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Date: 8/27/2019
WEST SPRINGFIELD – Toddlers in West Springfield have a new place to learn and grow. The Boys & Girls Club had a grand opening for Little Futures, a preschool on the Main Street campus. Two children, Olivia Ritucci and Liam Smith, were on hand to help Little Futures Director Stephanie Chaffee cut the ribbon.
“It’s one more great addition to the services in West Springfield,” said Resource Development Director Sarah Calabrese. There are 194 children currently enrolled in the club’s after school programs.
Registration for the preschool began on July 29 and the program started Aug. 26. The program runs Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Chaffee said they chose to open half an hour earlier and close half an hour later than other preschools in the area to make it easier for parents to drop their children off and pick them up on their own schedules.
The preschool, which has a creative play area, a reading nook, and plenty of opportunities for children to learn, accepts children on a full-time or part-time basis. Full-time is five days per week at $195. There are two part-time options: two days per week at $90 or three days per week for $135.
Currently, there are 17 children enrolled in the program, 13 of whom are attending full-time. The maximum capacity is 20 children. To attend, children must be 2 years and 9 months or older and not have begun kindergarten.
The preschool has two full-time teachers and two part-time staff members. Of the two full-time teachers, Chaffee has 15 years of experience, while Lisa LeClerc has been in the field for 20 years.
“We wanted to make sure we had the right staff, not just someone who can spell preschool and show up,” joked Boys & Girls Club Executive Director, Dan D’Angelo.
The preschool is housed in the Boys & Girls Club facility at 615 Main St. There is a dedicated door for the preschool, though it can also be accessed through the main building. Chaffee said people have always asked why the Boys & Girls Club didn’t offer preschool.
“A lot of people already had kids here and they kept saying ‘why not?’ So why not,” Chaffee said.
“Preschool is the new kindergarten,” D’Angelo said of the curriculum at Little Futures.
West Springfield Superintendent Michael J. Richard told Reminder Publishing that he had met with Jim Sherbo, president of the board for the Boys & Girls Club a few years ago to discuss the idea. He said that the schools were “struggling to meet the needs of all our learners,” and that time at Little Futures would help prepare kids.
“We know they’re going to come to us with great experiences and be kindergarten-ready, for sure,” Richard said. To inquire about the preschool or any of the Boys and Girls Club programs, call 736-1831 or visit wsbgclub.org.