State announces first step towards 'flexible and innovative' VPK option

Families enrolled in the Florida’s Voluntary Prekindergarten program will soon have more flexible options for their 4-year-olds.

THE OPTION TO LEARN FROM HOME.WPTV NEWSCHANNEL 5'S LINNIESUPALL SPOKE TO A RELIEVEDPARENT.BACK TO SCHOOL SEASON HAS BEENMET WITH SOME HESITATION FORYOEL ALVAREZ& HESAINT LUCIE FATHER& AND MORECOMFORTABLE KEEPING HIS FOURYEAR OLD SON DEREK AT HOME.SOT 214 YOEL ALVAREZ/FATHER HELOVES HIS TEACHERS, HE LOVESHIS FRIENDS& I KNOW ITA LITTLE TOUGH FOR HIM TO STAYHOME ALL THE TIME BUT FOR HISPROTECTION BUT THATWEWEEKÃALVAREZ IS ENCOURAGED&KNOWING HIS SON CAN STILLPARTICIPATE IN THE STATEVOLUNTARY PREKINDERGARTENPROGRAM& TUESDAY THE STATELAUNCHED A SERIES OF WEBINARSFOR VPK PROVIDERS TO OFFERFLEXIBLE OPTION.

SOT 123REPORTER: WHEN YOU HEARD ABOUTTHE PROGRAM DID IT GIVE YOUSOME RELIEF?

125 YOELALVAREZ/FATHER YES - WE WEREREALLY CONCERNED WE DONTO TAKE HIM TO ANY PLACE RIGHTNOW SO WE DECIDED TO HOLD ON&HIS SON ATTENDS KIDS HARBORLEARNING CENTER& THEPRE-SCHOOL IS EXPECTED TO ROLLOUT ITS VIRTUAL LEARNING PLANEARLY SEPTEMBER.

SOT NADIESKALA O/DIRECTOR, KIDS HARBORLEARNING CENTER A LOT OFFAMILIES WANT TO SEND THEIRCHILDREN TO SCHOOL BUT FOR MANYREASONSÃMAYBE THEY LOST ARELATIVE IN THE PANDEMIC, MAYBETHEYTHEY HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TOMAKE SURE THEIR KIDS DONBEHIND IN SCHOOL THE EARLYLEARNING COALITION OF SAINTLUCIE COUNTY REPORTS ABOUT 40PERCENT OF FAMILIES WANTEDTHEIR VPK STUDENTS TO LEARNFROM HOME.

SOT TONY LOUPE/CEO,EARLY LEARNING COALITION OFST.

LUCIE COUNTY’VPK FLEXISTHERE FOR A RESOURCE FORFAMILIES WHO THINK THATAPPROPRIATE BUT THE BEST TYPEOF INTERACTION FOR A FOUR YEAROLD IS FACE TO FACE&FORTUNATELY THE OFFICE OFEARLY LEARNING HAS PUT SOMESTIPULATIONS IN PLACE&AVIRTUAL PROGRAM CANNOT GO PASTDECEMBER 31ST ALVAREZ ISGRATEFUL FOR A FLEXIBLE OPTIONIN THE MEANTIME.

SOT YOELALVAREZ/FATHER WEFOR WHATF-A-U'S FOOTBALL TEAM WILLSTART PRACTICING AGAINTOMORROW AFTER SOME PL