LISBON — A new option is being made available for children and youth this summer.

Melissa Puhalla, preschool supervisor for the Columbiana County Educational Service Center, told the ESC board during its March meeting a Kindergarten Boot Camp is being offered by the Ohio Department of Children and Youth.

Grant funding will come from the state and eligible districts will receive an approved number of seats.

“We are in discussions with select districts to determine if they would be willing to provide staff and programming for the four-week program,” she said, according to meeting minutes posted online.

The Ohio Department of Children and Youth Boot Camp fact sheet states improving kindergarten readiness statewide is a priority for the department and that the boot camp is being launched this year in partnership with the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce.

The boot camp will provide children entering kindergarten in the 2026-27 school year with targeted programming and high-quality preschool instruction, according to the fact sheet.

The new opportunity is open to public school districts that are currently Early Childhood Education grantees.

The program is expected to operate between June 1 and Aug. 28 for a minimum of four weeks and at least 75 total instructional hours.

In related matters, Puhalla said preschool registration began on Feb. 17 and seat are filling up.

She also said that the ESC is developing ways to assist parents with completing Early Childhood Education applications.