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Young Fives class drew strong demand; district reports 25 requests and 10 waivers
Summary
Edwardsburg Public Schools reported strong enrollment demand for its Young Fives program: 18 current students this year, 25 requests for next year and 10 waiver requests from children born between Sept. 1 and Dec. 1.
Edwardsburg Public Schools officials and parents updated the board on the Young Fives kindergarten readiness program and requests to continue and expand it next year.
School staff said the classroom filled quickly this year and maintained 18 students from roughly the second week of the year through the present. Parents and staff described developmental and social gains for participating children, including improvements in speech and early literacy.
A parent reading another family's letter told the board that her child entered the program nonverbal and now speaks in full sentences, writes her name and knows letter sounds after the Young Fives year. The parent credited teachers in the Young Fives classroom for those gains.
The presenter said the district currently has 25 requests for Young Fives for the coming year and 10 waiver requests from children who turn 5 between Sept. 1 and Dec. 1. The district is looking at ways to make the program available to all 25 requested students but did not commit to a specific next-step or budget in the meeting.
The Young Fives update included a brief video and parent testimonials and concluded with a request that the district consider expanding capacity to meet demand.
No formal vote was taken; board members thanked parents and staff for the presentation.
