A free preschool has opened today in Eatonville. It joins the new Hungerford Elementary School and Orange Technical College in capping off a wrap-around educational ecosystem in the area.
The new Hawk Haven preschool will provide a free, education-centered childcare option for OCPS families living in Eatonville.
Students who attend will be prepared for kindergarten, and learn community building, mindfulness and healthy eating habits among other life skills.
Bridget Williams is the Chief of Staff of Orange County Public Schools. As a former teacher and principal, she’s seen first-hand the benefits of early childhood education.
“Early childhood education is essential to building skills for the success of our nearly 208,000 students at OCPS. What they learn in their first five years helps them in the classroom and in life after graduation, I've seen for myself as an educator, the difference that early childhood education makes in literacy, language, self-regulation and social skills. As we know, oh, this works,” said Williams.
The school boasts a number of different amenities to support this learning, like indoor and outdoor building blocks, sensory tables, painting stations, and spaces dedicated to reading.
The school was made possible by funding from the Travel + Leisure Charitable Foundation.
CEO Michael Brown said it’s the bookend to the work the foundation has been doing in Eatonville since 2021, when it set up a scholarship for Eatonville seniors to attend public universities or colleges in Florida.
“We began our outreach in the town of Eatonville, in 2021 announcing a scholarship to help qualifying high school seniors achieve their dreams of higher education without financial burden. This program was inspired by the tremendous work of philanthropist Harris Rosen on behalf of students in Orlando's Tangelo Park community. Using his program as our guide, Hawk Haven preschool acts as a bookend in our Eatonville scholarship program, helping support students from age two to age 22,” said Brown.
Brown said he’s hopeful this school will change the trajectory of many of the little ones who weren’t even born, when the preschool was being constructed.
“Access to early childhood education is linked to improved college outcomes and higher earning potential. We have every confidence that the addition of this free, high-quality preschool will guide our youngest students and their parents on the path to a successful K-12 journey and beyond into universities,” said Brown.
According to the National Education Association, children who participate in early childhood education are:
- Less likely to repeat a grade
- Less likely to be identified as having special needs
- More prepared academically for later grades
- More likely to graduate from high school
- Higher earners in the workforce
A study conducted by The Administration for Children and Families, found children who participate in early childhood learning programs had better foundational skills for reading, math, self-control, and positive relationships.
It also found that children from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, and children with learning disabilities, particularly stand to benefit from these programs.
