Linda Howarth Memorial Preschool has been a fixture in the lives of hundreds of Salmon Arm children who have passed through its doors since its opening in 1978.
But now the preschool is facing closure due to a decline in enrolment.
The preschool needs 20 students to continue the program in September, but currently has only nine children registered.
The preschool is a parent participation model which requires some involvement including one Pro-D meeting per month and one to two days per month working in the preschool program. Each shift is three hours.
One of the reasons for the decline may be due to a rise in the number of families where both parents work, as well as a general decline in the number of children in the community.
However, the parents involved with the preschool are passionate about the educational opportunity it offers to children getting ready to enter the school system. Programs are for children aged three to five and is a play-based learning model.
Geoff and Emily Styles are both elementary school teachers who have children involved with the preschool. They have high praise for the program and especially the high quality of its teacher, Jackie Streiker.
“She is a fabulous, trained teacher and whenever we go there, we are in awe of her,” says Geoff. “Emily is a kindergarten teacher and she says that whenever she goes to the preschool she learns things from Jackie.”
Styles says the doors will be open in September as long as they get an adequate number of children registered.
A decision on whether the preschool can remain open will be made Aug. 4.
More detailed information about the preschool is available on their website at www.lindahowarthpreschool.ca.
To contact them, call 250-832-2009.