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The old building was once an elementary school and actually sat vacant for many years before becoming one of the first Pre-K only childhood development centers in the Valley. The 4-year-olds who enter the building are the only “students” there. That is one of the unique features of the facility, there are only 4-year-olds there.
Other 4-year-olds around the Valley are put in classrooms at normal elementary schools, which according to Center Director Dottie Wardsworth, is just a little intimidating to the young pre-school children.
Wardsworth is entering her third year as director of the center and on Thursday, the first day of “school,” she was busy comforting one of the children who became overwhelmed by the anxiety of being separated from his mother.
“The first few days are tough,” she said, looking up from her spot beside the child. “Most of them have been through two days of orientation with their parents, but once the parents leave, this sometimes happens.”
Wardsworth has taught school for 17 years. She was the assistant principal at Manning Elementary School before taking the director position at Hearne. “This is the most fun,” she said smiling.
Another unique feature of the Hearne Center is that it is not actually a school. “Pre-K is not mandatory,” Wardsworth said, “That is why it is called an early childhood development center instead of a school. That is also why my position is director instead of principal, even though many of the duties are the same.”
Another difference from regular schools is how the center is funded. The center actually leases two classrooms to the “Head Start” program and that is like a little center of their own. They have their own staff and administration and Wardsworth is not associated with it at all.
Another group of students in the “More at Four” program are also kept in separate classrooms. Altogether 120 “students” are participating in the 2008 “class.”
It is up to Wardsworth to seek out and then keep track of all the different funds that are spent at the center and to make sure all of the rules associated with each source of funding are followed. There is plenty of paperwork that goes along with each also.
Some of the children spend three hours at the center, while others are there for six. This is due to some of the rules associated with the different program's rules and funding, but also some due to just the parents requesting a three hour stay.
Wardsworth also pointed out that the center has more strict sanitary standards than a regular school does. “You won't see any of the teachers in a regular school wearing hairnets in the cafeteria, but you will here,” she said, emphasizing the “here.”
“Our goal for all the children is to help prepare them for success at school,” Wardsworth said, “We want to make them life-long learners. The philosophy here - children at this age learn best at play and through interaction with their environments, therefore we utilize the creative curriculum and the Waterford Early Literacy program. The enthusiasm builds as you go through these rooms.”
The final and most impressive unique feature of this center became apparent when Wardsworth mentioned she had gone to school in the Clara Hearne School. She was actually a student in the school she is now in charge of.
When the interviewer acted surprised, Wardsworth laughed and pointed to two other teachers in the room who had also attended school in the building. In fact, she named several more in the building who attended and graduated from the Roanoke Rapids Schools District.
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