Invest In Preschool-Editorial by Sean Maher

St. Helena Star February 4th

Throughout my campaign as a replacement candidate in the upcoming school board recall election, I have had the opportunity to meet with many members of our community to discuss concerns regarding our school district.

One important issue that has come up time and again is affordable quality preschool. One woman I spoke with informed me that research has indicated approximately 150 local children are currently in need of this service.

Through my discussions with some of the leaders in our Hispanic community, I have learned that during the past several years they have tried to establish an affordable preschool in St. Helena. I have also been told that the St. Helena Unified School District has been approached over the years for help in establishing such a preschool, but nothing has been accomplished so far.

It seems to me that SHUSD is missing a tremendous opportunity here to strengthen our commitment to this segment of our community and to students who have the ability to be successful if provided with the right start.

I truly believe that an affordable quality preschool needs to become a reality for us in St. Helena. Such a program could bring long lasting and far-reaching results for our students, teachers, parents and community as a whole. It is well documented that children who attend preschool:

• Are more proficient at reading at the elementary school level;

• Become more socialized so that they work well with their peers in class;

• Tend to score higher on tests;

• Are less likely to be placed in special education classes or held back a grade;

• Are more likely to graduate from high school and attend college;

• Are higher wage earners; and

• Are less likely to need public assistance as adults.

I have spoken with my fellow replacement candidates regarding this issue and all of them are extremely motivated to try to get this program off the ground and running.

I believe, as do they, that our school district needs to be a part of establishing an effective preschool for those who can’t afford the current private preschool offerings in our community. After all, it is our schools that will reap the benefits of such a program.

We have a tremendous Boys & Girls Club that now averages 189 kids a day. The Teen Center has been completely renovated and membership is increasing. With the exception of affordable preschool, it seems we have our kids in St. Helena well-covered.

What is currently missing is a resource for low-income families whose children are not yet of school age.

Various members of our community continue to work towards a solution, and this effort will depend on the generosity of our community and hard work of concerned citizens. Considering what we know about the benefits of preschool, I believe that now is the time for affordable preschool in St. Helena. Our community can and should work to make this happen.

(Sean P. Maher is running for Ines DeLuna’s seat in the St. Helena School board recall election. As Boys and Girls Club president from 2004 to 2006, he co-chaired the capital campaign that financed the club’s Tainter Street facility. As a founding partner with Maher and Associates, he assists wine-related businesses with long-term planning and asset management. He has coached youth baseball, basketball and soccer.)