By Tim Arnett
PERU,Indiana – On the next Miami County Conversation, Paul Frye, Principal at Elmwood Elementary School, talks about his first year as Principal at the school and the upcoming Kindergarten Roundup in late next month.
Frye said that Elmwood, which is part of Peru Community Schools, has a total of 600 kids, with around 20 enrolled in community preschool. He added that the school is looking to expand the preschool or possibly daycare for the next school year. The daycare that exists now, he said, is used as an early literacy foundation in addition to the traditional role as a socialization tool for the kids.
Frye also said that the school has “Academy” classes for kids who are at risk. In these classes, the ratio of teachers to students is relatively large so as to move the kids forward and not have any of them fall through the cracks. Regardless, the overall emphasis is reading with the goal of every child being able to know how to read before the leaving the school and they move on to the 3rd grade. Frye said that kids want to be in school at this age and they are lucky to have them, adding that it is all about positive interactions with the kids.
Kindergarten roundup at the school takes place from March 29th and 30th. On the 29th, it takes place from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm and on the 30th from 9 am until 2:30. All parents must have kindergarteners screened prior to school registration. Children must be five years old on August 1st to attend next year’s kindergarten. To hear more from Paul Frye talk about his first year at Elmwood, tune into Miami County Conversation, tomorrow morning at 9 am, on the Official 101.9.