LYNN — More students in the city will be learning at a younger age thanks to a significant increase in the number of preschool seats that will be offered in the 2024-25 school year.
After adding 97 preschool seats in the recently concluded school year, Lynn Public Schools will provide an additional 118 seats in 2024-25, bringing the total number to 625. This represents a 52% increase from 2022-23 and a 23% increase from 2023-24.
Equally important, LPS is expanding a large number of seats from half-day to full-day. In 2023-24, there were 336 half-day and 171 full-day seats. Next year, there will be 216 half-day and 409 full-day seats for children ages 3 to 5 – a 139% increase in full-day seats.
“We recognize that for working parents, a half-day model doesn’t necessarily work,” Deputy Superintendent of Schools Debra Ruggiero said. “While expanding to a full-day model doesn’t increase seats, it does expand the learning time. We are providing services that families really need.”
One of the main reasons LPS is able to offer the additional preschool seats is the availability of new space. Superintendent Dr. Evonne Alvarez and her team have been evaluating space utilization and have developed a plan to utilize it more efficiently in order to free up spaces at all levels. In May, nine departments moved from the first floor of the Bennett Street school administration building to the city-owned Senior Center on Friend Street, which will allow for the construction of eight preschool classrooms on Bennett Street.
“Our expansion of the pre-K programs is fully aligned with the LPS vision and equity in action,” Dr. Alvarez said. “Students are engaged in STEM lessons, early literacy development, and English language development. Imagine 3- and 4-year-olds using iPads to access learning platforms and materials and coding Bee Bots. This is 21st-century learning.”
There will be three new classrooms on the bottom floor of Cobbet Elementary School, in a space formerly used by the Inspectional Services Department. Ruggiero credited Laura Stockfish and Michael Donovan of the ISD with coming up with the idea of repurposing the space for classrooms.
“Expanding access to pre-K is a top priority for our administration and we are thrilled that this collaboration and investment will help us do that,” Mayor Jared Nicholson said. “We understand how important it is to continue to expand these services to meet the needs of the families in our community.”
LPS will have 13 preschool sites next school year, including a total of 12 classrooms at partner organizations Lynn Economic Opportunity (LEO) Head Start, Demakes Family YMCA, and Gregg Neighborhood House. At those sites, funded through a Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative grant, the lead teacher is from the partner organization, with LPS providing instructional coaching and special-education services including speech and occupational therapy, according to Assistant Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Early Childhood Jacqueline Gallo.
“The research shows that early childhood education helps children develop language, academic, and cognitive skills quicker,” Ruggiero said. “It comes down to space. We’re trying hard to expand programming by shifting facilities in a way that allows us to expand early childhood seats.”
Preschool classes range from containing students who are all on an individualized education plans to integrated classrooms with students on IEPs and regular-education students.
In addition to Ruggiero and Gallo, Administrator of Special Education Christina Colella and Assistant Director of Special Education Leanne Palmer play an important role in the administration of LPS preschool programs.
