A Springfield school received a top Ohio honor for the first time

Springfield City Schools received a five-star rating for their preschool this year, the first time the district achieved the designation.

Debra Accurso, the principal at Clark Early Learning Center, said the combination of hard work and being innovative earned the school the award.

“Our children have worked very hard for the five-star rating,” she said. “The teachers are doing wonderful things in the classroom.”

The preschool at the city schools serves about 450 kids and is free for families who live in and around Springfield, Accurso said. The preschool opened in 2009.

The rating is given by the Ohio Department of Education. Preschools are rated from one star to five stars, based on how well the curriculum prepares students for preschool, the safety of children at the school and other factors.

Other Clark County preschools to win the five-star award this year were Medway school, Miami View, Northeastern, Northwestern, Rockway, and Rolling Hills.

Springfield’s early education center serves students ages 3 to 5, Accurso said, and wants to reach every student to make sure they are ready for their early education years.

“We all know that learning starts before the age of 5,” she said. “We try to grab them at 3 and 4 so they are able to get the skills they need so they are successful at kindergarten. We want them to be able to get along with their peers, we want them to listen and follow directions. We want parents to know their children are safe at school and they are going to get the skills they need.”

For more information on the preschool, call 937-505-4170.

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