Support needed to continue Wishek Preschool

The Wishek JDA supports continuing the Wishek Preschool program. Strong rural education is vital to sustaining families, employees and businesses in our community. We know our community members support and want preschool education after seeing the community outreach and support as federal funding cuts have threatened the future of preschool in Wishek. Below is a blog post written and submitted by a local mom and volunteer, Sarah Bernhardt, who is helping get out the word on preschool fundraising.  -Katie Pinke, on behalf of Wishek JDA Board of Directors

Preschool in Wishek is in jeopardy, but a group of local moms wants to "just say no" to no preschool. In the past the local program was run and funded by the Bismarck Early Childhood Education Program, and the federal government picked up the tab. Due to federal education funding cuts there's no money for Wishek preschool in 2011-2012.

The local preschool program in 2010-2011 was held at the Wishek Public School and consisted of one half day per week and some home visits. The school wants to hold preschool in 2011-2012 with two half-days a week and no home visits, but needs help to get the budget in the black.

Some people say the state should cough up the dough for the kids, pointing out that North Dakota is one of only ten states that does not fund preschool education. A bill to fund Head Start programs in the state failed in the North Dakota State Senate earlier this year by a vote of 23-22, and would have only helped families with a gross income 100 percent below the federal poverty line. Governor Jack Dalrymple and the legislature recently increased K-12 education funding, but were criticized for not spending enough on early education programs to meet the needs of North Dakota's little tikes. There are rumblings in the legislature of more spending on early education in the next biennium, but for now the shortfall stands. The gap in funding falls to local school districts, most of whom say they are already strapped for cash to fund existing programs and still pay staff. The bottom line is that there just aren't enough government dollars to keep the program afloat.

That's where mom and Wishek JDA Vice-President Katie Pinke says the community needs to hold the line. The Wishek Job Development Board recently called a town hall style meeting last month to share information, get a feel for interest in continuing a local preschool program, and to brainstorm with parents about how to pay for it. Pinke says parents who attended presented an overwhelming feeling that preschool is something Wishek wants.

Local mom Brooke Kosiak took up the cause and decided to head up a fundraising effort to fill the budget holes. Kosiak organized a group of moms who met this week and decided to get right to work solving the problem. Kosiak says this group of moms wants people who care about the kids to step up to the plate, literally. They are holding a fundraising breakfast at the Wishek Armory Sunday June 19th from 9:30am to 12:30pm. Kosiak hopes that if they can fill enough bellies with pancakes, eggs, and Wishek's famous sausage, they might also fill the hole in the budget for teaching tots. The cost for the breakfast is $8 for adults, $4 for kids age 6-12, and kids 5 and under eat free. Tickets are available at the door.

Additional donations can be sent directly to Wishek Public School by sending them to: 

Attn. Mr. Jim Eiseman, Superintendent

11 South Badger Street
Wishek, ND 58495