District ready for new early childhood program

by Lexi Larson

Southern Boone County School District will have a new Early Childhood Special Education (ECSC) program starting with the new school year. It will focus on three to five year olds and will help young children develop skills before they start kindergarten.

SoBoCo Superintendent Chris Felmlee said the district was able to start this program because it’s numbers were growing.

“We are getting more and more kids every year.” Felmlee said.

The program will be covered by federal and state funding. The classroom will be in the old elementary building, and Felmee said there are at least 11 students enrolled in the program already.

“I am expecting more kids to join as the summer goes on.” Felmlee said.

Before SoBoCo started its own program, students were bused to Jefferson City to attend the Special Learning Center. Felmlee said it wasn’t an ideal situation. “It was a pretty long bus ride for the little kids,” Felmlee said.

“It could be up to an hour every day of riding a bus.”