GREENFIELD — Greenfield parents, students and future students gathered at the Memorial Hall on March 15 to prepare for success in the early years of a child.
Families received aid in registering their children for kindergarten, and were given resources to improve children’s kinder readiness, improving social emotional skill development and much more.
The event was hosted by Greenfield Collaborative Action Team, part of Bright Beginnings in partnership with Greenfield Union School District.
“We are excited to have the parents and families here,” Greenfield Union School District Assistant Superintendent Caryn Lewis said. “We will be able to get information on whether or not they have received any early childhood care such as preschool or transitional kindergarten.”
In Greenfield there are several preschool programs, including the Head Start program under the Greenfield Union School District. Via Verde is a migrant preschool. There is also a preschool located at Patriot Park and the Monterey County Office of Education (MCOE) located at Mary Chapa Academy.
The MCOE preschool at Mary Chapa Academy runs for half a day and the other three all full day preschools. Currently registration is being taken for the 2017-2018 School Year. Registration is income-based and students are between 3 to 5 years of age or before kindergarten age. Children with special needs are also being accepted.
Maribella Rojas with the Monterey County WIC (Women, Infants and Children) program spoke about the program with Greenfield Residents. Monterey County WIC has four offices throughout Monterey County in King City, Soledad, Salinas and Seaside.
“The participants are either pregnant, have babies under 5-years-old and we go by an income guideline to see if they are eligible,” Rojas said. “Then we provide them with nutritional information and a package of healthy foods.”
The participants also come to classes or take classes on line. A few booths down from Monterey County WIC was a team offering speech screenings.
Director of Special Education Lisa Mazza and Special Education Clerk Jose Madrid from the Greenfield Union School District provided speech screenings for school children ages 3 years old through eighth-grade. Parents who had concerns about the way their child is articulating or using language talked with Mazza and Madrid.
They also provided a flyer about what to expect from a child as their speech develops.
