Gwinnett County Public Schools takes early learning on the road

A bus outfitted with educational resources will bring toys, books to families.

Gwinnett County’s early learning initiative has gone mobile, bringing resources to the county’s youngest residents and their families.

The district unveiled Monday the Play 2 Learn On the Go Program Bus, a former school bus adorned with illustrations of children learning that has its seats removed to make room for play. The bus comes stocked with blocks, books, games and other interactive toys that help stimulate the rapidly developing minds of children ages infant to 5.

It’s sort of like “The Magic School Bus.” But instead of taking kids on a field trip, the bus brings the field trip to them.

Initially, the bus will spend about six weeks in the Meadowcreek and Norcross clusters before moving to the Shiloh and South Gwinnett clusters. Its tour may begin as soon as next week, said Kim Holland, Gwinnett’s executive director of early learning.

“In a world where access to quality early learning education is paramount, it is incumbent upon us to break down transportation barriers and bring learning opportunities to those who need them the most,” Holland said.

The district estimates that fewer than half of students are ready for kindergarten once they begin classes. To help change that trend, Gwinnett schools have invested in classroom opportunities for young children and partnerships with health systems, county government and other organizations.

“The research is clear,” Holland said during the bus unveiling. “Children who receive a high-quality education beginning at birth, in their home or in the community, enter kindergarten ready to thrive, leading to reading proficiency, high school graduation and ultimately thriving citizens within our community.”

Play 2 Learn is Gwinnett’s early learning flagship. It’s offered at all Gwinnett elementary schools, and about 2,100 children and their parents attend a weekly class with a teacher who fosters academic and social skill development. Parents are meant to pick up lessons to bring home and continue teaching their children.

The bus is an extension of Play 2 Learn, helping provide access to early learning for families unable to travel to a school because of transportation or scheduling conflicts. The bus will target apartment complexes, churches and other community hubs that families can easily walk to during the day.

Holland said the district will coordinate with community groups in advance of visiting to notify families and have them sign up for classes. The goal is for families to attend for consecutive weeks, rotating through various activities to maximize the experience.

Superintendent Calvin Watts noted that despite the long-term value of early learning, “our state does not yet adequately fund (it).” Regardless, he said, the district is using its own resources, along with grants and partnerships, to “bridge the gap” between families and opportunities.

Gwinnett donated the school bus and has staffed a teacher to work with parents and children who visit. The Joseph B. Whitehead Foundation, through the United Way, awarded a grant to retrofit the bus to Gwinnett Building Babies’ Brains, a community early learning initiative.

PHOTOS BY JOSH REYES/JOSH.REYES@AJC.COM Like the Magic School Bus, the Play 2 Learn On the Go Program Bus will help young children learn. But it brings the field trip to them, at community sites. This early learning will help them thrive later, educators say.

A school bus outfitted with toys, games and other educational resources will travel throughout Gwinnett to bring learning experiences to families. Its tour may begin as soon as next week, said Kim Holland, Gwinnett’s executive director of early learning.