SCHOOL READINESS PROGRAM

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Research shows that providing high quality education for children yields significant long-term benefits for both women and children. Children’s experiences during their early years influence how their brain processes information; in other words, whatever does or doesn’t happen in this time frame impacts their capacity for learning. In order to respond to this critical need for services, Holy Cross Ministries provides early childhood education and support for parents and their three- and four-year-old children through the School Readiness preschool program.

HCM'S SCHOOL READINESS PROGRAM INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COMPONENTS:

Classroom Education

The School Readiness Program classroom utilizes The Creative Curriculum®, a comprehensive, research-based curriculum for preschool along with the corresponding assessment tool, Teaching Strategies® GOLD™, which fully aligns with the Common Core State Standards, Utah’s state early learning guidelines, and the Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework. Full-day classes are offered Monday through Thursday from September through May and include both academic and enrichment activities to prepare children academically, socially, emotionally and physically to enter into the public school system. For more information about enrollment and program fees, please contact our School Readiness Program Coordinator, Karina Palestina (385-257-2385).

Parent Group Connections

All parents with children ages 0 to 3 years old are invited to attend HCM’s monthly Parents Group Connection nights. These evenings feature various presentations on topics regarding child development. For more information, please contact School Readiness Program Coordinator, Karina Palestina (385-257-2385).

HELP SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS

Holy Cross Ministries works to ensure that all children have opportunities to succeed academically. We believe that cost should not be a barrier for children to start school ready to learn. Please help support our program so we can continue offering scholarships to low-income families.

SPOTLIGHT: THE WHITNEY FOUNDATION RESEARCH PROJECT

Holy Cross Ministries received funding from the Whitney Foundation to conduct a longitudinal study of the graduates of Holy Cross Ministries’ School Readiness Program. The project, which Holy Cross is conducting in partnership with The University of Utah’s Department of Family and Consumer Studies, and research specialist Mark Innocenti, incorporated both quantitative and qualitative data on children in Park City and the impact of HCM’s programs on their current academic success.