MVSU Prekindergarten Programs
Under Vermont’s Act 166 Universal Prekindergarten, prekindergarten programs are open to Vermont students who have reached the age of 3, 4, or 5 years old by September 1st of the year of entry, and who are not enrolled in Kindergarten. See our Age of Entrance policy here.
Prekindergarten is led by licensed early childhood educators and includes a variety of rich, developmentally-appropriate learning opportunities aligned with the Vermont Early Learning Standards. Students participate in community building activities, literacy and math centers, and indoor and outdoor play.
Our campuses offer programming five days per week for the school year following the district calendar, and is grounded in research around early childhood education; we believe students benefit from consistent routines, continuity of curriculum and learning activities, and a strong classroom community.
Our early childhood educators are best able to provide a vibrant and meaningful learning environment when they can plan directly for a regular group of students. To this end, we will not be enrolling students on a drop-in basis or only on certain days outside of the options of five full days per week, five mornings per week, or three mornings per week unless it is collectively deemed in the best interest of the student.
Explore Our PreK Campuses
Barnard | Killington | Reading | Woodstock
Prekindergarten registration is a 2-step process.
Step 1: Application of Intent
Who completes an application? (*Almost) EVERYONE!
All new in-district PreK students, whether it’s for a MVSU PreK program or an out-of-district program
All new out-of-district PreK students who wish to attend a MVSU program
Already enrolled PreK students (in-district residents) in any program but wishing to change programs
*(currently enrolled PreK students wishing to stay in the same PreK program do NOT have to reapply for their second PreK year)
Multiple students from the same household each require separate applications.
TO START FALL 2024:
The Order of Enrollment (below) will be used to fill openings in all programs.
TO START NOW:
All MVSU programs are currently at or near capacity; applicants will be placed on a waitlist.
Step 2: Confirmation and Formal Enrollment
If you applied to a:
MVSU program (BA, KES, RES, or WES)
The prekindergarten coordinator will contact you to confirm if there is space in the program to enroll your child. After receiving confirmation, you may proceed with Step 2, the formal Alma Start enrollment process. If the program(s) is/are full, you will receive information on alternatives.Private or out-of-district pre-qualified program
Please be sure to fax or email the prekindergarten coordinator the required documents as listed in the application. Submitting these documents is the family’s responsibility; our office cannot pursue them and Act 166 funding will not be approved without these required documents.
Enrollment Options and Tuition for Out-of-District Students
View enrollment options and tuition for out-of-district students:
2023/2024 School Year- Barnard Academy | Killington Elementary | Reading Elementary | Woodstock Elementary
Order of Enrollment
APPLICATIONS ARE NOT REQUIRED FOR ANY IN-DISTRICT RESIDENT STUDENT CURRENTLY ENROLLED:
in a MVSU program. The student is automatically guaranteed a spot in the same MVSU program for the following year.
Note: There is no guarantee for out-of-district students. Out-of-district students must reapply each year and are considered as space allows.in an out-of-district VT prequalified PreK program under Act 166. The student is eligible for Act 166 funding for the same program, and enrollment will be confirmed between the MVSU office and receiving program.
CURRENTLY ENROLLED STUDENTS WHO WISH TO CHANGE PRE-K PROGRAMS MUST SUBMIT AN APPLICATION.
Applications received in the initial application window for all MVSU programs will be sorted according to the following criteria. Multiples (i.e. twins, triplets, etc.) are accepted together.
Any in-district resident student who is qualified under Essential Early Education (EEE) or Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) guidelines.
In-district resident (4) four-year-old students:
with a sibling in grades K-6 at the school where the PreK program is located.
who physically reside in the town where the PreK program is located.
Note: Pomfret is considered part of the WES PreK catchment area.
Bridgewater and Plymouth are considered part of both the WES and KES catchment areas.who reside in a district town other than where the program is located.
In-district resident (3) three-year-old students:
with a sibling in the same PreK program.
with a sibling in grades K-6 at the school where the PreK program is located.
who reside in a district town other than where the program is located.
Eligible (4) four-year-old students of Vermont resident MVSU/SD employees.
Eligible (4) four-year-old out-of-district students. Out-of-district students may be enrolled for one fiscal school year as space allows and, if not entering Kindergarten, must reapply; acceptance is not guaranteed.
Eligible (3) three-year-old students of MVSU/SD employees.
Eligible (3) three-year-old out-of-district students. Out-of-district students may be enrolled for one fiscal school year as space allows and must reapply each year; acceptance is not guaranteed.
At any step that the amount of applications received during the initial application window exceed a program’s capacity, a lottery* will be conducted of eligible applicants at that step. Names will be drawn to fill all openings, and will continue to be drawn to form the waiting list.
Families will be notified via email of their student’s status with a program. Families of accepted students will be informed of the next steps in the registration process and what timeline they will need to follow. Failure to follow the timeline will result in the forfeiture of the student’s enrollment spot.
Applications received after the initial enrollment window will be added to the waiting list in the order received if there is no space available to accept them into the program at that time.
Students not enrolled or unenrolled for any reason (e.g. lack of capacity, changed their mind, not ready, etc.) will need to reapply for the next school year during the next year’s application acceptance window.
*A lottery is a system used to decide who will get or be given something by choosing names by chance.
Alternatives to MVSU Prekindergarten Program
All qualified in-district resident students have the option to enroll in any VT prequalified program, and the district will pay a state-determined portion of the tuition.
Learn more about Act 166: Universal Prekindergarten
Child Care Financial Assistance Program
Vermont offers assistance for families to access child care, including prekindergarten, beyond the Act 166 Universal Prekindergarten hours. To be eligible for assistance, your family must:
Have an accepted service need (reason) for child care; and
Use the Subsidy Pre Screening Tool to see if you qualify for child care benefits.
You can apply online through the Bright Future Information System or by submitting a paper copy of the application. To find out more about how to apply and found out more about the program, please visit the CCFAP website.
Further questions
For more information about a specific school’s PreK Program, contact the school’s principal:
Barnard Prekindergarten Program: Melissa Zoerheide - Melissa.Zoerheide@mtnviews.org
Killington Prekindergarten Program: Mary Guggenberger - Mary.Guggenberger@mtnviews.org
Reading Prekindergarten Program: Brandon Hill - Brandon.Hill@mtnviews.org
Woodstock Prekindergarten Program: Maggie Mills - Maggie.Mills@mtnviews.org
General questions about the MVSU Prekindergarten process? Contact the Act 166 Coordinator, Rayna Bishop, at Rayna.Bishop@mtnviews.org.