Letter To The Editor

Preschool group says 'thanks' for donations

Dear editor:

On behalf of the Saskatoon Preschool Foundation, I want to thank the University of Saskatchewan faculty, staff, and students for their donations. These gifts help in meeting the Foundation's Mission of advocating for and supporting access to quality preschools for Saskatoon children through the establishment of a permanent endowment fund.

The Foundation wishes to thank the University employees who authorize Payroll Services to make monthly deductions from their salary. This action provides the Foundation with regular income and assists with effective planning. Student College associations such as the Saskatoon Engineering Students' Society and the College of Law Legal Follies Association have helped the Foundation.

In 2001, the Foundation spent more than $7,000 in preschool tuition subsidies helping certain families with the cost of preschool that averages about $50 per month in Saskatoon. Some of the special circumstances of these families include:

• Single mothers furthering their education

• Low-income families where one or more parents are injured, unemployed, or ill

• The working poor who are unable to afford the monthly preschool fees after paying for family necessities

Even with the presence of the Saskatoon Preschool Foundation, there are some children in this city who do not have access to a preschool experience. As a result, they can have limited literacy experiences, speech and language difficulties, and weaker social skills.

Medical researchers such as Dr. Fraser Mustard emphasize the importance of early childhood experiences to support the brain development of children aged 0-3 years. Experiences in a child's early years have a profound effect on the child's emotional, social, and intellectual development and well-being. The costs of preschool are far less than the larger social expense incurred later in life of children who were lacking in positive early intervention opportunity.

Thank you.

Les Ferguson
Executive Director
Saskatoon Preschool Foundation
3144 Arlington Ave., Saskatoon, SK S7J 3L5
www.spf.sk.ca