The Douglas County School System and local child care centers have partnered to introduce 
preschool-aged children to early learning and literacy initiatives. This year, DCSS launched a collaborative initiative to enhance early literacy and learning by offering child care partners access to Waterford Reading Academy, a free educational platform designed to engage young learners for at least 15 minutes daily.
“We have provided Chromebooks and hotspots to centers to help support their efforts in preparing the four-year-old students for kindergarten,” said Mitzi Teal, Executive Director of Communities In Schools of Douglas County.
Chapel Hill Academy reported the highest usage of the educational platform in October. The center’s Pre-K teacher, Ms. Webb was recognized for her dedication with a gift card, and pre-K students celebrated their success with a donut party.
“Students progress through an adaptive learning path in reading, math and science, designed to best support how young children grow,” said Chelsie Goodman, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning. “The platform also provides parents the ability to track their child's usage and access to hundreds of resources and books for use at home.”
Research suggests the importance of early literacy experiences in stimulating brain development and enhancing cognitive abilities, fostering critical thinking, problem-solving and memory skills. Furthermore, it lays the foundation for logical reasoning and the development of abstract thinking, helping to ensure young scholars are ready to thrive when entering kindergarten and beyond.
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