Macomb Today

At their May 8 board of education meeting, officials from Eastpointe Community Schools heard a progress report from the principal of the Early Learning Center (ELC).

The objective of Principal Valerie Jens presence was to discuss the progress the school has had in academics and enrollment during her five-year tenure leading the school.

Jens said since she arrived in the 2018-2019 school year, "we started out with 48 students, three classrooms. Since then, we have grown to eight classrooms with 120 students in [the Great Start Readiness Program]. That is our four-year-old preschool program.” Jens added that the ELC has also started a program for three-year-olds.

“Last year, we had two classrooms with 23 students, and this year we have three classrooms with 35 students,” she said.

For their early childhood special education program, the ELC has grown to three full classrooms (which reflects the six sections of half days) with 72 students total. That number accounts for an increase of 48 students since the 2018-19 school year.

Additionally, ELC teachers provided the board with academic achievement data, which showed a majority of students meeting or exceeding all standards this year such as letter identification, counting, and rule following behavior. Another aspect where students showed improvement concerned social emotional expectations.

Jens told the board that one of the newest aspects of their special education program is parent engagement initiatives. Once a month, the school asks parents to come to the school, leaving their children in provided childcare services so that they can have conversations about areas of need, interest, or education that will help them engage with their child and support their education.

“We are so proud of the connections that you build with families, the way you support our early learners and the essential [groundwork] that you're doing,” said Superintendent Christina Gibson. “And we know that children are much more prepared for kindergarten and successful when they start that first kindergarten experience.”

The ELC program has been extremely popular among both parents and educators, both of whom have noted there is value in enhancing communication concerning students at home and in school.