Philomath School District’s Superintendent Susan Halliday recently announced that the Next Steps Kindergarten Readiness program will receive full funding for the 2024-25 school year. This program, managed by Strengthening Rural Families, is designed for children born between September 1, 2019, and August 31, 2020, residing in Philomath and preparing to enter kindergarten in the district by 2025-26.
Halliday highlighted that the funding, allocated through the Linn-Benton-Lincoln Early Learning Hub, is specifically earmarked for preschool initiatives from birth to age 5 during the upcoming school year. This financial support follows a successful proposal jointly crafted by Strengthening Rural Families’ executive director Paul Smith and Clemens Primary School principal Abby Couture, which secured funding across multiple tiers to ensure availability and continuity of services.
Acknowledging the community demand for preschool options, Halliday emphasized the program’s commitment to sustainability beyond the current funding cycle. She stressed the importance of fiscal responsibility and continuity, particularly in light of previous financial constraints that temporarily impacted program operations.
Under the funding arrangement with the Linn-Benton-Lincoln Early Learning Hub and Strengthening Rural Families, preschool classes will be offered at no cost to families. Interested parents can contact Strengthening Rural Families directly at 541-929-2535 to enroll and obtain further details.
SEE ALSO: What is the Purpose of a Happy Classroom?
In other developments from the July 9 meeting:
Discussions were held regarding the potential implementation of a student body fee at Philomath Elementary, aimed at supporting school activities such as classroom parties and dances.
The board deliberated on the use of cell phones by students within the district, with further investigation into policy implications directed by the board.
Halliday announced Philomath students’ participation in a federal program providing free school meals over the next four years to combat childhood hunger and enhance classroom readiness.
Various personnel and staffing adjustments were approved as part of the consent agenda, including coaching appointments and staff resignations and hires.
The board also elected to shift monthly meetings to the second Thursday starting September, and scheduled their annual work session for October 8. Ongoing discussions included student representation on the board and addressing a complaint against the superintendent in executive session, with further deliberations slated for July 16.