March 6, 2020 – Calvert County Public Schools is expanding some pre-kindergarten classrooms to a full-day experience for the upcoming school year. The current half-day programs at Windy Hill Elementary and St. Leonard Elementary will expand to a full-day placement. Sunderland Elementary will also have a full-day placement in addition to the current half-day program.
Dr. Daniel D. Curry, Superintendent, said, “We know that full day pre-school will give our neediest children a boost up to kindergarten readiness. It must be a high priority.”
The overall goal of pre-kindergarten is to provide learning experiences to help children develop and maintain the basic skills necessary to be successful in school.
The program was developed in 1979 by the Maryland State Department of Education to meet the needs of four-year-old children whose families are economically disadvantaged and who may not have the necessary readiness skills to be successful in school.
All families, regardless of income, are welcome to apply for pre-kindergarten through the online application at http://bit.ly/prek2020CCPS.
Students are selected for pre-kindergarten based on the criteria and guidelines set by the Maryland State Department of Education and Calvert County Public Schools and prioritized in the order below.
CATEGORY I
• Child’s family is eligible for free or reduced meals.
• Child’s family is deemed homeless.
CATEGORY II
• Child participated in state or federal early childhood programs (examples: Head Start, Judy Center, HIPPY/Healthy Families).
• Child and/or family speaks a language other than English at home or the child’s first language is not English.
CATEGORY III
Other Academic (Educational) Needs:
• Child has an IFSP/IEP (receives special education services).
• Child has a Child Find referral.
• Child identified with demonstrated academic delay (as measured by a developmental assessment used by CCPS).
• Child’s family income is up to ten percent over the free and reduced-price meals guidelines.
OPEN ENROLLMENT
• Child does not meet any of the eligibility criteria. Consideration is based on available slots. Applicants do not need to complete Category I, II, or III sections. These students will be placed in programs after October if any available slots remain.
Four-year old students granted a half-day (AM/PM) session in the pre-kindergarten program may also be eligible for participation in the Head Start program. The CCPS Head Start program runs in half-day sessions. Concurrent enrollment in both programs will provide students with a full day early learning experience. If interested, you must also complete and submit the Head Start application. Head Start programs are located at Barstow Elementary, Patuxent Appeal Campus, and Sunderland Elementary. For more Head Start program information, contact (443) 550-8062.
School sites with pre-kindergarten programs are:
• Barstow Elementary (AM/PM Sessions and Head Start Location)
• Beach Elementary (AM/PM Sessions)
• Calvert Elementary (AM/PM Sessions)
• Dowell Elementary (AM/PM Sessions)
• Huntingtown Elementary (AM/PM Sessions)
• Patuxent-Appeal Campus (AM/PM Sessions and Head Start Location)
• Saint Leonard Elementary (Full Day Session)
• Sunderland Elementary (Full Day & AM/PM Sessions, and Head Start Location)
• Windy Hill Elementary (Full Day Session)
Registration for kindergarten begins in mid-April.
If you are unavailable to register your child the specified day, please contact the school prior to June 1 to set up an appointment.
The following documents are needed to complete the registration process:
• Original birth certificate with official raised seal;
• Child’s immunization records;
• Child’s social security card; and
• Proof of residency.
Only the following documentation will be accepted for proof of residency:
• Deed;
• Incorporated Lease (Real Estate Lease);
• Non-incorporated Lease Agreement (Landlord provides proof of residency by producing a signed, notarized affidavit verifying that parents reside at that address); or
• Mortgage Statement.
• An approved multi-family disclosure application is required when child and parent reside in the home of another family. Please call the Department of Student Services at (443) 550-8460 to obtain further information regarding this process.
Details and information regarding early entry requirements can be found in Calvert County Public Schools Policy/Procedures #2915. Candidates for early entry to kindergarten must be five years old on or before October 15 of the school year for which they apply for entrance. As stated in the policy, the intent of the assessment for early admission, as specified by the State of Maryland, is to identify exceptional students, not simply students who may be capable of completing kindergarten work.
Written requests for candidates to participate in the early entry to kindergarten assessment process must be received by Joyce Farrell King, Supervisor State and Federal Grant Programs, by May 1, 2020.
For more information, contact Kristin Plachno, Early Childhood Teacher Specialist, at (443) 550-8396 or plachnok@calvertnet.k12.md.us or Joyce Farrell King, Supervisor of State and Federal Grant Programs, at (443) 550-8025 or kingj@calvertnet.k12.md.us.