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Pre-kindergarten

Pre-kindergarten

When you walk into a pre-kindergarten classroom, you may see children playing house, putting on a puppet show, or building a miniature town with blocks and dolls. Experienced, knowledgeable, understanding teachers and staff guide them through music, stories, songs, and play. All of these fun language activities help children develop their verbal communication skills as they play.

Many four-year-old children have already benefited from Franklin Special School District’s remarkable pre-kindergarten program, which began in 1990 with one class. Based on its proven success, pre-kindergarten has grown in the FSSD to seven classes serving more than 110 children identified as needing early intervention.

To attend, children must be 4 years old by September 30 and live in the Franklin Special School District. In addition, the following guidelines are used for enrollment:
• Eligibility for the free and reduced lunch program (a State requirement);
• Disability;
• English Language Learners (ELL);
• Wards of the State;
• Identified as educationally at-risk for failure due to circumstances of abuse or neglect.

Students may also qualify according to the criteria determined by our Pre-K Advisory Council, which include:  assessment test score, deployed parent, jailed parent, previously enrolled in Building Blocks Preschool or Head Start, parent with limited education, parent or child with serious illness, or teen parent.

Children attend pre-kindergarten Monday through Friday from 8:00 – 2:00. Each class is limited to 16 children working with a teacher and an assistant. It is free of charge. To request testing or to receive more information about this free program, call one of the following schools to speak to a pre-kindergarten teacher:
Franklin Elementary School:  794-1187
Liberty Elementary School:  790-0892
Moore Elementary School:  790-4700
Johnson Elementary School:  794-4837

Pre-Kindergarten has proven to be a valuable component in Franklin Special School District’s commitment to meeting each child’s needs. This program has given many young children an early opportunity for success.

For general information about Early Childhood Education, please contact program supervisor Connie McKee at 591-2802 or by email at mckeecon@fssd.org.