Macon County Schools is now accepting applications for Pre-K enrollment in the 2022-23 school year, and teachers in the program believe parents should consider applying.
Pre-K has been a hot topic for the county government during this fiscal year, with both the Macon County Board of Commissioners and the Macon County Board of Education discussing ways to expand the number of preschool classrooms. Macon County Schools has five Pre-K classes that can take up to 18 students at a time, with two at South Macon Elementary School, two at Iotla Valley Elementary School and one at Cartoogechaye Elementary School. Because those classrooms primarily host children that will go on to attend kindergarten and beyond at the same school, Pre-K is an opportunity for them to ease into the routines and procedures that define the school day.
“It gets them used to what it’s like at school so that they’re not as scared when they have to start kindergarten,” said South Macon principal Allison Guynn.
For many students, Pre-K is their first opportunity to spend time surrounded by people their own age. That situation has only gotten more widespread since the pandemic began – two full years in, most preschoolers don’t remember a time without COVID-19.
Cartoogechaye teacher Crystal Carver said the way kids are socialized has changed a lot in the last few years.
“A lot of the kids we have now came in on the first day into a room full of toys and they immediately gravitated towards the iPad,” Carver said. “A lot of them also stuck to playing alone at first, but now you see all of them playing together.”
Beyond practice with basic skills like color and shape recognition or their first experiences with numbers and letters, Pre-K’s top priority is socialization. One of the most important skills they’ll carry throughout their schooling is the ability to work with their classmates and have positive interactions with each other. Pre-K gives them a low-pressure yet structured environment to practice those social skills in.
“We’re always learning, but we’re always having fun too,” Iotla Valley teacher Lindy Beck said.
Administrators are working through plans to expand Pre-K so students in East Franklin and Highlands will have easy access too. Beyond the space and funding limitations, the main reason parents tend to forgo Pre-K is concern that their child isn’t ready to be away from them yet. While that’s a common fear that teachers see every year, they also feel that getting an early start in school can only be a good thing for those kids’ development – besides, they usually find that it’s the parents who are having a harder time than the kids.
“Kids are more ready for the classroom environment than adults usually give them credit for,” South Macon teacher Emily AP Southard said. “It’s healthy for them to have this time to learn and explore.”
Pre-K applications can be turned in until Wednesday, April 20. Applications are available in person at the Macon County Schools central office or any elementary school with a Pre-K classroom. Applications can also be submitted online and returned via email at valerie.norton@macon.k12.nc.us.