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Arc board votes to close preschool for the disabled, citing COVID-19, uncertain funding and declining enrollment

By Billie Owens

Press release:

After decades of service, Rainbow Preschool, operated by Arc of Genesee Orleans, will permanently close on Aug. 14.

Rainbow Preschool, located in Batavia at 80 Union St., and in Albion, serves children from 2½ - 5 years old with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

After careful consideration by Arc of Genesee Orleans’ Board of Directors, this difficult decision was made due to the current environment of the coronavirus pandemic, uncertain funding and declining enrollment.

While no return to class date was set due to NY State COVID-19 restrictions, enrollment to date included 26 children.

The preschool provided special education, physical therapy, occupational therapy, assistive technology, counseling, parent training, music therapy, and speech/language therapy to help students achieve kindergarten readiness. Preschool staff are New York state certified teachers, with teacher assistants and aides in the classroom. 

This decision was made with heavy hearts,” said Donna Saskowski, executive director. “For any children who are enrolled with Rainbow for the 2020-21 school year, we will work directly with parents and with school district representatives to secure appropriate placements and ensure continuity of services.”

Rainbow Preschool provided critical services to generations of children with and without disabilities and they have a proud history of service for children with special needs.

Little Hands Preschool in Bergen is accepting applications for fall enrollment

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Little Hands Preschool in Bergen is accepting applications for fall enrollment.

There are openings in the 2-year-old Playgroup as well as the 3- and 4-year-old Preschool classes for the 2020-2021 academic year.

Little Hands Preschool is located at 27 S. Lake Ave. (Route 19) and is a ministry of Bergen United Methodist Church.

It offers a Christian environment that teaches children that they are loved by God while equipping them with the academic and social skills necessary for kindergarten.

People can visit the Facebook page for Little Hands Preschool at Bergen UMC or its website for pricing and more information. Phone is (585) 494-1312.

Head Start in Batavia is looking for preschoolers

By Billie Owens

Submitted photo and press release:

Head Start, a preschool program of Community Action of Orleans and Genesee, is taking applications for the 2020-21 academic year.

Head Start has centers in Albion, Batavia, Kendall and Medina, with an enrollment of 189 children.

Since 1965, Head Start has provided quality comprehensive services in Education & Child Development, Health & Nutrition and Family & Community Engagement at no cost to parents.

At Head Start, every staff member knows each child and family has unique talents and interests of their own.  By partnering with families, providing individualized learning experiences and support, children and families learn, grow and get ready for school.

Children are eligible for the Head Start preschool program if they are 3 years old on or before Sept. 15 or 4 years old on or before Dec. 1, and if they reside in Orleans or Genesee counties.

Priority for enrollment is given to foster children, homeless, families on public assistance or those whose income is below the Federal Poverty Guidelines, and children with diagnosed disabilities.

Families may begin the application process by calling the Head Start Administrative Offices at (585) 589-5683. Give your child a “Head Start” that will last a lifetime!

Imagination Station Child Care & Preschool to open new Batavia site in mid-May

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Imagination Station Child Care & Preschool is expanding its operation and adding a new location in Batavia. Known as the “Batavia East Center,” the location is scheduled to open mid-May and is located at 5079 Clinton Street Road in Batavia, the former Grandma’s Lovin’ Care building.

The center will have a variety of new features for Imagination Station and upgrades from its current location in Batavia. The building will have cameras in every classroom, a private playground, and doors throughout which lead to the outside, and a brand-new school-age classroom in the lower half of the building, which will be over 1,000 square feet!

Imagination Station is upgrading the building to include painting throughout, all new window treatments, new flooring in needed areas, an improved parking lot, and all new equipment and furniture in the classrooms.

“It’s a beautiful building and we’re excited for children to be occupying it again!" said owner Kelly Kronbeck. "We’re giving the building some love and attention, then we’ll be ready to open in the spring.

"We look forward to being able to create a more intimate environment at each of our Batavia locations since overall they’ll both be smaller in size."

Imagination Station, which is a locally owned and operated child-care provider, currently has a total of five centers, including the newest Batavia addition.

The new and improved center on Clinton Street Road will accommodate children from the ages of 6 weeks to 12 years old and has capacity for 112 students. The center will consist of two infant classrooms, three toddler classrooms, two preschool classrooms, and one school-age classroom.

Imagination Station prides itself in offering an educationally based program that is safe for its students and professionally run for its families. They credit their success to the hands-on approach they take in running their centers, but also by offering a high-quality program at an affordable rate, which is about 20 percent lower than its competitors between Buffalo and Rochester.

Interested families can tour the existing location by setting up an appointment! Enrollment is now available for both locations and is being filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Please call 585-343-0990 or visit the company’s website at www.istationccp.com for more information.

Attica School District offers free Pre-K program, registration deadline is March 29

By Billie Owens

Press release:

The Attica Central School District will offer a free Prekindergarten program for the 2018-2019 school year. The northern tip of the district is in Genesee County.

The Universal Prekindergarten is a preschool program established by the State Education Department. The Prekindergarten program is taught by a NYS certified teacher and aide.

