By Tim SchmidtRecord Managing EditorA free preschool program will be offered in the Warren County R-III School District for a fourth consecutive school year.The district last month finalized a one-year contract renewal with Youth In Need to continue the program. As part of the partnership, both entities share in the expenses which are projected to cost $389,107 during the 2015-2016 school year.R-III will pay $201,617, a slight increase from the year before, with the remaining $187,490 covered by Youth In Need. The bulk of the funds will cover the salaries and benefits of 14 people, all of whom will be considered Youth In Need employees.Full-day classrooms operate in each of the elementary schools in the district — Daniel Boone Elementary, Warrior Ridge Elementary and Rebecca Boone Elementary — and classes are held Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for children ages 4 and 5 who will be entering kindergarten the following year.Two half-day sessions are held Monday through Thursday from 7:45-11:15 a.m. and 12:15-3:45 p.m. for all 3-year-old children enrolled in the program, as well as 4- and 5-year-olds who either have never been in a preschool program, will not be attending kindergarten the following year or upon a parent’s request.The program provides 28 slots for Head Start eligible children and up to 72 slots for other children from the community.The classrooms are licensed by the state of Missouri Bureau of Child Care through Youth in Need. The preschool program is free and has been in place since the 2012-2014 school year.Amy Merritt, county director for Youth In Need’s Head Start program, said positive gains have been made in the current school year. She noted that attendance is up and more engagement has been made with the schools, parents and the community.“I have to say this has been our most successful year,” Merritt said. “This year we have seen a lot of success for our students and families.”She later added, “Our overall goal is that the children are more involved and will be more excited when they get to kindergarten and the parents will be more excited and it will be an easier transition next year.”Families learn in July or August if they are enrolled for the preschool program. During the school year, families with students enrolled will be invited to monthly meetings, all families will meet four times with Youth in Need staff at their home or school, and students will be expected to maintain an 85-percent attendance rate in order to continue in the program.A nonprofit agency, Youth In Need provides a wide array of programs including case management, counseling and education development for Warren, Montgomery, Lincoln, St. Charles and St. Louis counties and St. Louis city. The agency operates the Marvin Marks Child Development Center and Warren County Head Start office in Warrenton.The R-III school board unanimously approved renewing the contract, which is in effect from July 1 to June 30, 2016, at its March meeting.Youth in Need