Program helps children prepare for kindergarten

Justyne Felton sits on the sofa, surrounded by her three young grandchildren. She turns the pages of a stapled-together packet, pointing to shapes, colors and letters. Sometimes, she asks them to repeat after her. Other times, she draws their tiny fingers close to hers, tracing the shapes on the paper.

She hopes the 15 minutes she spends each day working with her grandchildren on pre-kindergarten skills will lay a foundation for an appreciation of education, and the doors it can open later.

Felton is one of 34 guardians and parents participating in HIPPY — Home Instruction of Preschool Youngsters — a Dothan City Schools program facilitated by the Alfred Saliba Family Services Center.

Service Center workers or community volunteers visit each parent weekly to deliver a set of lessons designed to prepare 3- and 4-year-olds for kindergarten. The worker helps prepare the parent to administer the daily lessons, which follows state standards for pre-kindergarten education.

“My grandkids love it,” Felton said. “The educational games keep their attention and help them learn all of these things ahead of time. Then there are lessons that you can hang on the wall so they can see what they’ve done.”

Parents or guardians of 3- and 4-year-olds can apply for the program at the Alfred Saliba Family Services Center. The program is funded through state money, and is free to parents.

Program coordinator Brenda Sikes said the hands-on lessons help facilitate learning, and the interaction between the parents and their children have added benefits.

“Parents are their child’s first and most important teacher,” Sikes said. “And together they can develop a love for learning.”

Parents and guardians also attend monthly group meetings at the center where guest speakers provide information on parenting, nutrition, community services and other topics.