MECC Holding Open House & Providing Expanded Opportunities for Free Preschool

A bright sunny window in the toddler room is the perfect location for the pea plants the children started for the MECC vegetable garden. They will be planted outside in the next few weeks. The children take turns watering with a spray bottle.

Manchester Early Childhood Center (MECC) will be holding an open house on April 29 from 5-7pm. Prospective families will be able to visit all of the rooms and meet the whole staff. MECC has both half-day and all-day preschool programs, as well as toddler programs and before and after daycare. It has also had an infant program in the past and is considering bringing it back if there is interest. It is located in the Ackerson building at 410 City Road.

Kelly Ball, MECC coordinator, explained that although MECC charges tuition, it is able to provide free preschool for qualifying 3 and 4 year-olds through federally-funded Head Start and state-funded Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP). In fact, the state has actually expanded the number of free preschool slots it funds through GSRP. Next fall, Wahtenaw county will be able to provide 500 more children with free preschool and a percentage of those will be at the MECC, increasing the number of children able to recieve free preschool in Manchester.

The application process for free preschool has been streamlined and is now run through the county. This means that if a child qualifies but MECC is full, they may be able to attend at a nearby preschool. Interested families should go to www.washtenawpreschool.org to fill out a pre-enrollment form and will be contacted by MECC within 2 weeks.

All of MECC’s lead teachers are certified with early childhood endorsements and it has been evaluated by Great Start to Quality, a statewide preschool rating organization and received four stars, meaning “the program demonstrates high quality”. MECC also has full scholarships available for families unable to afford tuition but who don't qualify through GSRP or Head Start.

If you have questions about MECC, free preschool options or the open house, please contact Kelly Ball at 734-428-9711 ext 1013.

all-day 4-year old preschool room

serious block-stacking in the toddler room

the half-day 4-year old preschool class holding circle time

While many of the rooms have permanent pets, including fish, a lizard and a hedgehog, the chicks are temporary but beloved.

working on the calendar

Ms. Danielle is the lead teacher in the all-day 4-year old preschool room

the 3-year old preschool room

Kelly Ball, MECC director

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.