Vinton-Shellsburg was one of the first Iowa school districts to offer free pre-school, thanks to a pilot program approved by the Iowa Legislature and Iowa Governor Chet Culver. 

     But now that Governor-Elect Terry Branstad has expressed his desire to end the state-funded program, local leaders are looking for ways to keep the Little Vikes program going. 

     A focus group is meeting tonight, (Tuesday, Nov. 30) at 7 p.m. at the V-S central office (on the south end of the Middle School building) to discuss ways to advocate for the program. Everyone interested in the pre-school program is invited. 

     V-S Superintendent Mary Jo Hainstock and other pre-school advocates say this meeting is important for several reasons:

 

     Because better universal access to quality preschool education was identified as one of the single most important things Iowa could do to support families and build a better workforce, both now and in the future. As part of a state-wide plan for all Iowa schools to have a preschool program in place within five years, Vinton-Shellsburg opened Tiny Vikes preschool in August of 2009, offering preschool at no cost to all four-year-olds.

     And because the local and statewide initiative that enrolled 22,000 more Iowa children in preschool last year than the year before was targeted for elimination during the recent political campaign.

     Hainstock invites you to come hear about the local program and discuss its value to families and to your business future.