By Stefanie Jackson – Accomack County Director of Elementary Schools Maribeth Haines updated the school board on June 4 about changes the Virginia Department of Education is making to the Virginia Preschool Initiative that will require more pre-K classroom observations.
Through the Virginia Preschool Initiative, Accomack schools get state funding for their preschool programs because those programs serve at-risk 4-year-olds who do not attend Head Start, a federally funded preschool program.
Beginning in 2020, the school division must conduct observations of pre-K classrooms once every year, and outside evaluators will observe pre-K classrooms once every three years, Haines said.
Classes will be evaluated in three main categories: classroom organization, instructional support, and social-emotional learning support.
Haines requested the school board’s approval to create a new position to assist the pre-K program, an early childhood coordinator.
The position will be paid for with Virginia Preschool Initiative state funds, as well as Title I and Title V federal funds (for low-income students and programs that improve elementary and secondary education, respectively).
The school board approved Haines’ request.
Accomack students in grades K-2 will also get new reading textbooks next year. The series is called Benchmark Advance, by the Benchmark Education Company, and it was the top choice at four of six Accomack elementary schools, Haines said.
The new reading materials are easy to use for less-experienced teachers and adaptable for use by veteran teachers, Haines said. About 50% of Accomack’s K-2 teachers have five years of experience or less.
