Preschool adds school-age class
When schools reopen in August, parents have a lot of decisions to make. In Bella Vista, one more brand new option is on the table. Bella Vista Preschool is opening a class for kindergarten through second grade.
It’s a way, director Melanie Nichols explained, for parents to supplement their children’s virtual school experience. It’s a part-time program so the young students can learn about friendships and relationships in the morning and then spend their afternoons at home on their academic curriculum.
Nichols knows that some parents need time to themselves so they can get their own work done and the part-time program will help with that. It’s also a way for the children to make new friends.
The preschool is located in the Methodist Church on Boyce Avenue, just off Lancashire. It was started in 1978 by the Ministerial Alliance and is still run as a Christian preschool with its own board of directors.
There will be two preschool classes in the fall for 3- to 5-year-olds.
Preschool class size is small, according to the Department of Human Services recommendations and the school-age class will also be small. Only nine students can be enrolled.
Everyone will be screened when they arrive in the morning and the classes won’t interact with one another so the contacts per student will be few.
There’s a minimum of equipment needed, although Nichols expects to purchase some new books and games for the older students. Everything should be ready to go by August 24, the day public schools are set to open.
For more information about the program, contact Nichols at 479-855-1158 or email bvpreschool@gmail.com.