Cohoes wins state grant for Harmony Hill pre-K

COHOES, N.Y. >> The Cohoes City School District recently announced that it has been awarded a New York State Education Dept. (NYSED) grant for $137,761 that will allow the district to add a pre-K classroom for 18 threeyear- olds at Harmony Hill Elementary School.

District officials said Harmony Hill is currently the district’s only elementary school without a pre-K classroom for three-year- olds.

“There is currently a waiting list of approximately 30 students, so the need in Cohoes is very great, “said Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Spring in a news release

“This grant is incredibly important for our children and their families,” she added. “Immersing children in a literacy-rich environment in the early years has a tremendous impact on long-term student success. Expanding our three-yearold program will ensure a brighter future for more of our students.”

District officials said additional information will be forthcoming.

District leaders said they anticipate the new classroom to be open to students the first week of January.

Details of the three-yearold program:

• Follows the school- day schedule, running from 8:30 a.m. to 2:40 p.m.;

• Free for all Cohoes threeyear- olds (must turn three on or before Dec. 1, 2018);

• Free breakfast and lunch provided.

The district said that students who complete the three-year- old program are automatically guaranteed placement in the four-yearold program the following year.

More information on the Cohoes pre-K program can be found on the district website at https://www.cohoes.org/academics/pre-k/