By Rick Abercrombie
At the August 7 meeting of St. Andrews Optimists, the Club heard a presentation by Chris Manley, Director of the McGregor Presbyterian Preschool and by Beth Reilly, representing District 5 as a Certified Teacher Mentor. Reilly’s field of expertise is in Special Education.
The number “three” holds special significance in educating early students. It has become a key finding that elementary-age children who do not read at grade level by the end of third grade have a steeper academic climb than those who do. St. Andrews Optimists have learned this through years of exposure to reading readiness facilitators, and the club invests every year in providing summer reading books to students.
The second learning involving the number three is children who are identified early enough in their development, the pivotal age being three, can benefit greatly from focused efforts to bring them up to speed.Complete success is not guaranteed by any means, but not applying such concentrated effort almost guarantees a negative outcome.
Knowing all this as background, Manley and Reilly began a process two years ago of providing mutual support. District 5 can identify potential candidates, and McGregor provides a healthy learning environment where D5 teachers can work on a one-on-one ratio. The needed expansion of the program is experiencing a funding shortfall. At $2,655 per year in tuition, families who need a program of this type may not find it affordable.
Potential donors who embrace the educational/developmental need and benefit can sign up for The Giving Tree Program where they can support a student.That donation can be paid at $295 per month. In many cases, donors respond to honor a loved one.
Once established in the process, when kids turn age four, they can have Individual Educational Plans (I.E.P.s). Progressing through that type of collaboration, kids are then eligible for “Ready by Five” programs.
Interested people can contact Manley at [email protected] or by phone at 803-781-2539.
Pictured are Club President David Kafitz, Reilly, and speaker sponsor Tony Langton.The speakers received a copy of the Optimist Creed.
