Warren County Public Schools is teaming up with the Christian community center The Foundry for a new kindergarten readiness academy backed by a grant worth nearly half a million dollars.

Through the project, which is funded by a $450,000 Kentucky Division of Child Care administered grant, The Foundry will be able to add an additional preschool classroom for up to 20 high-need children. That additional classroom will come online after fall break, WCPS Community Outreach Director Tracey Young told the Daily News.

“If they start behind, they also can stay behind,” Young said.

What’s more, the Christian community center is also partnering with WCPS to launch KinderReady, an intensive summer literacy and math program set to launch next summer.

With two two-week sessions across June and July 2022, the program will work with up to 100 children in hopes they can start school on the right foot.

Through KinderReady, Young said, educators will try to move the needle for rising kindergarteners any way they can. The program will prescreen participating students to hone in on what they need the most support with, she said.

Terry Daniels, who leads The Foundry as its executive director, said it’s crucial for children to enter kindergarten ready to learn.

Research has shown that – if children are not reading on grade level by the third grade – the effects can ripple and compound throughout their entire K-12 education.

“If a child is not able to read at third grade proficiency, they will not be able to do fifth grade math,” Daniels said, noting that students who fall behind also have a much greater likelihood of dropping out of high school.

Daniels said he’s excited the grant will offer The Foundry greater capacity to serve children throughout the West End, an impoverished area of Bowling Green. The community center is prioritizing children from this area of the community, based on the high level of need there, Daniels said.

However, these dual initiatives will also be open to young children throughout Bowling Green and Warren County based on need.

“The more students we can educate early, the stronger our community will be later,” Daniels said.

– Follow education reporter Aaron Mudd on Twitter @NewsByAaron or visit bgdailynews.com.