William G. Mather Elementary’s preschool is part of the Great Start Readiness Program, a state-funded initiative serving 4-year-old children in Michigan.
According to the “GSRP Implementation Manual,” “Research on preschool programs and specific research on GSRP indicates that children provided with a high-quality preschool experience show significant positive developmental differences when compared to children from the same backgrounds who did not attend a high-quality preschool program.”
What GSRP offers
At William G. Mather Preschool, students engage in activities that support all areas of development, including social-emotional growth, physical coordination, health, language, literacy, communication, mathematics, creative arts, science, technology and social studies.
Students have opportunities to strengthen both small and large motor skills, develop communication strategies to express needs and emotions, and learn how to resolve conflicts using words rather than physical responses.
Academic, hands-on activities are designed to foster a sense of community and help students prepare for the expectations of kindergarten. Students also explore different parts of the school building, easing their transition to elementary school.
The goal is to ensure students experience school as a positive, safe environment — and to help them build a lifelong appreciation for learning.
Did you know?
In January 2023, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced PreK for All, a statewide goal to provide every 4-year-old in Michigan with access to free preschool by 2027.
Michigan’s PreK for All initiative includes multiple high-quality, no-cost programs, including GSRP and Head Start.
Enrollment in Head Start is prioritized for families at or below the federal poverty level — $32,150 for a family of four — or those receiving public assistance such as TANF, SSI or SNAP.
GSRP enrollment is prioritized for families at or below 400% of the poverty level — about $128,000 for a family of four. If there are openings, exceptions can be made for families outside of these priorities.
Preschool enrollment
Thanks to PreK for All funding, William G. Mather Preschool now hosts two classrooms, licensed for up to 18 children each.
The program is housed within the K-5 building, which allows for fewer transitional changes as students move into kindergarten. Staff are trained in best practices for early childhood development.
To begin the enrollment process, visit the MiECC Caregiver Portal for Marquette-Alger RESA at miecc.org/CaregiverPortal/52.
New students are screened before the beginning of the school year using the Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning, Fourth Edition, which assesses motor, language, conceptual, selfhelp and social development.
A spring screening has already taken place, but additional screening opportunities will be available in July.
For more information
MiLEAP PreK for All: michigan. gov/mileap Great Start to Quality: greatstarttoquality. org/free-preschool- programs GSRP Implementation Manual (2024): michigan.gov Marquette-Alger RESA GSRP: maresa.org