New program touted by lawmakers

By GUY PRIEL

Journal Staff Writer

SLEEPY EYE -- An innovative learning program at Sleepy Eye Public Schools is less than a month old, but has already received praise from legislators at both the state and national levels.

The program, which began in December, is known as supplemental kindergarten and is funded through a $20,000 grant from both the state and federal government.

U.S. Congressman David Minge, DFL-Minn., visited the school earlier this week to see how officials were able to accomplish something successful that makes sense with little funding, Supt. Jay Haugen said.

"It was fun to have him visit us," he said. "He was really impressed. He called it interesting and creative."

The money comes from a fund known as Class Size Reduction funding, which the district applied for at the beginning of the school year, Haugen said.

"We had to meet certain criteria to receive the funding, which is based on the number of free and reduced lunches within the district," he said.

The funding was supposed to be used to hire new teachers in kindergarten through third grade in an attempt to bring class sizes down below 17, he said.

"Everyone knows that $20,000 doesn't buy a certified teacher," Principal Arla Dockter said. "So we used the money to hire part time staff to assure that students spend three hours a day with a certified teacher in smaller groups."

The program is designed for students who struggle with basic skills, such as reading and math in an attempt to help them succeed as they reach a level similar to other students, Haugen said.

The students are enrolled, on a voluntary basis, for three days a week during the first semester and every day during the second semester, he said.

"There are 14 students who have been identified as needing special help with certain skills," Dockter said. "It is not as intense a program as remedial and so far it has been very successful for those students attending the program."

The money is also used to help students in the first and second grade with communication skills, she said.

"We were fortunate to be able to do this because we started so late," she said. "That gave us the opportunity to add more to the program."

The teachers use hands-on activities that are geared to the individual needs of the students, so they have an opportunity to work on those subjects they need help with, Kindergarten Teacher Lynette Schacherer said.

"We are seeing more and more children entering kindergarten at different developmental levels," she said. "We need programs like this to help get children to the right level. It is difficult to catch up if a student starts out behind."

The program achieves the goal of reducing class sizes, because it allows students to receive more personal attention, Haugen said.

"It is good to be able to get this type of funding here," he said. "Federal programs often leave small schools out of the loop. It is my hope that we can continue the program next year."

During Minge's visit, district officials also had the opportunity to discuss other federal programs that aren't working as well.

Minge will take the information he has gathered back to Washington to present before the legislature regarding education reform policies and to show how entitlement money can be used in positive ways.

State senator Dennis Frederickson, R-New Ulm, will visit the school on Jan. 18 for the same purpose.