$912,269 on the way?

The Galt Joint Elementary School District is expected to receive nearly $1 million to create new programs aimed at reaching out to children before they're even enrolled in school.

The district was officially chosen Friday by the county's First 5 program. The state collects revenue from the cigarette tax approved by voters 10 years ago and distributes it among counties and their programs aimed to reach out to children under age five. Through the 50-cent tax, the First 5 Sacramento Commission distributes an estimated $17 million throughout the county each year.

At a school board meeting last month, the Galt elementary board approved moving forward with a First 5 grant that will provide the school district $912,269 to better prepare preschoolers for kindergarten.

The money will be distributed over four years, through June 2012. A portion of it will go directly to summer programs for pre-kindergartners who did not attend preschool and need assistance in readiness skills, such as listening and other fine motor skills.

The school readiness program also focuses on improving physical and social health among the county's youngest residents, according to Doreen Diehl, the county's First 5 school readiness coordinator.

Although the program is still in the planning stages and won't officially kick off until March 1, after official commission approval of the grant, the Galt district can serve additional students with the money. First 5 programs are currently being held at Fairsite Elementary School.

What is First 5?

First 5 works to improve the lives of the county's youngest children and their families through funding from the California Children and Families Act, also known as Proposition 10, which was enacted in 1998.

The ultimate goal is to enhance the health and early growth experiences of children, enabling them to be more successful in school and giving them a better opportunity to succeed in life.

Source: First 5 Sacramento Commission

Research shows that children's brains develop quickly in the first five years, and what caregivers and parents do to promote this growth greatly affects children throughout their lifetime, according to the local First 5 commission.

The school readiness program is one of several funded by the tax, but by far is the largest component, Diehl said, adding that eligibility is based partly on a district's API scores.

Galt is one of three districts to receive the funding solely from the county commission and without a state matching component.

"There is so much enthusiasm for the school readiness program," Diehl said. "These districts are so excited about the opportunities."

Contact reporter Jennifer Bonnett at jenniferb@lodinews.com.

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