First Time For Pre-School At St Rose

By Tanjua Damon

The new students heading into St Rose Parish Center Monday morning carried backpacks bigger than themselves, but they were eager to reach the classroom and begin a day making new friends and doing school work.

A new preschool program has begun at St Rose for three and four-year-olds. Over 35 students attend either a morning or afternoon session. The teachers are Melissa Sebestyen and Paige Robinson. The four-year-olds attend the school three days a week – Monday, Wednesday, and Friday – while the three-year-olds go two days a week – Tuesday and Thursday.

“It’s very exciting,” Ms Sebestyen said. “We will teach ABCs, 123s and shapes, kindergarten readiness.”

Arriving in the St Rose parking lot, people may have thought Ty Runkle was a movie star. But really his father, Scott, wanted to make sure he caught Ty’s preschool debut. Mr Runkle arrived with a video camera running when Ty got out of the car, when he opened the door to the Parish Center, and when he arrived at his assigned classroom.

“Out of the blue yesterday [Sunday], he [Ty] said, ‘I’m excited to go to school,’” Mr Runkle said.

St Rose Principal Donna DeLuca said the pre-school idea has been around for a few years. Now it is a reality and children can begin coming to school earlier.

“There was a need expressed to the pastor and the former pastor beginning years ago,” she said. “Mostly programs are non-secular. This was really attractive to the parish community that it would be a Christian Catholic teaching.”

There are currently 36 three and four-year-olds enrolled in the program, Ms DeLuca said. The program can have a maximum of 80 students.

“It’s wonderful,” she said. “It has added a whole new dimension to starting school. We can start two years earlier with a Catholic education.”

The preschool will follow the guidelines of the Connecticut policy regulations for preschool programs and the National Education Association of Schools and Colleges, Ms DeLuca said. St Rose plans to be an accredited program, but it takes a few years to become established.

“We decided to follow those standards right away,” she said. “I think when you feel you are ready, you have to do a self study and a visiting team comes.”

There is still space available to three and four-year-olds. For more information call the school office at 203/426-5102.