May 1, 2023

Talent Elementary students and staff were introduced to some new, small roommates today when The Ivy School at Talent Elementary opened its doors for the first time in a single classroom in the northeast wing of the TES campus.

Funded by the state of Oregon’s Preschool Promise scholarship program, The Ivy School at TES is free to those who qualify – eligibility is based on family size and income.

Up to 20 children ages 3 to 5 will be part of the school’s inaugural class, which will attend 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday each week until school closes for the summer in mid-June. It will pick up again for the start of its first full school year in September.

“I think we always want to work with schools that are excited about early learning and when you talk to a principal who gets it, that’s just really motivating as a whole,” said Ivy School director Britt Zimmerman, referring to TES principal Heather Lowe Rogers.

Zimmerman had hoped to open The Ivy School at TES, The Ivy School’s 10th preschool site, back in September of 2022, but pandemic-related staffing challenges made that impossible, she said. Now that it’s finally open for business, Zimmerman is excited about the possibilities.

“The mission has always been to serve as many children as possible and provide as many kids as possible with high-quality early learning,” Zimmerman said. “That started as eight kids when we got hired and now is about 250 children just in the preschools. And I think that’s just really exciting. 

“It means more kids have access to early learning and we know – it’s not even just we believe – we know that that means kindergarten is more successful, and then first grade, second grade …it just sets the path.”

For more information about The Ivy School and how to apply, contact Zimmerman at britt@tcmso.org or Talent Elementary at 541-535-1531.