St. Charles Parish Public Schools is continuing its playgroup program this school year, giving families with young children a chance to build early literacy and other skills before they start Pre-K or kindergarten.
The playgroups, which serve children 4 years old and younger, will be offered at Mimosa Park, New Sarpy, Allemands, Norco, Luling and St. Rose elementary schools through May.
Playgroups begin at 10 a.m. every other week at each school. Sessions are held Mondays at Mimosa Park and New Sarpy elementary schools, Wednesdays at Allemands and Norco elementary schools, and Thursdays at Luling and St. Rose elementary schools. Families may attend playgroups at any location, regardless of where they live in the parish.
The program is free and is supported through a combination of local district money and federal funds.
Patricia Smith, director of federal programs for the district, said the playgroups are part of the district’s effort to improve kindergarten readiness and increase family engagement.
“Our playgroups help families and children get a feel for what school looks like and sounds like,” Smith said. “And now that we have universal Pre-K, we’re hoping some of our 4-year-olds that come to the playgroup will be encouraged to go ahead and start Pre-K.”
Smith said one of the program’s biggest goals is helping parents understand that early literacy can be incorporated into everyday life.
“First, we want to make sure we’re sending books home,” she said. “But we’re also teaching parents that literacy is a natural everyday occurrence. Language is developed when you’re looking at your child and your child is looking at you, and they see you pronouncing the words.”
The playgroups begin with center time, when children can play and interact with one another while parents participate alongside them. The sessions then include music and movement, oral language activities, phonemic awareness exercises, reading and a hands-on activity connected to the lesson.
Local librarians have participated in playgroups in previous years, and Smith said the district also plans to occasionally bring in additional specialists, including speech therapists.
Smith said parents often notice their children gaining new skills after attending the playgroups.
“Parents will tell us, you know, my child is starting to participate and play with other kids,” Smith said. “They’re starting to talk more.”
The playgroups are led by educators and liaisons at the district’s Family Learning Centers, which are located at Mimosa Park, New Sarpy, Allemands, Norco, Luling and St. Rose elementary schools. Those centers are tasked with increasing family engagement and serving as resources for parents and families.
The Learning Centers also partner with United Way to offer community playgroups on Tuesdays through its Learn With Us Bus, a mobile learning center that brings playgroup activities into neighborhoods throughout the parish.