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August 25, 2010

Knox board votes to expand district preschool program

The Times-Tribune

CORBIN — By Becky Manley / Staff Writer

The Knox County Board of Education voted to expand that district’s preschool program by adding two classrooms.

The vote came during the board’s meeting Tuesday.

The two classrooms will be added to Lynn Camp and Girdler schools, according to Charlotte McCoy, the district’s special education director and preschool coordinator.

The district will pay about $150,000 for salaries and supplies for the two additional classrooms, McCoy said.

The board also voted to hire two teachers and two aides for the new classrooms.

The preschool program’s current annual budget is over $500,000 and is supported by a state grant.

Once the new classrooms are added, the district will have 10 classrooms that can each serve 20 children, McCoy said. The students enrolled are ages 3 and 4 and priority is given to those students who have a disability and/or meet certain poverty standards.

The district has offered half-day preschool for several years although McCoy said the district began offering full-day preschool beginning this school year.

The full-day preschool is preferred by parents and reduces the district’s transportation costs since McCoy said the half-day program requires a mid-day bus run.

The board also heard a dropout prevention report from Robin Wright, who said there were more students who dropped out during the 2009-2010 school year than in prior years.

Wright said 68 students dropped out during the last school year. Eleven of those students opted for other choices like obtaining their GED or re-enrolling in school, reducing the actual number of students that dropped out to 57, Wright said.

“I think we’re making a really good effort to curb the dropouts even more,” Wright said.

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