On September 15, 2024, New York State Senator Peter Harckham visited the Brewster Central School District for a tour of the Universal Pre-Kindergarten classrooms. The program, which is tuition-free, is in its second year. Classes take place on the Brewster CSD campus as well as on the campus of St. James the Apostle School, a local private school, and are paid for with state funding.
Harckham observed three active and vibrant classrooms where students played at sensory tables, pasted yellow construction paper onto school bus cut-outs and passed around a Share Bear for a lesson on kindness.
"New York’s universal Pre-K program has been a tremendous success in our communities. Congratulations to the Brewster Central School District on the robust program it has built to engage their young students and make learning fun," said Harckham. "I’m proud that we passed this legislation to ensure over 2800 students in our Senate District have access to early education and the opportunities it provides."
“As the recipients of a $900,00 UPK expansion grant from NYSED, we were thrilled to host Senator Harckham for a tour of our on-campus sections,” said Superintendent Michelle Gosh. “This expansion grant funding allows us to provide an essential early learning experience for our youngest students with minimal reliance on the general budget.”
A strong Pre-K program ensures children have the opportunity to be kindergarten ready which is a key factor in early and later test scores, as well as overall academic and post-secondary success.
Brewster Central School District is grateful to Senator Harckham for his support of Pre-K funding at the state level, which allows for this vital opportunity to build foundational academic and social skills for our students while also providing an economic benefit to families.
