News

Fort Smith early childhood program is a first for diocese

St. Boniface will now educate infants and toddlers every school day

Published: August 13, 2011   

By Maryanne Meyerriecks
Fort Smith Correspondent

Maryanne Meyerriecks

Alicia Dunn, who will teach the infant class at St. Boniface School's infant/toddler program, prepares a blanket for the new school year in her classroom Aug. 4.

Maryanne Meyerriecks

Alicia Dunn, who will teach the infant class at St. Boniface School's infant/toddler program, prepares a blanket for the new school year in her classroom Aug. 4.

FORT SMITH -- On Aug. 15, St. Boniface School in Fort Smith will welcome its youngest students -- from 6 weeks old through 2½ years old -- as it opens the first infant/toddler early childhood education program in the Diocese of Little Rock Catholic school system.

The program, which will be open 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, including summers and part of the Christmas and spring breaks, is starting up with three infants and eight toddlers.

"We already have a waiting list for babies who haven't been born yet," Christy Koprovic, director of the Early Childhood Center, said. "We wanted to start small, because we want everything to be perfect before we increase our enrollment."

Construction workers are still putting some finishing touches on the two bright yellow rooms filled with cribs, mats, arts and crafts supplies and educational toys and are building a tiny bathroom for children who are toilet training. A shady, fenced-in early childhood playground, "mulched" with soft rubber chips from old tires, awaits the students.

Alicia Dunn, infant teacher, and Hayley Blevins, toddler teacher, hold early childhood degrees and have years of experience. Koprovic, who has a master's degree in early childhood education and non-public school administration, will teach special subjects. The young students will also be taught by the school's music, art and physical education teachers and librarian.

"They'll have all the ‘specials' the older kids do, except for Spanish and computers," principal Dr. Karen Hollenbeck said.

The program's educational focus has attracted attention from families moving into the area from as far as North Little Rock.

"We're more than just a daycare program," Koprovic said. "We are following the National Association for Education of Young Children curriculum, which is based on developmentally appropriate practice."

The children will learn basic academic and scientific concepts through daily experiences, cooking lunch, going on nature walks and participating in art, music and movement activities.

"Our bigger kids do a lot of things with our pre-k students now," Koprovic said. "They do art projects together and some serve as volunteer readers. We hope to find ways that the older students can interact with the infants and toddlers, too."

It took many years of planning and research to begin an early childhood program, according to Koprovic.

"Karen (Hollenbeck) and I have been discussing starting this program for three or four years," she said. "I knew that there was a need for a program like this in the area, and I am a huge advocate of early childhood education rather than daycare.

"Once we made the decision to open the program, we had to renovate the building and obtain the necessary certifications. In addition to meeting minimum state standards, we did a lot of research to develop the best curriculum we could."

Koprovic, who has taught kindergarten in St. Boniface School for many years and sent her own four children there, plans to get to know every student individually.

"It's always been my goal to get to know every child in the school," she said.

St. Boniface School's littlest students could conceivably attend St. Boniface for 12 years.

"I'm excited to be welcoming our youngest learners to the St. Boniface family," Hollenbeck said.