Whiz Kids: South Lake Preschool Celebrates Graduation of 53 Youngsters

It was a warm and muggy night for graduation on a recent evening, but the crowd that filled the A gym didn’t seem to mind.

They were all focused on a cheery group of 4-year-olds who wore white graduation hats and proudly walked in a procession to take their spot on stage. The graduates performed musical numbers then accepted their “diplomas” with many cheers from the audience.

This year, the South Lake Preschool program graduated 53 students who will go on to kindergarten in the fall.

The preschool program is eight years old, said Ginny Francis, who has taught the program for all but the first year. Francis and teacher aide Kathy Rygwelski run a morning and afternoon session for 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds.

Typically, 3-year-olds attend preschool two days a week and 4-year-olds attend three days a week. However, the program is flexible and teachers will do their best to accommodate parent requests for different arrangements, Francis said.

The preschool program is open to the general public, not just South Lake residents. Tuition for the year is approximately $950 for attending two days a week, and $1,500 for three days a week. The session schedule follows the calendar of South Lake Schools.

The adult-to-child ratio in the 3-year-olds program is 10-1, and for 4-year-olds it’s 12-1.

Preschoolers study a theme-based curriculum, Francis said. Themes that youngsters learn about include apples and fall, hibernation, the five senses and community helpers. For each theme, the children engage in various learning activities related to that topic. For example, for apples and fall, the preschoolers make apple sauce, learn about the life cycle of an apple and go on a field trip to an apple orchard.

Classroom activities for younger preschoolers vary from their older counterparts, Francis said.

“For most of the 3-year-olds, this is their first experience outside the house,” she said. “We work on handling separation anxiety and developing socialization skills, such as turn taking.”

For 4-year-olds, learning activities focus on pre-reading and math skills.

Francis said her students’ skills vary widely, and she tries to individualize her instruction as much as possible. For instance, this year she had a 3-year-old who could already read, so while she worked on letter recognition with the others, she made time to help her advanced student further develop his reading skills. 

Preschool is an essential part of the overall development of young children, Francis said.

“I believe preschool enhances the whole child. It expands their world from home life and helps give them fundamental skills to enter kindergarten,” she said. “The South Lake teachers have told me that they can tell the difference between children who have been in my program and ones who come straight from home.”

For more information about the South Lake Preschool program or to register your child, call 435-1600.