Fremont Public Schools Meets with Buffett Early Childhood Institute & Fund
Looking at opportunities to expand education and services
Fremont, Neb. – (Jan. 16, 2020) Fremont Public Schools is continually looking for ways to better serve our families in the community and provide needed education and services. On January 15, Fremont Public Schools met for two hours with the Buffett Early Childhood Institute and the Buffett Early Childhood Fund to discuss early childhood education and care in Fremont.
The District shared with representatives of the two organizations information related to our community, the school district and programming currently in place. Fremont Public Schools currently offers Sixpence programming for birth to age three and half day preschool for four-year-olds in all elementary schools. The District also provides special education services to young people with identified disabilities beginning at birth, this service is both home based and center based.
The District serves approximately 250 birth to age four children with educational/developmental programming. “Area schools are able to provide coverage for families from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. We’re not there yet but we are currently looking at ways to partner with community organizations to meet this need,” said Brad Dahl, Associate Superintendent for Fremont Public Schools. “Working together is the best way to ensure the entire community will benefit from increased programming.”
Dr. Samuel Meisels, founding executive director of the Buffett Early Childhood Institute stated, “Fremont has many wonderful resources for young children and families. There are many committed staff at Fremont Public Schools that can help expand resources to more children in the community.”
Topics of discussion included early childhood needs the Fremont community has, what Fremont is doing well, resources the Buffett Early Childhood Institute can connect Fremont to and possible next steps to improve and increase early childhood education in the community. “The discussion today validated much of where our emphasis has been and highlighted the need for additional programming for children and families, stated Heather Beekman, assistant special education director. “Fremont has a lot of momentum to create continuity and increased educational opportunities for children as they transition from childcare, to preschool to elementary school,” said Mark Shepard, Superintendent of Fremont Public Schools. “It represents an identified need which has the potential to move the needle for our children, families and our community.”
