“Four-year-old twins, Nolan and Grace Durkee had anticipated
attending Har-Ber Play-school ever since their older sister Hope had
participated in “their school.” According to their mother Jennifer
Durkee, the twins had been calling Har-Ber “their school” for the
past year.

“Nolan especially had a hard time understanding,” said
Mrs. Durkee. “He kept wanting me to go back in and sign him up.”

The Durkees showed up in anticipation of signing up for the
preschool, only to find the room dark.

For the past three years, children between the ages of two and
five attended the play-school for the social aspect to ready them for
Kindergarten. The toddlers stayed for an hour and a half, giving high school
students two class periods to observe their development.

“I was really sad that I couldn’t go to my school,” said
Grace.

“I was really mad that I couldn’t go to my school,” said
Nolan.

The Childcare Guidance Management and Services class was cancelled
this year due to not enough high school students signing up to take the class.
Last school year, the Play-school had six students sign up to take the class,
but only had four students sign up to take the class this year.   There were around 10 toddlers that had planned to attend the class.

The Wildcat Play-school had included around 40 families since it began.  The families have come from not only Springdale, but also other surrounding cities such as Lowell, Rogers, and Fayetteville.

“I like having the playschool because not only is it
beneficial to my students, but it also serves as community outreach,” said
Play-school coordinator Libby Smith.

According to Mrs. Smith, 15 students must
sign up for the class in order for the class to be offered. To promote the
class for the 2012-13 school year, Mrs. Smith is offering three child
development/parenting classes so more students will have the pre-resiquites for
the play-school. The pre-resiquites are not required to take the class, but
they are more helpful to be able to pass the end of course exam.

“It’s not just a class where you go in and play with little
kids like most people think,” said Mrs. Smith. “It’s a pretty tough
class to pass.”

Students are now using the room to work on Students Taking Action
with Recognition, (STAR) Events for Family, Career and Community Leaders of
America. Also, the room holds the equipment that was purchased with the grant
the program received three years ago.

“I am very proud of the childcare program and how much care and work I have put into all
aspects of the program,” said Mrs. Smith.