Early Childhood Education steering committee provides funds for island preschools

||| FROM DON WALTERS for ORCAS EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION |||

The Orcas Early Childhood Education Initiative steering committee (ECEI) recently met and distributed $38,399 to the three early learning preschools on Orcas Island (Kaleidoscope/Forest School, Children’s House, Orcas Montessori) to provide 3,339 hours of access for 22 students who need financial support for the Spring Quarter of 2024 (April 1 – June 30). 

Each of the three schools are state-licensed, early learning facilities that provide excellent education opportunities for young Orcasonians. 

ECEI strives to provide all Orcas Island’s preschool students with access to high quality education.   ECEI does this by bringing together lead educators and board members from the three preschools, along with knowledgeable community members and expert advisors to monitor, review, and approve educator-developed strategies to strengthen access and quality, and allocate donor-provided funds to implement these strategies.

Thanks to generous donors, ECEI has been able to fund nearly 80,000 hours of Early Learning access, since its inception in 2014.   The children and families of Orcas Island thank you for all of your support of quality early learning opportunities!

With generous donations from the Orcas community, ECEI can continue to fund much needed access to quality early learning for our island youngsters.    To donate, please visit the ECEI donation page on the OICF website:  https://oicf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=1151 

To learn more about ECEI:   https://www.orcasece.com/ 

To learn more about the schools: 

Kaleidoscope/Forest School website:  https://www.ourkaleidoscopekids.com/

Children’s House website:  https://www.orcasislandchildrenshouse.org/

Orcas Montessori website:  https://www.orcasmontessori.org/

The next quarterly ECEI funding meeting will be held prior to the summer quarter (July 1 – August 31).