Preschool preparation program seeks new families

By: Jim Cook | Dothan Eagle
Published: September 01, 2011

The local Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters program is looking for a few new families to serve.

The free program provides curriculum and support for parents of 3-5-year-olds who want to get their children ready for kindergarten and has about 45 slots to fill.

Parents who participate in the program get state-approved curriculum packets intended to teach preschool age children the skills they’ll need to successfully start kindergarten. Parents are asked to spend 15 minutes per day going over the curriculum with their children. The curriculum is supplemented by home visits by HIPPY workers once per week.

Linda Faulkner, a local mother of three, has used the HIPPY program to prepare her children for school. Faulkner said she liked the structure of the program and how it helped keep her on task.

“Now we are homeschooling, and HIPPY was great preparation for that,” she said. “As our sons grew up, they watched us doing HIPPY and each of them begged to do HIPPY long before they were old enough to be enrolled.”

Brenda Sykes, HIPPY coordinator, said the program has a proven record of success in preparing students for school. Sykes said 96 percent of children who complete the HIPPY program pass the kindergarten readiness test. Only 74 percent of all children who take the test pass.

The HIPPY program has no income requirements, and parents interested in enrolling their children should contact Sykes at 792-6255.