Schools sign off on next year

The Morgan County school board approved three contracts related to the operation of pre-Kindergarten programs for the 2008-2009 school year.

Officials okayed a contract with Doodlebugs Learning Station to run pre-Kindergarten classrooms at their private child-care center. Doodlebugs operates a day-care center in southern Morgan County.

In exchange for teaching up to 20 four-year-old students in their facility, Doodlebugs will be reimbursed $3,288.62 per child. Under the contract, Doodlebugs Learning Station will supply the classroom teachers, prepare breakfast for students and offer an approved pre-Kindergarten learning program to registered students.

This is the second year Doodlebugs has provided pre-Kindergarten classes for the school system.

School officials also approved a collaboration agreement with RESA VIII Head Start, which operates pre-Kindergarten programs for up to 56 children at the Berkeley Springs Head Start Center and the former Great Cacapon Elementary School.

RESA VIII supplies materials, teachers, classroom equipment and bus transportation for students. Morgan County Schools provides meal services, space, matching funds for teachers, utilities and supplies for Head Start programs.

The school system also contracted with the regional educational agency to transport Head Start children to and from the Berkeley Springs and Great Cacapon sites. Morgan County Schools will be billed quarterly at a rate of $150 per bus run for the service.

RESA VIII Director Diane Ansari told school board members that state funding formulas for Head Start will change next year.

The new formula will push the pre-Kindergarten program to offer more full-day classes rather than half-day programs. Currently, only Great Cacapon operates a full-day Head Start class in Morgan County.

Ansari reminded school officials that the state has said every four-year-old in West Virginia must be receiving educational services by the year 2012.