Tri-Cities area organizations work to ensure high-quality preschool for every child

Preschool provides the critical development of social, math, and literacy skills for a community’s youngest students. These skills, combined with the opportunity to learn how to play and learn with their peers and teachers, contribute to a healthy and successful transition to kindergarten.

The Grand Haven Area Community Foundation, Tri-Cities Career/College Access Network (TCAN), and Help Me Grow — Ottawa are working to ensure that every child in the Tri-Cities area has a chance to attend a high-quality preschool. 

While the 2021-22 academic year is months away, enrollment is beginning for the Tri-Cities preschool program.

In-person preschool

Patty Beatty, early childhood preschool supervisor at the Ottawa Area Intermediate School, notes the impact of the COVID-19 on area preschools:

“Our preschool programs are open for in-person learning across the county. We are very proud of our teaching teams, who have worked so hard to keep our little ones healthy while they continue to learn and grow,” Beatty said. 

A family of four that earns less than $65,000 per year may qualify for free preschool in the area for a child who is 3 or 4 years old. 

Ensuring successful futures

Visit https://helpmegrowottawa.org/  to learn more about the many great preschool options within the Tri-Cities. 

TCAN began in 2011 with the goal of ensuring the successful futures of Tri-Cities students. Since the program’s start, TCAN has brought in a wealth of programs to local schools, including College Application Week, MI College Goal, and the Early Childhood Education Expo.

To ensure that young students of the Tri-Cities area are able to receive this high-quality primary education, TCAN strives to increase the number of 3- and 4-year-olds attending a quality preschool program, including at-risk kindergarten students who meet and exceed kindergarten readiness benchmarks.