Cedar Park preschool starts program to help elementary students learn virtually

To aid working parents, a Cedar Park preschool has started a program to create a "school-like" classroom for virtual students.

Children's Lighthouse will begin its Virtual Learning Assistance program Aug. 17 for Leander ISD, Round Rock ISD, private school and charter school students who are 12 years old or younger. Teachers will monitor students' video calls and support students with their school work. Parents have a full-time or part-time option for flexibility.

"I'm a parent myself, and I've got a kindergartner starting. A lot of parents were like, 'We don't know what we're going to do.' So I kind of saw there is a need for this," said Noor Attia, an owner of Children's Lighthouse in Cedar Park.

Several of Attia's school parents requested this type of program, so Attia saw this as a way to help the community, especially for parents of three or four children.

"Even parents who are working at home are like 'I can't do this without help,'" Attia said.

Classrooms will be spaced for social distancing, staffed with one teacher per 10 students and organized into grade-based groups. All classrooms are equipped with Wi-Fi, but students must bring their own computers and headphones. Private study space is also available for students who need a quieter place to work or read, Attia said.

The school will clean and sanitize classrooms daily and take students' temperatures upon arrival.

The program costs $199 per student weekly if enrolled before Aug. 31 or $260 after Aug. 31. More information and the enrollment application are on the school's website.