ORANGE BEACH — Orange Beach Elementary School is the recipient of the First Class Pre-K Program grant, which will allow for the formation of a second Pre-K4 class. The Orange Beach Board of Education unanimously approved the resolution during the meeting held Thursday, July 14.
"Orange Beach City Schools is a recipient of two Alabama First Class Pre-K units for the 2022-23 school year," said Randy Wilkes, system superintendent, during a reading of the resolution. "The total allocation of the two grants is $250,000. Orange Beach City Schools locally funds 25% of the total cost of preschool units by providing administrative, custodial, child nutrition, nurse and health, energy and general maintenance services, and Orange Beach City Schools supplies all utilities, sanitary products and facilities for the Pre-K program."
Wilkes said children of Orange Beach Board of Education employees will receive first placement in the Pre-K program, not to exceed 25% capacity of the total enrollment.
Wilkes added that residents of Orange Beach, through student-name drawing, would receive placement before students who reside outside of the district.
"The residents of Orange Beach are taxpayers," Wilkes said. "That's their money at work, and I just think that they should get first dibs which is what this resolution will ensure."
First Class Pre-K Programs are currently accepting online registration applications for the 2022-23 school year. Applications will be accepted until Wednesday, July 27. Alabama children 4 years of age on or before Sept. 1 qualify for the program. Children eligible for kindergarten are not eligible for Pre-K. No registration fee is required.
Email notices of acceptance status will be sent to parents or guardians following the random selection process. Attendance to the drawing is not required. The random drawing will be held on Thursday, July 28, at 2:30 p.m. in the Orange Beach Elementary School library.
At the conclusion of the random selection, parents or guardians must provide a copy of the child's birth certificate and proof of residence to Orange Beach Elementary School by Aug. 3 to secure enrollment in the Pre-K classroom. A child's immunization record must be provided to the school or program upon enrollment.
"We're just glad we've got the room to do this, and if we continue with all the phases planned, we'll continue to have room," Wilkes said. "My desire would be for every 4-year-old child to attend Pre-K if their parents so desire. I just think there's a lot to learn from Pre-K."
To pre-register, go to prek.alaceed.alabama.gov. For more information, contact Mary Catherine Law at mclaw@obcityschools.org. Follow Orange Beach City Schools on Facebook to keep up with system information.