of operation are from 6:30-8:00a.m. and 3:00-6:00p.m. There is no before or after school care on the days school is not in session.

Central Elementary students are shuttled from Ridgeview Elementary School to Central before school starts for the day. At the end of their school day, Central students enrolled in the Open Door are shuttled back to Ridgeview Elementary School.

A $30 non-refundable registration fee plus the first two weeks child care payment are due upon enrollment. Billing is bi-weekly. Fees are as follows: Morning care, $5 for first child, $4.50 per additional sibling. Afternoon care, $9.50 for first child, $9 per additional sibling. Tuition is charged on the basis of enrollment, not attendance.

For further information on the Open Door program, contact Sparta Community Education at 887-7321