Hudson Preschool Parents goals have remained the same for over three decades. 
Our Mission:  "To Enrich the Lives of Preschool Children and their Parents through, Socialization, Activities and Community Service while establishing the Foundation for a Positive Transition in to a School System.

Hudson Preschool Parents was founded in January 1973 by Dorothea Snyder, Connie Garcia, and Kay Bayless.  The idea of working with preschool parents actually originated in 1970, when Erma Lu Griggs began a project called Preschool Mothers, in order to meet a sabbatical requirement for her doctorate.  During that school year, Mrs. Griggs worked with Dorothea Snyder, Principal of Evamere Elementary School, and William Pletzer, Superintendent of Hudson Schools, in setting up a series of parent meetings related to preschoolers.

During the school years 1972-74, Mrs. Garcia was completing her Masters Degree in School Psychology and Educational Specialist Degree at Kent State University, where Mrs. Bayless was Professor of Early Childhood Education.  Mrs. Garcia served her internship in School Psychology with the Summit County Board of Education and was assigned to work in the Hudson Schools.  Working together, Mrs. Garcia, Mrs. Snyder and Mrs. Bayless discussed ways in which Hudson’s community and educational system could be enhanced through addressing the preschool population.  Their primary goal in forming Hudson Preschool Parents was to build and maintain a strong relationship with the parents of preschoolers, and thereby provide for a positive transition into the school system.

The following year was a significant one in Hudson Preschool Parents history.  In June of 1974, the Hudson Cares Program was developed.  It was established out of a concern of the clergy and educators of Hudson over problems some of the young people were experiencing, and a need was seen for improved communication between parents and their children.  The intent was to develop a community-wide program to improve Hudson’s community life and meet the present and future needs of both young people and adults.  One of the prime recommendations submitted by a Task Force of the Hudson Cares Program was that increased attention should be devoted to the early years of family life and preschool child development.  It was recommended that Hudson Preschool Parents be continued and expanded.  The school and community would provide a support system to develop a Family Life Education Program, which would provide high-quality childhood experiences from the earliest years of life.  To carry out this program, a grant proposal was developed, asking for Mrs. Garcia’s services as Psychologist and Early Childhood Specialist.  Mrs. Snyder and Mrs. Bayless spearheaded the drive to have this proposal accepted.  Approval was obtained, and Mrs. Garcia became a part-time staff member, funded by the Akron Community Foundation, Hudson League for Service, Burton Morgan Foundation and Hudson Local School District.

The Family Life Education Program began during the winter of 1975.  The program was heavily supported and carried out by Hudson Preschool Parents.  Mrs. Garcia worked closely with HPP in the development of programs designed to help with parenting skills and to develop healthy attitudes and motivations during the early childhood years.  One of the initial workshops utilized parenting skill suggestions outlined in “Children:  The Challenge” by Rudolf Dreikurs.  Dynamic programs were offered by Hudson Preschool Parents and the Early Childhood Department of Kent State University.  One was a “Family Life Seminar in Child Rearing and Early Childhood Education in Different Cultures.”  Another seminar focused on “Children of the 80s—Adults of Year 2001.”

During the early years, Hudson Preschool Parents obtained considerable support from the Early Childhood Department of Kent State University, which supplied many of the guest speakers.  Discussions were often followed up with workshops at the senior high school Child Care Lab, headed by Mrs. Joan Van Osdol.  HPP remained relatively informal and had no Board.  Membership was small.  The first Newsletter came out in October of 1975, with an opening statement taken from Newsweek, September 22, 1975, that we think is worth repeating.  As Mrs. Garcia had stated at the time, “This is what Preschool Parents is all about.”

“This year 6 million Americans will take a step that will significantly change their own lives and profoundly affect the next generation:    they will have children.  How they raise these youngsters will have a greater impact on American society than the way they vote, the technologies they produce, the wars they wage or the art they create.  And yet perhaps never before in U.S. history have parents faced more choices, felt more pressures or sought more professional help in the rearing of their children.”

Hudson Preschool Parents has indeed come a long way since its beginning nearly 27 years ago.  However, its goals and objectives remain the same.  We hope to carry on this tradition for many years to come. 

The above spans Hudson Preschool Parents history and early years of development.  If interested, additional information can be obtained by contacting any Board member listed on our contact page or email your inquiry to membership@hudsonpreschoolparents.org.