“I was really impressed with the early learning program I saw in Rossville. Everything was so seamlessly integrated. The administrators, the teachers, and the parents deserve a lot of credit for what they’ve accomplished,” said Patrick Kerr, Senior Public Affairs Specialist for the Office of Communications and Outreach, U.S. Department of Education.

On March 25th, Kerr, along with Jacqueline Jones, Senior Advisor to the Secretary for Early Learning and John White, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Rural Outreach, from Washington DC, visited Rossville and St. Marys, Kansas, to learn about early childhood education programs in rural Kansas.

The highlight of the site visit was time spent in the Parents As Teachers and integrated preschool classrooms. Kerr said, “Prior to my visit to Rossville, I hadn’t seen a lot of early education programs in other schools, especially in a rural setting. But what I saw exceeded all expectations. Its integrated preschool program could be used as a model in any school setting: urban, suburban, and anywhere in between.”

Representatives from the Secretary of Education’s office interacted with preschool parents and met with a broad range of educators who serve their children in the Kaw Valley Unified School District, including the district superintendent, building principals, Parents As Teachers Coordinator, Special Services Director, the Project Coordinator for the Demonstration Learning Community grant, and preschool teachers.

Discussion focused on families served, district finances, partnerships with Head Start in integrated preschool classrooms and all early learning opportunities. 

Jim McDaniel, Kaw Valley Superintendent, said, “The visitors were particularly interested in the use and application of braided funding from federal, state and local government sources and the intermeshing of services in the district’s integrated universal preschool classrooms serving students.”