House Republican Press Release

January 26, 2007

Press Office: 860-240-8700

Rep. Hamzy: Bond Commission Approves Grant for Bristol Preschool Child Care Center

Grant Totaling $71,904 Will Pay for Minor Capital Improvements

The State Bond Commission today approved a grant totaling $71,904 to fund minor capital improvements at the Bristol Preschool Child Care Center on West Street, state Representative William A. Hamzy, R-78^th District, announced today.

The Bond Commission approved the funding at its regular monthly meeting today at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford, Representative Hamzy said.

“The improvements this grant will make possible are important to the children who attend the Bristol Preschool Child Care Center, which offers school readiness programs that help youngsters from varied backgrounds to acquire the knowledge and skills they need to keep up with their peers in the elementary grades,” Representative Hamzy said. “Children who are unprepared for the challenges of learning to read, write and do arithmetic run the risk of falling behind their classmates and having to take remedial classes to catch up.”

“School readiness programs help fill the knowledge gaps that make learning difficult for many children. This grant will give the Bristol Preschoool Child Care Center the resources it needs to fund improvements to its facilities that will enable it to better accomplish that important mission,” Representative Hamzy said.

“Bristol Preschool is absolutely ecstatic about this grant. It will provide the funding we need to correct a water drainage problem in our parking lot and install five new classroom sinks. The improvements will address health and safety issues and help us comply with NAEC accreditation standards,” said Executive Director Shirley Anderson.

A drainage pipe and a new curb basis will be installed in the parking lot to correct the drainage problem, which creates an ice buildup in the winter and causes occasional runoff into West Street at other times, she said.