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Elizabeth School District expands infant/toddler slots, seeks grant for second toddler classroom
Summary
District early childhood director reported fully enrolled toddler class, growing infant enrollment, a one-hour daily schedule extension, and a grant application aimed at adding a second toddler classroom to raise capacity from 20 to 30.
Karina, the district director overseeing early childhood programs, told the Elizabeth School District board on Jan. 13 that the district has opened an infant and toddler program and is pursuing grant funding to expand capacity.
Karina said the district converted space in the Opportunity building into two classrooms and opened the infant/toddler program Sept. 25, 2024. She said toddlers (18 months to 3 years) are fully enrolled and infants (6 weeks to 18 months) currently have six students of a 10-student capacity. “We opened doors September 25th,” Karina said.
The nut graf: the expansion aims to serve more district families and staff and to make the preschool program more accessible; the district is changing hours and applying for a grant to add an additional toddler classroom to meet demand.
Karina said the district will extend daily hours by one hour — from 7:15–4:15 to 7:00–5:00 — to help families whose schedules otherwise prevent enrollment. She said the planned classroom addition would expand toddler capacity from 20 to 30 students; the district’s current goal is to win the grant in April and ready the space over the summer to open in August.
She described staffing and program improvements made since taking the role in March 2024: filling roughly 20 positions across infant, toddler and preschool programs; implementing monthly professional-development Fridays for early childhood staff; and increasing family events and preschool fundraising targeted to preschool families. Karina also said half of current early childhood enrollees are district employees and half are community members.
Karina gave compliance and quality context: Running Creek’s preschool received a Level 5 Colorado Shines rating last year (the highest level), and Singing Hills is currently at Level 4 with a rating window that expires in April. She said many teachers raised credential levels this year — moving from lower levels into level 2–4 classifications under Colorado Shines standards.
District staff said they will also pursue visibility and outreach (including media/communications work with staff member Nikki Quinby) to build community awareness and the program’s wait list.
Ending: Karina said the long-term aim is year-round operation to better meet community need and to continue to build capacity if grant funding and enrollment allow.
