The doors to the new preschool classrooms at Woodville Elementary School opened Tuesday morning to dozens of parents and their three- to four-year-old children. The new preschool center was made possible through a partnership between Woodville Union School District (WUSD) and TCOE’s Early Childhood Education Program.

Woodville Superintendent Lou Saephan recognized that the district needed a preschool serving the younger children in the community and began conversations with TCOE’s Early Childhood Education Program in 2021 about how to best meet the need. With support of the WUSD Board, the school was able to secure funding to construct a new preschool building from the California Preschool, Transitional Kindergarten, and Full-day Kindergarten Facilities Grant Program, authorized by Assembly Bill 1808 and 130. Woodville entered into an agreement with TCOE’s Early Childhood Education Program to license and operate the two preschool classrooms in the new building. 

Children attend preschool from 7:45 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. They also receive breakfast, lunch, and a snack provided by the school’s food service department. Age-appropriate activities are offered as well as rest time.

To join the preschool’s waitlist, call Connections for Quality Care at (559) 651-3026 and use the keyword “Woodville” for more information. Children can qualify for enrollment in several different ways and do not have to live in Woodville to attend.

TCOE Early Childhood Education Program extends its thanks to Tulare County Superintendent of Schools Tim Hire, Woodville Union School District Superintendent Lou Saephon, and the Woodville Union School District board members for their support of this project and its future.

Project AWARE has teamed up with the Child Abuse Prevention Council (CAPC) of Tulare County  to offer a free, virtual training on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). This training provides valuable insight into the impact of ACEs and how the community can foster resilience, healing, and support for those affected.

Open to professionals working with youth and families, and community members seeking to make a difference, the training offers tools to help attendees understand ACEs and their long-term effects, build approaches to support students affected by ACEs, apply strategies to foster their resilience, and create safer, supportive environments.

Nearly 20 Tulare and Kings county high school students, who were winners in the Migrant Region VIII Regional Speech and Debate Competition held in March, are preparing for the state competition, which will be held May 2-4.

Over 60 students from 10 area school districts participated in the regional event, delivering prepared and extemporaneous speeches, and arguing in the debate portion of the event against an opposing team.

The Migrant Region VIII staff coordinates the annual event, along with volunteers from California Mini-Corps who served as judges, hall monitors, and registration staff.

The regional winners advancing to the state competition next month in Monterey are:

SPEECH

6th/English — Iker Gonzalez (Washington Intermediate School, Dinuba Unified School District)

7th/English — Adelyn Martinez Sierra (John Muir Middle School, Corcoran Joint Unified School District)

7th/Spanish — Gael Miranda (Los Tules Middle School, Tulare City School District)

8th/English — Raudel Perez Hernandez (Los Tules Middle School, Tulare City School District)

8th/Spanish — Guillermo Miranda Juarez (Los Tules Middle School, Tulare City School District)

9th/Spanish — Santiago Garcia Garay (Dinuba High School, Dinuba Unified School District)

10th/English — Katia Pacheco Melchor (Dinuba High School, Dinuba Unified School District)

10th/Spanish — Eduardo Iniguez Martinez (Dinuba High School Dinuba Unified School District)

11th/English — Camila Orozco Romero (Corcoran High School, Corcoran Joint Unified School District)

11th/Spanish — Luna Lopez Martinez (Hanford High School, Hanford Joint Union High School District)

12th/Spanish — Jose Rivera Reyes (Hanford High School, Hanford Joint Union High School District)

DEBATE

High School/English    
Arecely Lopez, Ashley B. Mercado Lara, Mariana Mercado Lara, Emiliano Solorzano Ferreyra, Ruth Ramirez (Dinuba High School, Dinuba Unified School District)

High School/English    
Luis R. Pacheco Melchor, Arely P. Zepeda Alvarez, Jimena Garcia Garay (Dinuba High School, Dinuba Unified School District)

Editor: Robert Herman, Communications Director
Contributors: Nayirah Dosu, Jennifer Fisher, Jaime Burnitzki, Alex Elliott, Eric Sonnenfeld, Anabel González, Javier González

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