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The future of the academic success of our students in today's world lies within the early education of our youngest learners. Chisago Lakes Community Education is assisting this start of the learning spectrum by providing outstanding early childhood programs, Little Wildcats Preschool, School Readiness and Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE).

Everyone who interacts with a young child is a teacher.

These outstanding programs are laying the groundwork for students to enter Kindergarten ready to learn. Classes strive to help parents develop the skills that they need to be successful parents as well as teaching skills that can help their children be successful in school and life.

We know that during the years from birth through age five, children develop their basic knowledge, interests and understanding of the world around them. They also take their first steps toward becoming successful learners, readers, and writers during these early years. Young children benefit from a variety of learning experiences that will give them the background needed for their transition to Kindergarten.

One of the key areas of focus in our early childhood programs is the development of vocabulary. This occurs through direct instruction and multiple opportunities for conversation that help children use new vocabulary in context.

There are over 120 preschool students enrolled in Little Wildcats Preschool and School Readiness programs. Throughout the school year, over 600 participants attended special events held by Early Childhood Family Education for families with preschoolers. There are also private preschool programs that exist within our district in which an additional 164 preschoolers attend.

Early Learning programs offered through Community Education offer a wide variety of opportunity for parents and their small children. The Chisago Lakes Early Education staff members are all highly qualified and teachers hold early childhood licenses.

Chisago Lakes schools believe that early learning programs are the cornerstone to great student achievement and the district is committed to providing the best learning opportunity for our youngest learners. Little Wildcats preschool is a place where children feel well cared for and safe.

Last year Little Wildcats moved into both Primary School and Taylors Falls schools so that the parents and students could become more familiar with the elementary building and staff members. This has met with positive response.

Little Wildcats Preschool and School Readiness classes use the same literacy and language curriculum that is used in the District's early elementary grades. This provides another step helping to ease the transition from preschool to Kindergarten.

With the move of the Little Wildcats program from the Family Center to the Elementary buildings, Community Education is able to offer more Early Childhood Family Education classes at the Family Center in Lindstrom. These ECFE classes provide parent/child interaction time in a group setting, and allows parents time to discuss a variety of parenting topics related to the different developmental levels of their children. These classes are reported to be as fun for parents as they are for the children.

The families and children in the Chisago Lakes School District have several quality early education programs from which they can choose. For more information about any of these programs, call 651-213-2062.

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