Sparta school officials share Milton Preschool plans

Sparta School District officials shared new details about the upcoming Milton Preschool and enrollment projections on June 17 at Mohawk Avenue School.

According to superintendent Matthew Beck, the preschool is scheduled to open in Fall 2026. All district preschool classrooms currently housed at Alpine Elementary School and Helen Morgan School will relocate to the new facility, which will operate from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The district announced several appointments for the preschool. Laura Kasa will serve as principal, Kelli Skorupa as nurse, Nicole Petrock as office secretary, Robert Covert as head custodian and Michael Jack as security officer. District officials said Jack is the only new hire made specifically for the preschool so far, while bus aides and other staff members are still being onboarded.

Bus routes are expected to be released in July. Officials said before- and after-school care arrangements remain under development.

Board of Education President Kaitlin Gagnon said it is unclear whether such programs will be offered at the preschool, although openings are available at private providers in Sparta.

Milton Preschool will contain 13 classrooms and a dedicated therapy room for occupational, physical and speech services.

District officials expect approximately 278 students to attend the preschool during the 2026-27 school year. The program will continue to rely on state Preschool Education Aid funding, which may allow students from Jefferson Township to enroll.

According to Beck, continued eligibility for Preschool Education Aid was a major factor in the board’s decision to lease the former Milton School building in Oak Ridge under a five-year agreement approved in May.

“We have been exploring alternative solutions for years,” Beck wrote in a statement to the Sparta Independent. “This solution is ideal because it relies on state funding, Preschool Education Aid (PEA), to provide immediate relief that will not burden Sparta taxpayers.”

Some residents have questioned why the district chose to lease an additional building rather than use available space within existing schools.

Beck said the move will alleviate overcrowding at Alpine Elementary School by freeing seven classrooms and allowing art and music instruction to return to dedicated spaces. The change will also free two classrooms at Helen Morgan School and eliminate the district’s preschool waitlist.

During the 2025-26 school year, Alpine Elementary School housed about 750 students. Officials project enrollment of approximately 627 students next year, excluding preschool students.

Beck also addressed suggestions that district administrative space at Mohawk Avenue School could be converted into classrooms, saying the option would require costly renovations and provide only limited additional space while displacing administrative staff.

District officials acknowledged concerns about the speed of the decision-making process, noting that legal and ethical considerations limited what information could be shared publicly before the lease agreement was finalized. A June 5 newsletter was distributed to residents to answer questions and clarify details about the project.