“Just being in on a few Zoom calls or educational meetings and hearing that 30 to 50 percent of minority youth don’t get preschool kind of made me say, ‘we probably can do better,'” Clayton said.

According to Fort Dodge Community School District assessments from the 2020-2021 school year, kindergarteners who did not attend preschool performed on average about 18% lower than their classmates who did attend preschool.

“You’re starting your educational experience at a disadvantage,” Clayton said. “Thats’ so important, the social skills and the learning skills — that interaction. We have to be able to do better.”

So Clayton decided to explore the possibility of starting a preschool within the walls of the old Hillcrest Elementary School, 712 Third St. N.W. The school is located on the grounds of AFES. AFES purchased the property in 2010 from the FDCSD.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
Charles Clayton, executive director of Athletics for Education and Success, stands in a hallway at the old Hillcrest Elementary School on the grounds of AFES. According to Clayton, anywhere between 30% and 40% of minority students are not attending preschool in Fort Dodge. A preschool may one day be offered at AFES.

AFES is already a licensed day care facility, which is one less hoop to to jump through, Clayton said.

Currently, the FDCSD is using about 80% of the Hillcrest school space for its CARES and PRIDE students. But different arrangements could be made for those students as the district shuffles things around in the coming months.

The former Arey School and Central Administration Office building is being converted into a new space for an early childhood center.

Dr. Jesse Ulrich, FDCSD superintendent, said options and decisions regarding the location of CARES/PRIDE are still being looked at and discussed.

Ulrich said if AFES does move forward with starting a preschool it would be considered a community partner preschool and not a district-run preschool.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson Charles Clayton, executive director of Athletics for Education and Success, looks on outside of the old Hillcrest Elementary School on the grounds of AFES. Clayton said not enough minorities are going to preschool. With that in mind, a preschool may one day be offered at this location.

One wrinkle Clayton would like to have at an AFES preschool is bilingual education.

“We would love to have that option if we can,” he said.

At the moment, Clayton is interested in gauging the interest level of the community.

“Are they supportive of us doing it?” Clayton said. “It’s going to be a little bit of a cost to get some things up to date and we are looking into those avenues now. Would it be cost effective?”

The playground equipment and some of the classrooms would need some renovations, Clayton said.

Ulrich said the district supports the development if it were to come to fruition.

“Having another partner preschool in town would mean more opportunities for children to attend preschool,” Ulrich said. “Data shows that children who attend preschool are better prepared for kindergarten and their academic journey. We would love to see every 4-year-old in Fort Dodge participate in preschool to set them up for success throughout their schooling.”