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File #: 16-1308   
Type: Staff Briefing - Without Ordinance
In control: Early Childhood Education Municipal Development Corporation Board of Directors
On agenda: 2/2/2016
Posting Language: Pre-K 4 SA CEO Report to include updates for the 2016-17 Competitive Education Grants, 2016-17 student enrollment, Edvance acquisition, and Zoo School collaboration [Kathy Bruck, Pre-K 4 SA CEO]
Indexes: Pre-K 4 SA
Attachments: 1. CEO Update PowerPoint
Date Ver.Action ByActionResultAction DetailsMeeting DetailsVideo
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DEPARTMENT: Pre-K 4 SA                     

 

 

DEPARTMENT HEAD: Kathy Bruck, CEO

                     

                     

COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide

 

 

SUBJECT:

 

CEO Report

 

 

SUMMARY:

 

This item includes a briefing of operations by Pre-K 4 SA CEO.

 

 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

 

This item will include a briefing on the following topics:

                     2016-17 Competitive Education Grants

                     2016-17 student enrollment

                     Westat’s acquisition of Edvance Research, Inc.

                     Zoo School collaboration

 

ISSUE:

 

Pre-K 4 SA will provide an informational briefing on the updated timeline and to-date progress for the first issuance of Competitive Education Grants to include final Board approval.

 

Staff will also provide an update on the status of student enrollment for the 2016-17 school year beginning in August 2016.

 

Recently, Edvance Research, Inc. became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the national company research company Westat. Staff will provide a status update.

 

Finally, staff will provide a briefing on the Pre-K 4 SA collaboration with the Zoo School. In 2004, The San Antonio Zoo launched the Zoo School, a preschool program that services students between the ages of three and five years. Following the purchase of a nearly 30,000-square-foot building, plans were recently announced to expand the program from its current capacity of 49 students to service up to 200 students. The focus of the program will be that of a nature-based preschool where children explore, experiment and learn through a lens of nature and animals.

 

In spring 2015, Pre-K 4 SA staff met with Stacy McReynolds, Director of Education for the San Antonio Zoo to determine any potential partnership opportunities. The Zoo School requested to postpone discussion of a partnership until their operation was established and they will reach out to Pre-K 4 SA once that occurs. Pre-K 4 SA staff is also planning to reengage with Zoo School in spring 2016.

 

Since it’s inauguration, the Pre-K 4 SA North Center has served as the program pilot for providing children opportunities to interact with nature and the outdoors for the Pre-K 4 SA program.

 

Key “Zoo School” Facts

The Zoo School program is not a pre-kindergarten offering. Rather, The Zoo School offers a mother’s-day-out model with an educational focus. Programmatic specifics include:

                     School hours = Monday- Friday from 9am-2pm

                     No extended day offered

                     Four Attendance Options ranging from 2-5 days/week

                     Children bring their own lunch.  Snack is provided

                     There are 24 children in the class with one lead teacher and two assistants

                     Zoo School is fully licensed by the Texas DFPS

                     The student to teacher ratio 8 students to 1 teacher

                     The children spend 50 percent indoors and 50 percent outdoors

                     Students go to the San Antonio Zoo every day

 

Pre-K 4 SA Outdoor Learning Environment Facts North Center

Progress to date includes:

                     An outdoor classroom has been created

                     The Fall 2015 launch of the North Center’s Nature Club designed to engage children and their families in the importance of spending time in unstructured outdoor experiences

                     Awarded National Learning Institute grant in the fall of 2015 for $22,000 to allow for architectural and landscape design of the North Center’s outdoor play area along with parent and community training on outdoor activities for four-year olds

 

ALTERNATIVES:

 

This item is a briefing for informational purposes only.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:

 

This item is a briefing for informational purposes only.

 

RECOMMENDATION:

 

This item is a briefing for informational purposes only.