(Photos courtesy of Amy Roth)

By Brian Ramon-Miron, Reporter

If you see kids in line with a familiar teacher, Mrs. Laurel Degnan, you might think that the kindergartners are looking younger every year. But actually, you’re looking at the new preschool class that has doubled in size because of a grant that our school won in September.

The grant, for about $250,000 dollars, was awarded by the State Department of Education to expand our preschool. It was awarded to only six districts in all of Monmouth County, according to Dr. Stephen Wisniewski, principal and superintendent.

There are now 28 preschool students, ages three to five.  This is  up from 15 students last year, said Mrs. Degnan. She is one of the preschool teachers, along with Amy Roth and Nancy Merkelbach.

Mrs. Degnan stated, “Some of the children who didn’t have the opportunity to go to Pre-K can go now.”

“The students are becoming familiar with a school routine.  They are singing, playing, listening to stories, going on class trips  and they are making lots of new friends in both classes,” she added. “They are also exposed to related arts, such as physical education, art, music, and Spanish.”

This preschool is good for our town because it helps more young children get a head start to learning and socializing at an earlier age.  They will be more prepared when they enter kindergarten, she said.