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First Steps News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 31, 2006
[ link to pdf ]
First Steps Announces Schedule for 4K Expansion
Pilot Meetings
Columbia, S.C. – S.C. First Steps to School Readiness
announced today the schedule for upcoming informational meetings
on the state’s 4-year-old kindergarten (4K) expansion
pilot. Private child care providers interested in participating
in the program are strongly encouraged to attend one of the
following meetings:
- Thursday, August 3, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. –
Florence County Public Library, 509 S. Dargan St., Florence
- Thursday, August 3, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. –
Brandi’s Banquet Hall, 503 Lockemy Hwy., Dillon
- Monday, August 7, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. –
Nix Educational Center, 770 Stilton Rd., Orangeburg
- Tuesday, August 8, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. –
YMCA Community Room, 410 Anderson Dr., Laurens
- Tuesday, August 8, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. –
Harrison People’s Health Care Center, AHEC Conference
Room, 1000 West Pine St., Varnville
- Wednesday, August 9, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
– Peeples Auditorium, 3rd Floor, SC Department of
Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC), 2600 Bull St.,
Columbia
Any additional meetings will be announced at a future date.
S.C. First Steps is currently accepting applications from eligible
private child care providers that can serve income-eligible
children residing in the state’s school funding suit trial
and plaintiff districts. Since the pilot program allows parents
to choose centers across district and county lines, eligible
providers need not be located within a trial plaintiff district.
To become an approved center, private for-profit, private non-profit,
faith-based, Head Start and other non-school district settings
may apply if they meet the following qualifications:
- be licensed, registered OR approved by the SC Department
of Social Services;
- use an approved, research-based curriculum;
- offer 180, 6.5-hour instructional days per year; and
- employ a teacher who has at least a two-year degree in
early childhood education and is working toward a four-year
teacher education degree.
S.C. First Steps has also set up an informational webpage (www.scfirststeps.org/4K.htm)
that allows providers to request updates and download an application
to become an approved center.
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