Departments & Programs

Preschool Program


Classes for Four-Year-Old Children

Charlottesville City Schools offer a Preschool Program for four-year-old children in nine classes located in our six neighborhood elementary schools. Classes are in session Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 3:00 according to the elementary school calendar. School buses transport the preschool children to and from school.

Classes for Three-Year-Old Children

Charlottesville City Schools has five classes for children who turn three by September 30th of the school year of entry. Two of these classes are located in Clark Elementary School and there is one class at Greenbrier, Johnson, and Jackson-Via Elementary Schools. The classes are in session five days a week from 9:15 to 2:00. The children are transported to school by school bus. Requirements for this program are the same as those for the Preschool Program for Four-Year-Old Children.

Headstart Class in the City Schools

Charlottesville City Schools has a collaborative agreement with Head Start to house one of their classes for three and four year old children at Clark Elementary School. This class operates on the Head Start calendar. Application to attend this class should be made through the Head Start office at 434-295-3171.

Eligibility Requirements

In order to qualify for the Three-Year-Old class or the Four-Year-Old preschool program, a child must:

  • have turned three or four years old by September 30th of the school year;
  • live in the City of Charlottesville;
  • live in a family with low income and/or other stressors

Applications

Applications are available for download below.

Applications must be returned to the Preschool Program office by March 1, 2012 for priority consideration.

En Español:


Applications are also available at each elementary school, or by calling the Preschool Family Worker at 245 -2813.

Applications should be returned to:

Charlottesville Preschool Program
416 13th Street NW
Charlottesville, Virginia 22903

or to your local elementary school.

Program Description

Our four-year-old preschool classes serve sixteen children while our three-year-old preschool classes serve twelve children. All are instructed by a teacher possessing at least a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education. A highly qualified instructional assistant works with each teacher. It is the responsibility of the teaching team to create a stimulating environment and to provide and guide the educational experiences of each child. Lunch and snack are provided for those children who qualify for the free or reduced meals program. A Family Worker helps connect families to needed services in the community.

The program goals are for the children to learn:

  • to make good decisions about their behaviors
  • to cooperate with other children and adults
  • to communicate with others about their experiences and feelings
  • to take initiative and solve problems
  • to gain reading and math readiness skills and concepts

Curriculum

The preschool faculty is trained in and uses the High/Scope Cognitively Oriented Preschool Curriculum in conjunction with a reading readiness program called Webbing Into Literacy.

The High/Scope curriculum is a nationally validated program, developed by Dr. David Weikart, used throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. The daily schedule in a High/Scope classroom is clearly defined for the preschoolers. The children learn when it is work time, cleanup time, circle time, small group time and outside time. By calling each period of the day by name, children learn a sense of time and order. Children also learn to identify each area of the room (the art area, quiet area, housekeeping areas and the block area) as well as where materials belong, because each area is labeled with pictures and words. This establishes in the child’s understanding a connection between the object, picture and word and this understanding is the foundation of reading readiness. In addition, the ordered environment promotes independence and initiative because children know where materials are located.

The daily lessons are organized by the teachers around “key experiences” designed to develop in young children an understanding of:

  • language and literacy
  • number
  • classification
  • seriation
  • space
  • time
  • initiative and social relations
  • creative representation
  • music and movement

The teacher’s role is to prepare materials that will develop an understanding of these concepts and to interact with the children in ways that develop language and thinking.

The hallmark of the High/Scope curriculum is the cycle of “plan, do and review.” This is approximately an hour-long block of time when children choose areas of the room in which to work, implement their plans, and then review with the teacher what they have accomplished. During this work time the teachers observe the children and record notes on the specific actions of individual children which relate to the “key experiences.” Additionally, teachers help children to solve problems when they encounter them.

Primarily during circle time, the teachers use the reading readiness program, Webbing Into Literacy (WIL). This program was developed by Dr. Laura Smolkin at the University of Virginia Curry School of Education. The components of the program are:

  1. rhyme-a-week
  2. riddle-a-week
  3. book-a-week
  4. alphabet-a-month
  5. take-home activities

Classic nursery rhymes are the foundation of the WIL program. The children learn to identify letters and rhyming words and build comprehension and beginning writing strategies. The take-home component of the program provides a book and a related activity for parents and children to do together.

