This petition is respectfully requesting the board of directors of the Washington Heights Y to seek Full Day Universal Pre K status for the Fall 2016-2017 school year. We have been happy with and grateful for our experience at the Y thus far, and with this petition remain strong advocates of the school’s philosophy, it’s values and high educational standards. It is because we are such strong proponents of this school that we are seeking UPK status for the Y.
We have created this petition because we believe that a full day UPK will be a benefit to the Washington Heights Y for the following reasons:
1) With the financial support of UPK, children will be able to consistently attend the Y from age 2-5. Therefore, the Y will be able to keep the same students, enabling a long term relationship with families and fostering a stronger community.
2) Full day UPK status will increase enrollment at the Y, which will result in increased enrollment for the Y's after school, camp and enrichment programs, again helping to develop a richer community.
3) Full day UPK will enable the Y to continue to serve the whole community, as its mission has been for the last century.
The families who have signed this petition are in full support of the transition to a Full Day UPK program. It is worth noting that some of the families who have signed have already expressed their deep concerns that without such a transition they will not be able to continue to enroll their children at the Y.
We sincerely believe that this decision is in the best interest of the Washington Heights Y as an organization, an educational institution, and as a community.
