Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) Formerly PEP                                                        <--Back

The Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) is funded by the State of Michigan to provide preschool education for four year olds who are at risk of school failure. The number of spaces funded for the Waterford School District depends upon a formula which is based on our free and reduced lunch count in grades one through five. The state provides a list of risk factors which are applied to children and their families to determine eligibility for this program. Fifty-one per cent of the children must qualify by a low income factor as well.

Children attend classes in the morning or afternoon at one of five sites— Stepanski Early Childhood Center, Sandburg, Leggett Campus, Burt or Houghton. The classes meet Monday through Thursday and on Friday the teachers make home visits or work in their classrooms on assessments and other records.   

The curriculum used is the High/Scope curriculum which involves children in a variety of hands on learning experiences.  Children are responsible for deciding what activities they wish to pursue and then follow their plans. At the end of work time they reflect on their plans and share the outcomes with staff and fellow students.   

Literacy is a strong component of our curriculum. Children are encouraged to write their own names on their work and when they sign in as class begins.  Teachers read to the children and teach them songs and poems. Children retell stories and make up their own stories. They hear many rhyming words and we stress the sounds which the letters make. The assessment which we use is the Michigan Literacy Proficiency Profile.   

There is also a strong math component. Children will learn to count with one-to-one correspondence, do simple graphing, and repeat and create patterns. Playing with unit blocks will foster knowledge of geometry and measurement. Science, Music, and Art are also key to learning in the well-rounded preschool curriculum. Children are encouraged to be inquisitive, creative and joyful learners. 

Parents are an important part of this program. Parents attend curriculum orientation night, volunteer in the classroom, go on field trips, attend parent conferences, and help the children follow through with some home activities.   

To be eligible for this program a child must be 4 years old by December 1 and meet two of the risk factors listed by the Michigan Department of Education. Financial need is the first factor considered when enrolling. Parents must provide a birth certificate, three proofs of residency in the Waterford School District, verification of income, and immunization records. 

  Great Start Readiness Program

• Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) and *APEX (Achieving Preschool Excellence)

• Free Programs Funded by the State of Michigan

• Available for Waterford School District children who will be four by December 1 and meet two of the following criteria

• Single parent household
  Language deficiency or immaturity
  Family history of low school achievement or dropout
  Lack of stable support system of residence
  Family history of diagnosed family problems
  Low family income (WIC guidelines)
  Substance abuse or addiction
  Diagnosed handicapping conditions
  Other conditions (Health and/or Educational Concerns, Family Issues) which could affect learning.