Prekindergarten Registration for the Attica Central School District

Children who are residents of the Attica Central School District and who will be 4 years old on or before Dec. 1, 2018 are eligible to register for the Prekindergarten half-day program. There is no cost to families. Transportation is the responsibility of the parent.

For the 2018-2019 school year, the program will be held five days per week (Monday-Friday) following the Instructional School Calendar. There will be a morning and afternoon session with a limit of 18 students per session.

If you would like your child to participate in the program, please apply by completing the Attica Central School District Registration Form and accompanying paperwork. Registration materials are available on the District website or by contacting Ann Marie loranty at 585-591-0400, ext. 1408.

All registration forms need to be submitted no later than March 29.

Please bring your completed form and ALL required documents to the Attica High School Main Office, 3338 E. Main Street Road, Attica, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

For your information, the Wyoming County YMCA operates an after-school program at the Attica Elementary school. This program is available to preschool parents who participate in the afternoon prekindergarten session. Please contact the YMCA at 585-786-2880 for details on the program and to receive a registration form.

We strive to continue to offer this opportunity to residents of the Attica Central School District and hope that you are able to take advantage of this valuable educational opportunity for your child. If you have any questions please contact Mrs. Beitz, Elementary Principal, at (585) 591-0400, ext. 2235.

Preschool Storytime At WML

By Trisha Riggi

A storytime starting Tuesday June 30, 6:30 - 7:00 p.m. for Ages 3 - 6.

Listen to stories and sing songs.  Learn rhymes, fingerplays, and sign language.  Tell stories with puppets and the flannel board.  Each story time ends with coloring and bubbles.

Registration is required.  Children must be at least 3 by the first session.  This program runs for 6 weeks ending August 11.  Limit of 15 children.

Visit www.woodwardmemoriallibrary.org or call 585-768-8300.

 

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Toddler Time at WML

By Trisha Riggi

A special storytime starting Monday, June 29 at 10:30 a.m. - 10:50 a.m. for children who are 2 or 3 year olds and a caring adult. Listen to stories that feature themes like shapes and colors, sing songs, dance, color, and play with bubbles. Child must be at least 2 by the first session and must be accompanied by an adult.  This is a 6 week session and runs through Monday, August 10.  Registration is required. Limit of 10 children.

Visit www.woodwardmemoriallibrary.org or call 585-768-8300.

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Batavia Universal Pre-K Registration Still Open

By Kathie Scott

Registration for the Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) Program offered through the Batavia City School District is still open, as there are several openings left at two locations!

UPK provides an opportunity for four-year-old children to be involved in half-day, developmentally appropriate educational classes at no cost to their families. The District offers morning and afternoon programs, Monday through Friday, during the school year at three locations: the YMCA, Lucky Ducky Daycare, and, although filled to capacity for this year, Jackson Primary School.

In addition, the YMCA and Lucky Ducky Daycare each have the option for a “wrap around” program consisting of Child Watch in the morning followed by UPK in the afternoon from12:30-3:00, then School Aged Child Care afterward. Although there is no charge for UPK, the YMCA and Lucky Ducky Daycare do charge for the morning Child Watch and afternoon Child Care programs.

Children who are residents of the District, are four (4) years of age on or before December 1, 2014, and who are not enrolled in a special education program with the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership (GVEP) are eligible to apply. Letters/applications have been mailed to all known eligible families, but also are available at the District Registrar Office in the administrative wing of Batavia High School (260 State Street), or by calling 343-2480 ext.2008. They can also be downloaded from the District’s website, www.bataviacsd.org, by using the pull-down menu at the top of the page labeled “Parent,” or the Quick Link labeled “Parent Resources,” then clicking on the link for Universal Pre-K. Please return completed packets to the District Business Office.

Bergen's "Creative Corner Preschool"...gone to the birds??

By Susan Brownell

 

 “Creative Corner”, a preschool located in Bergen, was visited today by the Library Lady of the Byron-Bergen Public Library,  “Miss Susan” and some of her pet chickens.  The kids at Creative Corner are learning about the letters C, D, and E, and Miss Susan brought in her D‘uccle Chicken named Emma; along with Bob the rooster and 6 of Bob and Emma’s offspring.  Miss Susan also brought eggs in from her flock to show the many different colors and sizes that eggs come in.

The children really enjoyed getting to see the small, feather legged chickens, D’uccles, which real name is Belgian Bearded Booted Bantam D’uccle, are funny little birds and very friendly.  I have heard D’uccle  pronounced “Duke-ell”  “Dee-uke-ell” and “Doo-clay”, and honestly, I have no idea which one is correct.  And to top it off.. their color is Mille Fleur.. so they are called… (take a DEEP BREATH)  Bearded, Booted Belgian Bantam Mille Fleur D'uccles Such a big name for a small chicken!  Mille Fleur means “Thousand Flowers” in French.

Pictured below are the children with Susan, looking at the chicks.

 

And here is Miss Susan, Bob and the chicks with the class and Mrs. Pierce (the owner of Creative Corner Preschool)   Emma is not in the picture because she was busy trying to lay an egg in her cage!  Which, by the way, she did do by the time I returned to the library!  (pictures used with permission from Creative Corner Preschool)

 

 

Here is a close up picture of the chicks taken Monday evening, at home.

 

Thank you Creative Corner for having us come and visit!

 

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