Playschool Develops in Willow Creek

Libby Pinto, director of Playschool, with some children attending the program. / Photos by Shirley Hurley, Two Rivers Tribune.

More Services Available for Families with Young Children

By Shirley Hurley, Two Rivers Tribune

For many years parents in the Willow Creek area searched for more socialization and educational services for their children prior to kindergarten. That is why Libby Pinto, the founder and director of Playschool, developed a program where families with children age birth to five can have the opportunity of same age education.

The lack of services for the age group grew when Pinto directed a teen parent program and infant/toddler preschool called The Baby Room at Hoopa Valley High School. The program closed due to lack of enrollment.

After the Baby Room closed Pinto was determined to open up her own pre-kindergarten program in Willow Creek. To get community involvement she started a survey to gauge the need of a preschool program. The results were overwhelming and revealed the need for a program. She then researched the licensing process and found it would take several years to get, so she decided to seek other options. Soon she communicated with Willow Creek Community Resource Center and found that their organization had tried opening up a parent cooperative preschool.

To finalize everything Klamath Trinity Joint Unified School District was approached to provide the program with a director and to supply a classroom at Trinity Valley Elementary School. KTJUSD soon appointed Pinto as the director and she was given a classroom at TVES.

With help from St. Joesph’s Health Care System’s Willow Creek Community Resource Center to provide insurance, and First 5 with fundraising to provide supplies, the school was open for business. The preschool offers low-cost or free services to families.

“This is the second year Playschool has been open and the excitement I have for that is great” Pinto said.

Playschool children at recess time in the sandbox. / Photo by Shirley Hurley, Two Rivers Tribune.

The Playschool is an enrollment class through Willow Creek Community Resource Center that is open Monday through Wednesday ages three to five.

The school’s focus is to give children the tools for school readiness while also giving children the opportunity to experience developmentally appropriate activities, and the excitement of joining students of TVES in the cafeteria for lunch.

Playschool also offers a playgroup program for infants and toddlers. It’s open to families in the community. It’s held every Thursday for ages birth to three, and Friday’s age birth to five, from 10 am to 12:30 pm. This is also a parent cooperative class.

“The key to success is for families with children birth to five to be involved,” Pinto said.

Developing a program for parents to socialize with their children as well as other parents gives the contribution of opportunity, and expanding more programs like these will provide help and various needs for families in the community. Working parents are also given the opportunity to participate and contribute in ways that feel equitable to all members; these parents provide nutritious snacks, supplies, and other items deemed necessary for the success of the program.

“Most parents of pre-kindergar 10  children that I’ve talked to are not quite ready to give their child over to a preschool program yet, but do want an age appropriate atmosphere,” Pinto said.

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