Parent Involvement

The parent is a child’s first and most important teacher. As a child starts school, the need for consistency between the home and school is important. Therefore, the parent and teacher must work together to help the child feel secure. To that end, it is expected that the parents will participate in:

  1. home visits by the teachers or preschool family support workers;
  2. educational workshops organized by teachers;
  3. take-home activities with their child; and
  4. a spring school conference about their child’s progress.

Student Progress

Children are assessed in the fall and the spring of the preschool year to determine how far each child has progressed in specific areas of development. Three assessments are used to measure student progress: the Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening for Preschool (PreK PALS), the High/Scope Child Observation Record (COR) and the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA). By using more than one instrument, a well-rounded picture of each child’s development is obtained.

The PreK PALS is an individually administered assessment which measures:

  • rhyme awareness
  • letter knowledge
  • beginning sounds of letters
  • verbal memory
  • print knowledge
  • concept of word
  • name writing

The COR is correlated with the High/Scope curriculum’s “key experiences.” This method of assessment is based on teacher’s daily anecdotal notes of children’s behaviors which are then classified on a developmental scale for each of the following areas:

  • math and logic
  • creative representation
  • music and movement

The Devereux Early Childhood Assessment is a strength-based, standardized assessment and planning system that supports professionals and parents in promoting young children‘s social and emotional well-being, thus promoting resilience. The DECA is used to build protective factors and prevent the development of behavioral concerns.

Frequently Asked Questions

I’ve heard that there are preschool classes for children younger than four years old. How do I go about getting my child into one of those classes?
The Charlottesville City Schools has two programs for children who are younger than four years old. There are five classes for three year old children, with the same eligibility requirements as the four-year-old classes except that the child must be three years old by September 30th of the school year. Parents interested in this program should use the same contact information as that for the four year old program. There is also a special education preschool program for children between the age of two and five who are found to have a significant delay in one or more of the following areas: communication, motor skills, personal/social skills, adaptive behavior and cognitive ability. If you think your child may be in need of special services, please call Barbara Simpson at 434-245-2814.
I live in Albemarle County but I work in the City of Charlottesville. May I pay to have my child attend the preschool program?
Currently, there is no provision to allow for County residents to attend the City preschool program. Albemarle County does have a program similar to the City Preschool Program for Four-Year-Old Children; it is called Bright Stars. For more information about the County program, call 972-4140.
What is the difference between Head Start and the City Preschool Program for Four-Year-Old Children?
There are 3 primary differences between the two preschool programs:
  1. The City preschool program is operated by the Charlottesville City Schools and is located in the elementary schools. The Head Start Preschool Program is operated by the Monticello Community Action Agency (MACAA) and is located in buildings throughout Charlottesville, including one class at Clark Elementary School.
  2. The primary qualification for Head Start is that the child’s family income must be at the federal poverty level. The City preschool program considers low income, which is determined by eligibility to participate in the free and reduced meals program, as only one way in which a child may qualify for the program.
  3. The City preschool program operates for 180 days per year while Head Start operates for 150 days per year.
When I sent in my application, I was told that all the preschool classes were full and that my child would be placed on a waiting list. How long will it take for my child to be placed in a preschool class?
There is no simple answer to this question. Because each preschool class can have only sixteen children, it depends on where and when there is a vacancy and on the degree of need your child has for services.
My child is currently in a preschool class and we plan to move to another location in a different city elementary school attendance zone. Can my child continue in the preschool class that she is now attending?
Our first choice would be to place your child in your new elementary attendance zone. However, if this is not possible, we will continue to transport your child to the school that they currently attend.
My child is currently in a preschool class and we plan to move out of the city. Can my child continue in their class in the city?
If you move out of the city your child can remain in the program if you get approval from Central Office and if you transport your child to school on time every day.

Preschool Coordinator:
Ann Dublirer
(434) 245-2797

Preschool Family Worker:
Eursaline Inge
(434) 245-2813

Clark Preschool Family Support Worker:
Leslie Kelley-Genson
(434) 245-2525

Johnson Preschool Family Support Worker:
Eleanor Barrese
(434) 245-2865