Caledonia Argus

From diapers to diplomas: original ECFE students ready for graduation

Posted: 6/3/03

by Andrew Miller
Argus News Reporter

Theyíve gone from diapers to diplomas in just 18 short years. And these Caledonia High School graduates, along with their parents, credit the Early Childhood Family Education program with getting them started.

ECFE was started in ISD #299 18 years ago, and this yearís graduating seniors were the first youngsters to whom the program was offered. 32 members of the senior class were involved in ECFE before entering kindergarten.

Deb Wray, director of ECFE at the time of its inception, thinks the program worked wonders for adapting kids to a learning environment, but was also an effective means of parents to connect with each other.

ìI think the program came at a great time, because parenting has changed so much in so short an amount of time,î Wray said. ìIt was a great outreach for parents to get to know each other, and it got parents involved with schools at an early age.î

Parents of ECFE students couldnít agree more. Weekly sessions then, as now, consisted of two components. In one, parents and kids would undertake activities together. In the other, the kids would break off with an advisor and do activities while parents met with each other. The opportunity proved immensely helpful to parents who were involved.

Cheryl Whitesitt participated in the program its first year with sons Phil, now a student at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, and Paul, who is graduating from CHS this year. The opportunity to meet with and learn from other parents had such an impact, she wishes ECFE had been available prior to when her eldest child, daughter Leigh, had entered kindergarten.

ìIt was good for them, and it was good for me,î Whitesitt said. ìIt prepared the kids for transitioning into school and gave them a chance to interact with other kids. For me, it was a good chance to get out and sit with other moms and share tips, get ideas, and find out youíre not doing so badly as a parent.î

ìAs a parent, you just always feel like youíre doing something wrong,î she added, ìand it gave me a lot more confidence. You learn that other parents are having the same problems, and it was just very encouraging.î

Whitesitt had been proactive about providing educational activities for her kids, almost to the point of exhaustionñ working with them on projects at home, taking the kids to the libraryñ and the activities ECFE provided lessened some of the work load.

ìIt was a nice time for me, ì Whitesitt said, ìbecause I would have one morning a week where activities would be set up, and it would be so relaxing.î

Jan Pohlman, whose daughter Amanda was a member of ECFEís inaugural class, is another advocate of the program. The Pohlmanís lived out in the country when Amanda was very young, and Amanda attended daycare at her auntís house, where there werenít many other kids her age. ECFE, Pohlman said, provided an environment in which her daughter could interact with her peer group, and prepare for the social requirements of a classroom setting.

ìAmanda has definitely done very well with school, and I think ECFE really helped her with the adjustment to school,î Pohlman noted. ìIt was very supportive for both parent and child. I got to learn more about parenting ideas, and Amanda had a chance to be together with other children.î

Mary Lou Busta, the current ECFE director, pointed out that the seniors who participated in ECFE performed well once they entered school, enjoying a high degree of success in their studies, and becoming actively involved in extracurricular functions.

ìThese seniors hopefully were given a positive start, helping them to feel confident in trying new things and being successful,î Busta said. ìA lot of times, when we look at the Student of the Week in the newspaper, we identify a lot of them as being in ECFE.î

ìLooking at the achievements of many of these seniors- honor students, most valuable players, (members in) honor bands and choirs- we truly hope that this is a credit to ECFE in which they participated with their parents as preschoolers.î

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