SARANAC, N.Y. (WCAX) – It is the first year of a district preschool in Saranac, a move that ensured the doors stayed open for families in the North Country.
At the former school in Cadyville, 49 kids with special needs are enrolled in the preschool. The district’s superintendent, Javier Perez, says it’s among a small handful in the Empire State.
“A school district to take on this program, there are only four in the state and we are one of them,” said Perez.
Perez says the preschool was around for 20 years before the merger and was known as Adirondack Helping Hands. The former owners of the nonprofit, Katie Calkins and Bridget Benware, now work with the district.
They say the move hopefully will reduce staff turnover, add additional kids, and provide teacher benefits that the nonprofit couldn’t receive.
“There is another agency in the region: There is another agency in the region but to absorb that many kids would have been a feat, for sure. So, the fact that Mr. Perez was willing to even think about this and then really to be all in and jump feet first with us was incredible,” said Benware.
For parents, it’s a chance to keep their kids in preschool.
“It is really nice that I can peek in and say hi, and she gets really excited,” said physical therapist Ashley Brassard.
Brassard works with the nonprofit and now is at the district’s preschool. She says she wasn’t sure where her daughter would go after the merger was announced.
“I was scrambling. I was panicking. There was a lot of anxiety of not knowing where my daughter was going to go as a preschooler and when we were told this would be a possibility, it was just a complete weight lifted off of my shoulders,” said Brassard.
A transition that makes sure kids don’t lose out on crucial early life education and skills.
“Everybody’s job going forward is a little bit easier. The kindergarten teachers that are getting these preschool kiddos have really great intensive services at the preschool level. Once they get to kindergarten, you are looking at a different child,” said Calkins.