(KNZA)--The Prairie Hills Board of Education is considering the possible addition of a pre-school program at the Wetmore school.

Superintendent Todd Evans says the Board discussed the issue during their regular meeting Monday evening.

He says there has been discussion about the possibility of the Wetmore school having a pre-school program similar to the one in Sabetha where students would qualify to attend based on a number of factors.

Evans said the idea presented by Wetmore Principal Janelle Boden was that the program could be offered without increasing personnel by combining the preschoolers in the same classroom with kindergartners.

He said the Board was receptive to the idea but indicated further information is needed before a decision can be made.

In other business, Evans says the Board  discussed the possible addition of a ½ time pre-school teacher at the Sabetha Elementary School for next school year.

Partially because of the closure of the Sabetha Headstart program, applicants for the program have increased in recent years.

Evans said there was concern expressed by the Board that adding an additional section of preschoolers could adversely impact the three other community-based pre-schools in Sabetha.

He said more research will be conducted because a decision is made at the May 8th board meeting.

Also Evans says the Board discussed the possibility of combining  elementary grade classes at the Wetmore school.

He said the discussion stemmed from concerns by board members that class sizes are decreasing at the school and concern that the Wetmore facility will need to find reductions in order to continue meeting the economic viability standard set by the board

The issue is to be re-visited at the October board meeting after expenditures are audited from the 2016-2017 school year.