Early Childhood Development Center Kaleidoscope

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1 Early Childhood Development Center Kaleidoscope Welcome to Pre-Kindergarten Admissions! If your child is turning four years old in 2016, it s time to think about pre-kindergarten. Children born in 2012 who live in New York City are eligible to participate in full day, free pre-kindergarten programs that are offered at ECDC Kaleidoscope and are sponsored by the New York City Department of Education. Selecting a pre-kindergarten program is an important decision marking an exciting first step in your child s academic career. Early Childhood Development Center Kaleidoscope is an art-focused Early Education Center created especially for young children to increase their exposure to the arts, to nurture their creative expression, and to build a strong foundation for school readiness and life-long learning. We specialize in classes focusing on the arts, language, math, music, movement, drama, social studies, and science. In our playful environment children develop a strong kinesthetic awareness of themselves, built social skills, self-esteem, self-expression, and independent thinking. Young children learn by doing and through interaction with other children, with adults, and within an appropriate and stimulating environment. Play lets children build trust, friendships and understanding about the world. These early lessons form a solid foundation for future academic success and foster a desire for life-long learning. We embrace our flexible learning environment as it offers plenty of time to explore, to

2 develop interests, and to interact with peers. Kaleidoscope offers Pre-K programs at 480 Stratford Road/843 Coney Island Avenue (Ditmas Park) and Pre-K program at 165 Prospect Park SW (Windsor Terrace). Pre-K Schedule Free Pre-K runs from 9:00 am 3:20 pm Monday-Friday for 176 days during school year. Kaleidoscope pre-k programs offer Dual Language and general education seats. If the parent is interested in both, they must list the program twice (once for the DL option, again for non-dl). Russian Dual Language Program In a Russian Dual Language Class children develop bilingual language skills through meaningful experiences: listening to stories, poems, fingerplays, singing, and having many opportunities to talk and be heard. Dual Language (DL) programs offer instruction in English (50%) and another language (50%). Classes are typically made up of 50% native English speakers and 50% native speakers of the other language. In order to meet this ratio, applicant s home language may be used to determine who receives placement offers. Parents must apply to DL options specifically on their applications.

3 Pre-K Special Education Parents who believe their child has special needs can have them evaluated by their local Committee on Pre-school Special Education (CPSE). If the student is determined to need special services, an Individual Education Plan (IEP) will be developed by the CPSE and the parent. Two types of IEPs may be developed: Related Services Can be provided at ANY pre-k program CPSE will arrange services that include speech, physical therapy, itinerant services, etc. Special Class / Special Class in an Integrated Setting (SC/SCIS) Typically a more restrictive environment If student requires SC/SCIS, the CPSE will make the placement Transportation available ALL eligible families should apply to pre- K through the Pre-K For All application process. Before and After School Care Morning (8:00 am 9:00 am) and Afternoon (3:20 pm 6:00 pm) programs are available for a fee. Please refer to Kaleidoscope Parent Handbook Transportation Parents Handbook Transportation is available from/to Kaleidoscope Windsor Terrace preschool for a fee. Please, refer to

4 How to Apply Chancellor Carmen Fariña announced a new unified application process to enroll fouryear-olds in pre-k. Families will be able to apply for pre-k in both district schools and NYC Early Education Centers (NYCEEC) that offer Pre-K through a convenient single application. The single-application process will allow parents to easily review the City s high-quality, full-day pre-k options in the directory and rank up to 12 choices. Based on the admissions priorities for district schools and NYCEEC, students will receive a single offer from the NYCDOE to their highest possible program choice in early June. Students will automatically be waitlisted in programs they ranked higher than the program to which they were matched. If you would like your child to attend Pre-K at Kaleidoscope, please mark Kaleidoscope as your first choice. Students ranking NYCEECs on their application will be placed in the programs based on the following structure: Priority Group 1: Current students enrolled at the NYCEEC matriculating from three-year-old and 2016 Summer Programs Priority Group 2: Siblings of current students enrolled at the NYCEEC Priority Group 3: Students whose families currently receive free or subsidized social services from the organization operating the NYCEEC

5 Priority Group 4: Students speaking a native language other than English that the NYCEEC specializes in serving Priority Group 5: All other students ECDC Kaleidoscope will manage its own waitlists. Admissions Calendar The pre-k application process begins in March, 2016, and the deadline to apply is April, Families can apply in any of three ways: online at over the phone by calling (718) , or in person at one of the DOE s Family Welcome Centers. The application will be translated into nine languages, and additional translation services are available over the phone in more than 200 languages. Families that apply by the deadline will receive offers in early June. Apply Online: To apply online, all you need is an address. If you do not have access to a computer at home, you may complete an application at a New York City public library location. Access to computers is available with a free library card. To sign up for a library card, you need to provide proof of address. To find a library in your area, call 311.

6 Apply In Person: Visit your local Family Welcome Center to fill out a paper application or work with a counselor to complete the online application. If you have questions about admissions, please call Family Welcome Centers are open from 8 am to 3 pm, Monday through Friday. Centers are closed on the following holidays: Friday, April 3 - Good Friday Monday, May 25 - Memorial Day Family Welcome Centers of Brooklyn 1780 Ocean Avenue, 3rd Floor Brooklyn, NY Districts Served: 17, 18, th Street, 5th Floor Brooklyn, NY Districts Served: 20, St. Mark's Avenue, Room 116 Brooklyn, NY Districts Served: 19, 23, Fort Greene Place (BE12) Brooklyn, NY Districts Served: 13, 14, 15, Livingston Street, 3rd Floor Brooklyn, NY Districts Served: 13, 14, 15, 16

7 After the Application Application period closes in April. Families receive offer letters in early June. Pre-registration period ends in June. In order to pre-register for the offer they received, parents must go to the site in person with their child and all required documentation: Child s birth certificate, passport, or Green Card Child s immunization records Proof of residence (two documents) must be dated within the past 60 days, which will be verified by any two of the following: o A residential utility bill (gas or electric) in the resident s name issued by National Grid, Con Edison, or the Long Island Power Authority; o Documentation or letter on letterhead from a federal, state or local government agency, including the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), City Housing Authority, Human Resources Administration (HRA), the Administration for Children s Services (ACS) or an ACS subcontractor indicating the resident s name and address; o An original lease agreement, deed or mortgage statement for the residence o A current property tax bill for the residence; o A water bill for the residence; o Official payroll documentation from an employer such as a form submitted for tax withholding purposes or payroll receipt; a letter on the employer s letterhead will not be accepted. Looking forward to see you at Kaleidoscope!!!