Preschool program latest improvement for high-risk Utah school

FORT DUCHESNE, Uintah County — Laween Billmire works her way around the small tables in her classroom, checking on her students as they use a crayon to trace the letters that make up their names.

"Very good, Robert," she tells one boy. "We've been working on that 'b.' You've got it!"

Billmire taught kindergarten at Eagle View Elementary School last year. This year she's got a class of 20 preschoolers — the first such class at the school that received a three-year, $1.8 million federal grant for a preschool program.

"We see about 90 percent of our students coming in to kindergarten (are) not ready," said Eagle View Principal Robert Stearmer. "We kept thinking, we've got to look at doing something."

Eagle View was created four years ago, after the Uintah School District was forced by the federal government to restructure Todd Elementary and West Junior High schools following years of poor academic performance. Todd met No Child Left Behind standards sporadically; West never did, Stearmer said.

Stearmer, the only principal Eagle View has ever had, has worked with his faculty and staff to change attitudes at the school and to try to foster a culture of academic success. The new direction has received strong support from the Ute Indian Tribe as well, Stearmer said. Native American students make up 70 percent of the school's student body, he said.

The changes have started to have an impact. Eagle View nearly met the No Child Left Behind standards two years ago, and met them last year.

Stearmer said the preschool grant, which also includes money for teacher development, is another step forward because it addresses a critical need.

"Research and experience show that if you're not on grade-level by third grade, it's extremely difficult to catch up," he said, explaining the reason for going after the preschool funding.

Ray Reutzel, the Emma Eccles Jones Distinguished Professor of Early Literacy at Utah State University, is working with Eagle View as part of the federal grant. He makes himself available to the faculty via email, but also visits the school to meet with teachers and discuss strategies helping students learn to read and write.

Being prepared for kindergarten has never been more important, Reutzel said.

"Other nations are educating their children younger and they go to school longer," he said. "They basically are further along than our students are at the same point in time."