P.H. Miller Elementary School in Plano recently welcomed State Senator Sue Rezin, R-Morris, for a tour of the school’s preschool classrooms, STEM lab, library, and playground. Rezin, who serves as the minority spokesperson for the Senate Early Childhood Education Committee, was guided through the facilities by Principal Laurel Mateyka, according to a press release.
During her visit on October 9, Rezin engaged with students, emphasizing the importance of voting. She also held discussions with school officials about key topics such as expanding preschool programs, the newly established Department of Early Childhood, and the need for strong community partnerships to secure funding for early childhood education.
Principal Mateyka shared information about the school’s collaboration with Western Illinois University’s Parent Engagement Institute. The institute provides paid parent mentors to assist in classrooms, helping to address labor shortages in early childhood education without increasing costs for the school district.
Additionally, the school supports a scholarship program that helps ten paraprofessionals pursue teaching certification in early childhood education. Rezin had the opportunity to meet four scholarship recipients, who are currently student teaching at the school.
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