NSCS to open new preschool

LYNN – With the demand for space in the school’s preschool program increasing, North Shore Christian School has announced a partnership with the Austin Square Baptist Church that will allow the school to expand that program in a second location this September.The private Christian school offers preschool to 4-year-olds on its Urban Street premises, but with that program full and many parents looking to start schooling for their children as young as age 3, the time came for the school to look for other options.The new program will exist at the Austin Square Baptist Church, located on the corner of Washington Street and Kelsar Avenue in Lynn, and accommodate 20 3- and 4-year-old students daily.”This responds both to a need for more preschool classes and our desire to be more of a presence in the Lynn community,” said Headmaster Martin Trice. “It really makes for a nice combination of things for us to work in partnership with a nice organization like the Austin Square Church.”Trice said he has hired a full-time teacher and is planning on hiring a full-time aide soon, and while parents have not been given the chance to officially enroll in the program yet, at least half of the spots are full.Trice has been hearing from parents in the school community who would like to enter the pre-school program, and expects some members of the Austin Square Church community to take part in the program as well.”We are scrambling just to get everything ready, we are hoping for about 20 kids and I know of about half that are ready to go,” he said. “We wouldn’t be able to go much larger than that, I would rather keep it small to start and make sure it runs well.”This is the first venture into a satellite program for NSCS, which has been in Lynn for more than 50 years. A year to the week from the day he stepped in to take over NSCS, Trice is eager to get started moving this new program ahead.”We have never really ventured into this type of territory before. I want this to be a real part of North Shore Christian School, not just an off-site program,” he said. “We are starting to work out ways to integrate programming, maybe create days where we have families drop off the kids here for special programs during the day. But our whole school community is very excited about this. There is no hesitation at all.”While enrollment numbers have been down at the K-8 school, a result of the poor economy more than anything, the demand for spots at the entry level remains steady. The new partnership will fulfill Trice’s goal to expand the school’s role in the community, and provide another service to families who need a safe, educational place to bring their children while they go to work.”This meets a lot of the desire for the school. It helps reach out to Lynn and our community, which is our goal, it is in our mission statement,” he said. “It also helps us expand our program and broaden our name recognition. It is a great opportunity for us and a great opportunity for the church. It really is a win-win. Both sides can see the benefit that this is going to bring.”