From Campus to Classroom: Stories That Shape Education
- Gwinnett County Public Schools launches new fall program to expand affordable preschool access in the Shiloh High School cluster.
- Joyful Learning Academy lottery applications opened, serving 3- and 4-year-olds at the Gwinnett Community Resource Center in Snellville.
- Executive director Kim Holland emphasized closing the early learning access gap and that early childhood education builds foundational brain development.
- Interest surged, over 60 applicants; parents like Karen Garcia cite difficulty finding affordable, safe preschool; Joyful Learning Academy follows traditional calendar.
District officials said the full-day program will initially serve 94 children and marks Gwinnett County schools’ first preschool option specifically for 3-year-olds.
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Gwinnett County Public Schools is launching a new early childhood education program this fall aimed at expanding access to affordable preschool options for families in the Shiloh High School cluster.
Applications opened this week for the district’s new Joyful Learning Academy lottery, which will serve 3- and 4-year-old children at the Gwinnett Community Resource Center in Snellville.
District officials said the full-day program will initially serve 94 children and marks Gwinnett County schools’ first preschool option specifically for 3-year-olds.
“We also know that in Gwinnett County, there’s a huge gap in access to quality or high-quality early learning experiences,” said Kim Holland, the district’s executive director of early learning and school readiness. “One of the things that Gwinnett County Public Schools is trying to do is close that gap.”
Holland said early childhood education plays a critical role in long-term academic success.
“When children go to kindergarten, 90% of that foundational brain is already built,” Holland said. “We have to get them early to get them ready so that they can be successful.”
Interest in the new academy was immediate, according to district officials.
“We already have over 60 applicants for the center, and it’s only been open just a few hours,” Holland said.
Karen Garcia, whose son will soon turn 3, said she quickly applied for the lottery in hopes of securing a spot this fall.
“It’s pretty hard,” Garcia said of finding affordable preschool care. “It’s finding the right one that has all the little boxes that you’re looking for — a place that’s safe, comfortable and somewhere that you frequently visit.”
The Joyful Learning Academy will follow the traditional Gwinnett County school calendar when classes begin later this year.
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