By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

Clanton Elementary School was able to take 18 names off its First Class Pre-K waiting list last week after receiving a grant for another classroom.

The classroom in located in the preschool academy building on the CES campus.

CES Principal Rebekah Threlkeld said this brings the number of First Class Pre-K classrooms at the school to eight.

“We applied for another one because we had a large waiting list,” Threlkeld said.

With this addition and the opening of three preschool classrooms at other schools in the county, the CES waiting list is down to 10 students.

Threlkeld said many other schools also have waiting lists.

She said application to the program can be made at any time during the year. Sometimes spaces do open up midyear as families move or choose other options for their child.

“If you have a 4-year-old, go ahead and register because they may have a good chance of getting in,” Threlkeld said.

Students are chosen to fill empty spots based on where they are on the waiting list.

Each classroom has a teacher and an assistant teacher.

First Class Preschool is funded by grants from the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education.