STATE PRESCHOOL IS NOW ENROLLING

Free Accredited Preschool Available to Income Qualified Families

The State Preschool in Santa Ynez, located on the College School Campus at 3525 Pine St. 307 Santa Ynez, CA 93460, is currently enrolling both subsidized and non subsidized families for the summer and fall sessions.   Santa Ynez Valley State Preschool operates a morning session Monday through Friday, 8:45 AM to11:45 AM and an afternoon session is from 1:00 PM to 4 PM, M-Th and 12:30 to 3:30 PM on Friday.

The State Preschool is one of only three nationally accredited preschools in the Santa Ynez Valley and has operated in the same location for 15 years. The program has achieved recognition through the Outdoor Classroom Project and is part of the Preschool Healthy Foods Initiative offering children a healthy snack each day. Lynda Wright, M.Ed. has been the school’s Site Supervisor, since the fall of 2001. The school operates under the supervision of the Child Development Division of the Santa Barbara County Education Office (SBCEO). People Helping People works with preschool staff to ensure that the families’ of preschoolers have the basic needs and other services they need to support the wellbeing and development of their student.

The preschool, which now operates year round and even offers a full day on a limited basis, is free to income qualified families. Families that do not qualify for free services may pay a fee for care. To qualify to attend the preschool, a child must be older than 3 by September 2, 2015 and no older than 5 on December 2, 2015.

To qualify for free services, annual family income must be 70% or less of California’s State Median Income (SMI). For example the SMI is $39,396 for a family of two and $54,408 for a family of five. Actual income eligibility is based upon family size and is verified at time of enrollment.

According to Trudy Adair-Verbais, SBCEO Director of Child Development, research in the field of Early Childhood Education has consistently shown that children, who have the opportunity to attend high quality preschool programs, not only develop readiness for school, but increase their probability of long-term educational success. Adair Verbais added that, “(W)e are quite proud of the quality of care and learning that we furnish at our State Preschools. It is a privilege to offer these opportunities to those who could not normally afford them.”

If you would like to receive more information or visit the preschool, contact Lynda Wright at (805) 686-7317.

The Child Development Division of the Santa Barbara County Education office provides Early Education, Preschool and Health Services to children throughout Santa Barbara County. Quality is the highest priority which includes participation in the County wide QRIS (Quality Rating Improvement System).

People Helping People is a 501 c-3 non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of men, women and children in the Santa Ynez Valley, Los Alamos and surrounding areas by addressing emergency and basic needs and furnishing comprehensive integrated family and individual support services. To learn more about PHP, its programs, and ways that you can help, please visit the PHP web site at www.syvphp.org or call 686-0295.