Fair aims to connect families with children from birth through age 5 with valuable early learning resources and program enrollment information.
Wenatchee School District will hold an Early Childhood Option Fair on April 25, 2024, 5:30-7:30 PM at the Wenatchee School District central office, 235 Sunset Ave, Wenatchee.
Access to high-quality, affordable early childhood education (ECE) programs can be challenging for families with children under the age of 5. The Early Childhood Options Fair aims to connect them with multiple agencies and providers that offer early learning opportunities in the Wenatchee Valley in one location. Enrollment information for providers will be available, as well as additional ECE information and resources. Spanish translation services are available.
The Wenatchee School District offers early childhood programs through the Castle Rock Early Learning Center’s preschool program and Transitional Kindergarten. More information on WSD’s programs is available at wenatcheeschools.org/earlychildhood
According to Emily Wilgus, Wenatchee School District's Early Childhood Coordinator and the fair’s lead planner, early learning helps pave the way for kindergarten and learning throughout life. What children learn from birth to age 5—and how they learn it—can have long-lasting effects on their success and health as children, teens, and adults. “Not only do children learn academic skills, they also develop important social/emotional skills and problem-solving strategies that will aid them as they transition from preschool into kindergarten,” said Wilgus.
The purpose of ECE is to provide children with strategies that help them develop the emotional, social, and cognitive skills needed to become lifelong learners. Studies show that supporting children’s early learning can lead to higher test scores, better grades in reading and math, increased enrollment rates in post-secondary education, and improved mental health.
The fair is free and open to families with children ages birth to 5. For more information on the fair, contact Emily Wilgus at (509) 663-7117 or wilgus.emily@wenatcheeschools.org.