Sólgarður and Leikgarður preschools merge

Translation: Judy Yum Fong

Icelandic Student Services (Félagsstofnun stúdenta - FS) manages two preschools within the student housing neighborhood of Eggertsgata. Sólgarður is a preschool for children who are six months to two years old, the youngest children, and is reserved for children of students at UI. Mánagarður, the other pre-school, is open for all.

There were originally three preschools until recently when the Leikgarður building was updated and extended; thus the staff of Sólgarður were transferred there. A journalist from the Student Paper visited Sólgarður and spoke with Sigríður Stephensen, the preschool principal.

“The Icelandic Student Services takes great pride in the preschool and the parents of the children, who spend their days here, are usually very happy with the overall operation, the great facilities, and how the staff approach their jobs professionally, meticulously, and conscientiously,” says Sigríður. “These are professional, beautiful, and well-maintained preschools which enjoy some popularity.”

Sigríður Stephensen, the preschool principal at Sólgarður

All students at UI can apply for a preschool spot at Sólgarður. “However, there can be delays due the waitlist being quite long. Now, for example, there are 200 children registered on the waitlist, “ says Sigríður.

In total, there are over 40 staff members at Sólgarður, some of which also study at UI.

According to the agreement with Reykjavik, all students who have preschool aged children have the right to a student discount of preschool fees, but the conditions are the following: both parents need to be studying and each of them needs to be registered for at least 22 ECTs. The discount is about 20,000 krónur a month.

FS preschools work according to the HighScope high-quality education policy. The HighScope policy frames all aspects of the preschool, with an emphasis on keeping the children’s interests and desires in mind. The role of the teacher is to support the children, strengthen their interests and abilities and take an active part in each child’s learning.

“Our purpose is to provide an effective education for the children and to support their choices and decisions,” Sigríður says.

The Sólgarður playground on a beautiful winter day

At Sólgarður, there are 115 preschool spots for one to two year olds but the spots are always full and children up to three years old have to stay at Sólgarður due to the shortage of spots at other preschools. In Mánagarður, the other preschool that FS manages, there are 127 spots for children one to six years old, so children who start at Sólgarður often move over to Mánagarður when they turn three.