EV parents angry about changes to ECEAP program

A handful of parents attended the May 9 East Valley School District board meeting to voice their anger over the district’s decision to relocate the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program and I-728 preschool programs currently offered at East Farms Elementary.

In September their children can continue with the program as 4-year-olds but they will be bused to Otis Orchards Elementary.

Letters were sent to parents with children in the program and phone calls were made to let them know about the move ahead of time, said Judi Christianson, district spokeswoman.

The parents attending the board meeting said they didn’t receive any notification until it was too late to try to change the board’s decision. They don’t want their children bused because the children are too young and it’s inconvenient.

Jill Sweet spoke at the meeting. Her son is in his last year of ECEAP. She’s been actively involved with the program over the past four years.

“We have a lot of concerns. It’s their (school board’s) decision to make, and they’ve made it and it’s not of a concern to them what the parents really think,” said Sweet.

Part of the objection was that the parents weren’t included in the decision process, said Sweet.

“They should have given us the option. These children have a relationship with their teachers and now they’ll be away from them, away from their siblings and away from everything they know,” said Sweet.

According to Jan Beauchamp, assistant superintendent of academic affairs, the decision was based on the continued difficulty keeping the program full at East Farms and a need to shift resources to the west side of the district where there’s a greater need.

A classroom will be opened at Trent Elementary for ECEAP and I-728 preschool where there is currently a waiting list of 20 students for the ECEAP program.

The East Farms preschool staff will move to Trent Elementary.

The ECECAP Program is designed for 4 year olds first and 3 year olds if space is available. At East Farms, 42 percent of the children were 3. Sweet hopes that next year a higher number of children eligible in the East Farms area will bring the program back and the board will reconsider.