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Workers prep Norfolk school for January opening [The Virginian-Pilot](Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Oct. 04--NORFOLK -- To its organizers, the NE3W School is more than a new school. As workers install windows, smooth concrete and paint walls in the building on upper Granby Street, supporters hope they also are laying a solid foundation for early learning -- and persuading policymakers to invest in it. The school, located next to the YMCA in Park Place, will open with nine classrooms in January and eventually serve more than 100 children ages 1 through 5. It has an endowment of up to $10 million and a curriculum designed by the University of Virginia. It'll focus on science, technology, engineering, the arts and math. Teachers also will promote effective communication, critical thinking and other "soft skills." Corporate and civic leaders serve on its board of trustees, including Gary McCollum, the head of Cox Communications in Virginia, venture capitalist Paul Hirschbiel and philanthropist Jane Batten -- the widow of Frank Batten, former chairman of Landmark Communications. That company is now known as Landmark Media Enterprises and publishes The Virginian-Pilot. The school is a successor of children's advocacy group Smart Beginnings Hampton Roads. It's run by a nonprofit, Elevate Early Education, or E3. During a recent tour, Lisa Howard, E3's president and CEO, rattled off a few statistics: A child's vocabulary at age 3 can predict her third-grade reading level. Students who can't read well by third grade are four times as likely to not graduate from high school. "This is a critical time in a child's development," Howard said. "You're building a strong foundation." But she acknowledged that some people see preschool as overpriced day care. She works to persuade state legislators and other policymakers, as well as parents. As the beams go up in the school, Howard has handed out brochures and pamphlets and launched a marketing campaign to get families on board. Some won't believe it until they experience it, she said. She already has convinced community members such as Frank Kriston, president of the Park Place Civic League. The school will contribute to the neighborhood's revitalization and provide children with skills needed to succeed in school and beyond, Kriston said. Park Place contains concentrations of poverty that have proved difficult to address. In a recent report, Norfolk's anti-poverty commission cited the school, saying that strong educational opportunities improve quality of life and the economy. The school seeks to attract students from families from the neighborhood and across the region of various income levels. Scholarships will be available for needy families. The school is accepting applications from prospective students and teachers. To measure progress, the school will track academic progress through third grade. They hope to prove that a strong early learning experience prepares students for elementary school. "The addition of this school not only enhances what we're trying to do, it allows the children in the area to get the best education in the state of Virginia," Kriston said. "It will change the mindset of the political agenda." Cherise M. Newsome, 757-446-2378, [email protected] ___ (c)2014 The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Va.) Visit The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Va.) at pilotonline.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |