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Due to the lack of space available in Southwest Roanoke County and the amount of children needing preschool care, the Roanoke County Preschool Program has partnered with HoneyTree Early Learning Center in Oak Grove to provide preschool care to more students who were on a waiting list.

"Due to a lack of space in our buildings we weren’t able to serve all the children that we should have," preschool program coordinator Sharon Sheppard said.  "So we put out a bid, proposal that was rewarded to HoneyTree."

An additional 28 students in Southwest Roanoke County are now being served. About 106 students are involved in the program.

"We wanted a central location in Southwest County," she said.

These students were chosen by looking at the risk factors which include income, English as a second language, whether a parent is incarcerated, single parent family, etc.

These factors are set in a grant that the state gives to Roanoke County. Each locality then chooses which at risk factors to use.

"Each factor is weighted, scored and ranked. Those that are most at risk are asked to join the class first," Sheppard said.

Each year the county begins taking application for the preschool initiative program in January funded by the Virginia Department of Education. The preschool initiative program is state funded. The bid which took place in May 2008 requires special qualifications.

"When we called the parents, we gave them the choice. We said, 'we can have a spot for you now or we can wait'. But we didn't have anyone that wanted to wait. They were so excited about coming in and getting a chance. Students only get in if a student moves out of the district."

All of the teachers at HoneyTree participate in the same trainings, in services, team meetings, planning, field trips with the preschool teachers at the Roanoke County school locations. They are also certified by the Virginia Department of Education.

"It's just like a satellite classroom. They do the same lectures that we do," Sheppard said.

Maria Ferrone, Director of the Preschool Program at HoneyTree said, "Our after school classroom was empty so we said, why not? It gets kids off the wait list. It has just been wonderful. It's been really easy and it makes you go, 'why haven't we done this all along?'."

Ferrone said that HoneyTree purchased the same curriculum that the county was using. She also said that the teachers at HoneyTree have the same support that the county schools have. The HoneyTree location in Oak Grove works closely with Oak Grove Elementary School and attends meetings a field trips together.

Roanoke County learned about the grant during a conference last April. Another conference at Danville Community College about school readiness was recently attended by the United Way, Virginia Office of Early Childhood Development, Head Start, businessmen, private providers, Early Childhood Foundation, and school officials where Sheppard and Roanoke County shared how they are collaborating with HoneyTree.

"We are only the third county in the state working with a state agency," she said. "We had a very good response from our presentation."

Currently there are 17 classroom for the preschool initiative program in Roanoke County, which each hold 15 children. These children include children in special education, the Virginia Preschool initiative program, and parents who work for Roanoke County that pay tuition. Ages range from two to five years old.

"I don't think this totally solvess the problem of not being able to serve everyone of the wait list because I still have 60 children waiting and I'd love to see us open more classroom," Sheppard said. "I have kids that I could really use those spots for but unfortunately we don't have the space or the money from the state. We've come a long way, but still have a long way to go. I'm hopeful."

Resident of Roanoke County interested in the program should contact Sharon Sheppard at 540-562-3900.