The Mathews County School Board will hold a community forum tonight to explore the possibility of implementing an early childhood program for 3- and 4-year-olds.

The community is invited to the forum, which will be held at 6 o’clock in the Brooks Auditorium at Thomas Hunter Middle School.

Invitations have been mailed to a number of elected officials, including State Sen. Lynwood Lewis (D-Accomac), Del. Keith Hodges (R-Urbanna), U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) and his wife, Anne Holton, the former state education secretary and current member of the Virginia Board of Education. County administrator Mindy Conner and the members of the Mathews County Board of Supervisors were also sent invitations.

Last September, the school board received a presentation from Tom Kinney, president of the Kids First Foundation, which had offered to provide start-up money for a preschool program for 3-year-olds in the county. At that time, the board had to decline the offer. The group has already s...