Parent’s wishes were granted when city added extra
day to schedule
Gilroy – When local parents mentioned a craving for an extensive preschool program that would adequately prepare their children for kindergarten, Judy Mireles-Janisch went to work.
As the Gilroy Community Services recreation supervisor, Mireles-Janisch oversees the city’s preschool program. So she and the preschool teachers developed a pilot program, tacking on another day to the previous thrice-weekly program and adjusting the payment plan.
“We weren’t sure how parents would take it but the classes filled up pretty quickly,” Mireles-Janisch said.
The new program, for 4 to 5 year olds, is offered three hours a day Monday through Thursday. The city also created a similar program called Tiny Tots for children between the ages of 3 and 4, but it was canceled due to lack of interest.
Mireles-Janisch isn’t sure why the Tiny Tots program wasn’t attractive – although she thinks the afternoon time slot may have put parents off since that tends to be naptime – but it will be offered this upcoming month if enough children enroll.
Parents have voiced their support for the tuition change. In the past parents had to sign up and pay for all sessions at one time. Many parents couldn’t afford to pay the lump sum upfront and would wait until the last minute to pay, which often meant losing a spot.
Under the new program, children are automatically enrolled in the next session and parents don’t have to pay until two weeks prior.
Denise Wilcher, a former teacher at Gilroy-based Vineyard Christian Preschool, knows exactly what preschoolers need to know to be successful in kindergarten, Mireles-Janisch said.
The new session begins Tuesday and ends Oct. 23. Space is still available. Registration fees are $168 for Gilroy residents and $173 for nonresidents.
