As the Great Neck Public Schools' Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program completes its first year, and anticipates a second year, Sheila Terens, assistant superintendent elementary schools, presented the board of education with a program update. Speaking at the board's May 13 meeting, Dr. Terens reported that ''a universal pre-kindergarten program was successfully established during the 2001-2002 school year, with 18 children at Parkville and two children whose families opted for the Great Neck Community pre-school, our collaborating community site.''

For the first year, the 2001-2002 school year, Great Neck accepted the New York State Education Department's $75,600 for 28 pre-k students, enrolled at $2,700 per child.

Dr. Terens noted that a recent visit by a SED representative resulted in an excellent review of the program. The report stated: ''the commitment of the administrators, teachers, and teaching assistants to quality early childhood programming was evident ... the skills demonstrated by the teaching staff and the quality of their interactions with the children, as well as the thoughtful approach to integrated planning have resulted in a high quality, developmentally appropriate program.''

Dr. Terens did state that the term ''universal'' pre-kindergarten ''is really a misnomer.'' She explained that six years ago the state had intended to provide funding for all 4-year-olds, within five years, ''but that optimism is long gone due to lack of funds, and for many districts, lack of space for all 4-year-olds.'' The state now allows local school districts to develop their own policy for selecting students for universal pre-kindergarten after needy families are served. Great Neck's pre-K advisory board has agreed on a progression of income need for this selection.

The requirements for the selection of universal pre-K students is based on the eligibility requirements established by the SED and by New York State legislation. These requirements include: resident children who will be 4 years old by Dec. 1 of that school year; preference for economically disadvantaged; inclusion of children with disabilities; and inclusion of children who are English language learners. These were the guideline used for the first year selection.

Dr. Terens said that ''the advisory board agreed that universal pre-kindergarten in Great Neck is an opportunity to provide early fundamental learning and intervention for additional students in the community whose families could not afford private pre-school programs.''

(When the advisory board began its first deliberations in 1997, they did recognize that even though ''children were being well-served by the community's excellent private pre-schools and non-profit agency programs, as well as by the district's experimental pre-kindergarten program ... there were some gaps in early childhood services in the community, and there were needy families who were not being served.''

Great Neck expects the same SED funding for universal pre-K for the coming 2002-2003 school year. The plan would then be to use space at the Parkville school for 18 children, plus whatever placements can be offered by collaborating pre-schools. The selection process would remain according to the same guidelines.