Enrollment

How much does it cost to apply? We believe that preschool should be available and accessible so we don’t charge anything to submit your application. Once you are offered a space or to remain active on our waitlist, we charge a one-time $25 Admissions Processing Fee.

When can I submit my application? We accept applications year-round so you can submit your application online for free anytime! We do an annual re-enrollment period for current students in February and then focus on enrolling new students in the Spring and Summer for the upcoming academic year.

Can I apply even if my child isn’t two years old yet? Yes! We maintain an active waitlist for children that are under two years or have not met our readiness checklist yet. Just submit your application online for free to be added to our waitlist.

Does my child need to be potty trained to join preschool? One of the items on our readiness checklist is being able to use the toilet (with assistance) so we require all students to come in underwear and use the bathroom regularly while they are at school. We will change clothes as needed and provide extra support to younger students who need assistance in using the bathroom. Pull ups are okay during nap time only.

How long is your waitlist? Our waitlist isn’t very long now and most children can be admitted between 3-6 months after submitting their Admissions Packet as spaces become available.

How will I know if a space becomes available? If you are on our wait list and have submitted a complete Admissions Packet, we will follow up with with via email one month before your preferred start date to update you on current openings and wait list length. As soon as a space becomes available, the Director will notify the applicant (by email and phone) and the applicant will have 48 hours to decide if they want to continue to enroll their child or withdraw based on their current needs. Priority admission will be given to children that can attend school all five days, full-time or can fill current enrollment openings. Please read more about our Admission Process for additional details.

Do siblings get enrollment preference or discounts? We process all applications based on the date received and encourage families to submit your application for each child who they plan to enroll (now or in the future). When two or more siblings are enrolled, we give a 10% discount to all siblings (the first child is at the full rate).

Do you offer a daily drop-in option? As space allows, we allow students who have a complete Admissions Packet on file to join us on a drop-in basis. Please inform the Director that you are interested in drop-in options and we can notify you when space is available. You can also call us daily at 8:00am at to check in on day-of availability. Drop in rates vary for each enrollment option based on the length of time available daily.

Schedule

How late can I drop off my child? For students enrolled in our Half-Day AM program or Full-Day Program, our standard drop-off begins at 7:45am. If you are running later than 8:15am, please send our teachers a message on Brightwheel so we know when to expect you. We do not have a cut-off time where you are considered late.

What happens if I need to drop off my child early or pick them up late? If a student enrolled in the Half-Day AM program or Full-Day Program need to arrive before 7:45am, we offer an early drop-off option at 7:00am for an additional $20/day; this must be prearranged at least 24 hours in advance so we ensure we have staff onsite. For students joining at the Extended Program (11:00am) or Half-Day PM program (2:00pm), we do not offer early drop off options, but have the option for late pick up beyond the 5:15pm close until 6:00pm for an additional $20/day; this must be prearranged at least 24 hours in advance so we ensure we have staff onsite.

How does the half-day program work with the full-day schedule? Some families prefer to enroll their children for our half-day program (AM or PM) instead of staying the entire day. As space allows, students in our half-day program can add on the Extended Program as an enrollment option to make their day longer and include a nutritious lunch. You can review our daily schedule for more details.

What if my child does not nap anymore? We recognize that not all preschool-age children nap consistently (and some not at all). We have a Nap/Quiet Time as part of our daily schedule to encourage rest and relaxation for all children enrolled in our program in accordance with Title 24, Section 101230: “All children shall be given an opportunity to nap or rest without distraction or disturbance from other activities at the center.” Our non-napping students participate in a daily Quiet Time where they can rest in a calm space or read/play quietly. We do not force students to lie down quietly for the entirety of nap time if they have not fallen asleep.

What holidays and breaks do I need to be aware of? We follow the Sacramento City Unified School District academic calendar and reserve the right to close on specific national and religious holidays. Our current academic calendar includes all scheduled holidays and breaks when school is not in session and we also remind families in our weekly Newsletters and private virtual community.

Curriculum

What kind of activities do you do in preschool? We create all of our own curriculum using the practice of “Emergent Curriculum” based on the core value of the month, chosen monthly theme, and current student interests. From engaging in free play (inside and outside) as well as through Center-Based Learning that offers exposure to diverse resources based on children’s emerging interests, we are always taking the whole child into account - their social, emotional, cognitive, and physical realms of developmental and learning. We observe to discover what the children are interested in to help them learn naturally and holistically as individual learners and as a holistic class. Through our multi-faceted curriculum, you can expect your student to be exposed to art (drawing, paint, collage), science (simple cause and effect reactions), nature (discussing habitats and ecosystems), sensory play and fine-motor activities (like moon sand or cutting with scissors), gross-motor play (dancing, jumping, outdoor exploration), and other pre-academic skills (letters, numbers, colors, and shapes). We work with students to both recognize and write their first name based on age-level so they are prepared for the transition to Kindergarten.

What if my child does not want to do a certain activity? Out program is intentionally designed to have a balance of student-directed tasks (free play, outside time, cleaning up, etc.), along with teacher-directed activities (Circle Time, Centers, snack/lunch, bathroom breaks, etc). We will introduce activities to all students and offer support based on their specific developmental abilities. We always have the option for students to choose a book or draw if they prefer that instead of a specific Center activity. We also will have all students use the bathroom and wash hands regularly. In order to stay in ratio, we do not have the ability for students to choose not to participate in all-class activities in separate spaces because we need to ensure proper supervision at all times.

Do you ever go on field trips? Because we support students with a variety of enrollment options (part-day, full-day, etc.), we are still exploring what offsite field trips will look like and will engage parents with options to see what will work best. We have brought outside guests onsite for special days, like the Sacramento Police Department K-9 unit when we were learning about Community Helpers and animals , and will continue to integrate experiential learning into our curriculum. We also have scheduled special field trip days over winter break to get students together before the new year begins to help build community.

For more details about our program, please click here.