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Commissioner Dorosin said one issue is that these pre-k classes have fewer students <br /> than a first or second grade class, and classrooms are underutilized from a space standpoint. <br /> He asked if some pre-k classes are half days, and the answer was no. <br /> Commissioner Dorosin said one thing to consider is a designated pre-k center. He said <br /> some counties have this and it does not run up against SAPFO numbers. <br /> Chair Jacobs said there are three sites at Twin Creeks. He said there has been <br /> discussion about making one of these three sites into a joint Pre-K/administrative facility. He <br /> said there have been previous discussions about this; however parents felt it was better to <br /> have the pre-k spread throughout the elementary schools where they could move up into the <br /> elementary grades. <br /> Commissioner Dorosin said Pre-K is in a tenuous spot with the General Assembly and <br /> there are question marks about funding and how this will look six months from now. <br /> CHCCS Chair Brownstein said the other link to this is that the new school construction <br /> standards require a classroom for pre-k. This means there will be some adjustments needed if <br /> a stand- alone site is chosen. <br /> Chair Jacobs said numbers could be run for classrooms and for students to see how it <br /> all works out. This can then be discussed at the next meeting. He said the pre-k classrooms <br /> are an adjunct to what is going on in the building. He also addressed the safety implications of <br /> having kids apart from the main building. <br /> CHCCS Board Member Mia Burroughs asked if there can be agreement on philosophy, <br /> without inclusion of the last paragraph. <br /> Chair Jacobs suggested agreement on the "whereas" statements with more time to <br /> digest the therefore statements. <br /> Commissioner Dorosin noted the third whereas, which mentions co-location and he <br /> asked for clarification on what this means. He feels that there needs to be broader thinking. He <br /> suggested that the co-location sentence be removed. <br /> Commissioner Rich clarified that schools built now are required to have pre-k on <br /> campus and said that this would have to be changed. <br /> CHCCS Board Member Mia Burroughs said she is comfortable taking that sentence <br /> out. <br /> A motion was made by Commissioner Dorosin, seconded by Commissioner Gordon to <br /> approve the three "whereas" paragraphs in the draft resolution (with the removal of sentence <br /> proposed by Commissioner Dorosin) below: <br /> Whereas, children who are at risk for school failure are more likely to succeed in school <br /> and in later life if they attend a high quality preschool. North Carolina and national studies <br /> have shown repeatedly that good preschool programs give children long term advantages in <br /> cognitive and social development. Studies that track preschool graduates into adulthood <br /> demonstrate positive impact on graduation rates, employment and arrest records. <br /> Whereas, the public schools in Orange County provide pre-kindergarten programs for <br /> three and four year olds in order to improve the participants' success throughout their school <br /> careers. This investment is good for the individual students and should also reduce the <br /> districts' expenditure for specialized intervention services. <br /> Whereas, the school systems are an integral part of a network of preschool providers in <br /> Orange County who are willing to accept subsidies for low income children provided by the <br /> state and federal preschool programs. The schools help their preschool students' transition <br /> successfully to kindergarten by aligning their curriculum and services with the rest of the public <br />