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Programs: More at Four
Pre-Kindergarten Program
More at Four Pre-Kindergarten Program
Helps your child build skills for school in a safe and fun environment.
- Free, high quality child care for 4 year olds
- Provided by 4- and 5-star rated chilid care programs
- Locations throughout Buncombe County
- 10 month program August - May; 6 to 6.5 hours a day
To find out if your child is eligible, please call Stacey Bailey, More at Four Coordinator, at Smart Start of Buncombe County 285-9333 ext.128.
Program Mission
The mission of the More at Four Pre-Kindergarten Program is to ensure school success for at-risk children in North Carolina through high-quality pre-kindergarten. All children can learn if given the opportunity. At-risk children may not have had the same level of opportunity as other children in North Carolina. We need to ensure that children in the More at Four Pre-Kindergarten Program receive truly high-quality services to prepare them for success in school.
Programs participating in the More at Four Pre-Kindergarten Program are required to meet high-quality standards. The standards are built on the premise that in order to be successful academically in school, children need to be prepared in all five of the major domains of development outlined by the National Education Goals Panel.
The More at Four Classrooms
More at Four sites must provide a pre-kindergarten program for a regular school day (i.e., 6-61/2 hours) for a 10-month school calendar year. Each participating More at Four classroom must be located in a facility that meets the requirements for a 4- or 5-star licensed center using the Division of Child Development licensing standards. More at Four classrooms may be placed in 4 or 5 star licensed private for-profit child care centers, not-for-profit child care centers, Head Start programs, and public pre-kindergarten programs. Because public schools are required by federal law to provide special education to eligible 4-year-olds, More at Four programs, regardless of the setting, and public schools will collaborate in the development and implementation of a child's individualized education plan.
The More at Four Staff
For public school programs, the director is required to have a principal's license. For directors in other child care/pre-kindergarten settings, the directors must have a North Carolina Early Childhood Administrative Credential Level III. All lead teachers must hold a Birth-Kindergarten (B-K) or Preschool Add-on licensure. When teachers have less than the required credential, they may receive provisional approval if they meet certain criteria and actively work towards attaining B-K licensure within four years.
The More at Four Child
Children served in More at Four slots must meet age requirements, income eligibility, and service priority criteria. Children to be enrolled must be four years of age on or before August 31 in the year served. Children in families with annual incomes at or below 75% of the State Median Income (SMI) level are eligible for More at Four services. When a family's gross income exceeds 75% of the (SMI), a child may be deemed eligible if certain conditions are met. No more than 20% of a county/region's More at Four slots may be filled by children above the 75% of the SMI. A primary goal of the More at Four Pre-Kindergarten Program is to enroll those unserved at-risk children and therefore, at least 50% of the children enrolled in each sites' More at Four slots must be previously unserved.
Sites Offering More at Four Programs:
| Organization: Community Action Opportunities (Head Start) | |||
| Coordinator | |||
| Leslie Hennesse | Phone: | 828-210-0587 | |
| 25 Gaston Street | Fax: | 828-254-4395 | |
| Asheville, NC 28801 | Email: | catherine.whipple@oppcorp.org | |
| Organization: Eliada Child Development | |||
| Coordinator | |||
| Tracey McCrain | Phone: | 828-259-5374 | |
| P.O.Box 16708 | Fax: | 828-259-5384 | |
| Asheville, NC 28806 | Email: | tmccrain@eliada.org | |
| Organization: Asheville City Schools Preschool | |||
| Coordinator | |||
| Kristine Dwyer | Phone: | 828-255-5099 | |
| 441 Haywood Road | Fax: | 828-251-4913 | |
| Asheville, NC 28806 | Email: | Kristine.Dwyer@asheville.k12.nc.us | |
| Organization: Mountain Area Child and Family Center, Riceville Road Site: | |||
| Coordinator | |||
| Shawn Wolff | Phone: | 828-298-0808 | |
| 2586 Riceville Road | Fax: | 828-298-0707 | |
| Asheville, NC 28805 | Email: | ||
More at Four Advisory Committee
The More at Four Pre-Kindergarten Program requires every county (or region) that chooses to participate in More at Four to establish and maintain a County/Region More at Four Committee. This committee is represented in part by local school boards and systems, the local Smart Start partnership, licensed child care providers, Head Start, Department of Social Service, parent(s) of preschool-age children, county cooperative extension agency, child care resources and referral agency.
In Buncombe County, the More at Four Advisory Committee meets a minimum of three times a year from 8:30am to 10:00am. Currently all meetings are held at Buncombe County Child Care Services, 59 Woodfin Place:
September 22,2009
Coordinator
Stacey Bailey
Smart Start of Buncombe County
84 Coxe Avenue, Suite 1A
Asheville NC 28801-4168
Phone: 828-285-9333 x128
Fax: 828-285-9933
Email: stacey@smartstart-buncombe.net