Mesquite ISD Read Play Talk Magazine Fall 2017 | Page 16

D awn Patterson is the principal and owner of CP Preparatory School, an early childhood education center in Mesquite. Patterson is a member of the district’s ReadPlayTalk Board, and her school is one of MISD’s partners in the Pre-K-3 initiative. Page 16 What stands out to you about the Mesquite ISD PreK-3 partnership and why did you want to get involved? What are the benefits of children reading, playing and talking every day from an early age? Because I strongly believe in early childhood education and early intervention. I’ve been a business owner since 1997, and I started it on the premise of what Dr. Vroonland is doing now—trying to get [young students] on grade level. I’ve had a really high success rate for over 20 years now. I was so excited to be involved with Mesquite ISD. This [type of initiative] is the whole reason I’m in business. They have a better chance to have a solid foundation in reading, writing and math. They won’t have any academic gaps that other children might have. Q&A