WHPS Pre-Kindergarten

Teachers implement the Creative Curriculum® for Preschool. This curriculum is strongly aligned with the State of Connecticut Early Learning and Development standards. These standards are designed to assure that children engage in developmentally appropriate experiences that prepare them for a successful transition to kindergarten.

As a program accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), we have demonstrated that our program meets the high standards this association sets for its members and guarantees we are providing a high quality educational experience.

Students will be admitted into a pre-kindergarten class through a lottery process. Applications will be available in early January. While early applications are appreciated, no preference will be given to those received in advance of the deadline. All applications received on or before the deadline will be included in the lottery. Applications received after 4:00 pm on the date of the deadline are placed on a wait list.

Charter Oak International Academy has 5 pre-kindergarten classrooms accommodating 80 three and four-year-old students. Smith pre-kindergarten program has 1 classroom for 16 three and four-year-old students. Webster Hill has 3 classrooms for 48 three and four-year-old students. Once all applications have been received and the lottery numbers assigned, we will select the first round of students to be accepted to the pre-kindergarten programs and place other students on the waiting list. Parents/guardians in the first round must commit by completing step 1 of registration by the deadline and complete steps 2 and 3 of registration by date specified, after which we will take students off the waiting list to fill any vacancies that occur.

You can apply online.

All three programs, Webster Hill, Smith STEM, and Charter Oak International Academy have mixed age pre-kindergarten classrooms with 3 and 4 year-olds. Students must be 3 or 4 respectively with birthdays on or before September 1 of the coming school year.

We do not currently accept children that are age-eligible for Kindergarten.

Any family that resides in West Hartford may apply to either Charter Oak International Academy or Smith STEM School for pre-kindergarten. Families who reside in the Webster Hill neighborhood or in one of the listed prioritized neighborhoods may apply to Webster Hill pre-kindergarten and one magnet school. 

Yes, only West Hartford residents may apply. 

Preschool tuition is determined on a sliding scale. To estimate a preschool tuition rate for your household and determine your income group, please use one of the tuition estimators below. 

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Please be advised that, in accordance with State grant requirements, "Income Group" is a determining factor in acceptance to the Pre-K program. The district reserves the right to revoke acceptance to the program if, through the income verification process, this information is deemed inaccurate.

Tuition rates are consistent with State of CT regulations as of  September 2022. These rates are subject to change consistent with Connecticut State median income data.

No.

This lottery is open only to students who are West Hartford residents.  We do not require that you establish residency as part of the application process. However, should your student be selected in the lottery, you will have a deadline to register and prove residency with WHPS before the space can be assigned to your student.

For more details on the residency requirements for WHPS please visit the residency website at https://www.whps.org/residency

Yes, after the lottery is held, you will receive a letter stating whether your child will be offered a spot in the program or will be placed on the waiting list. As students who are admitted decide not to attend or move out of West Hartford, vacancies will be filled from the waiting list.

Yes, here is a list of all pre-kindergarten programs in West Hartford.

Call Irene Garneau, Department Supervisor for Early Childhood at (860) 929-5552.

In accordance with State of Connecticut regulations, all students entering West Hartford Public Schools pre-kindergarten through grade 12 must have an up-to-date physical examination and immunizations prior to attending school. 

Early Childhood Health Assessment Record

Pre-kindergarten children entering school at age 3 should have a physical updated yearly. Flu shots are required for all preschool aged students prior to January 1 each year. Up-to-date immunizations are required by the State Department of Education and the State Department of Health. Learn more.

It is the policy of the West Hartford Public School pre-kindergarten program that children registered for school are strongly encouraged to become toilet trained before entering the program. For children who have not completed their training, a planned approach will be developed for both school and home, collaboratively implemented by the child’s family and the teacher to ensure consistency.

The pre-kindergarten program follows a school day schedule. School hours on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday are 8:35 a.m. – 3:10 p.m. On Wednesdays, children are dismissed at 1:50 p.m. for teacher professional development. Pre-kindergarten programs follow the West Hartford Public School calendar. We do not have programming over school vacations or summer vacation.

According to state statutes, children, including pre-kindergarteners, who live within a mile of school, are not eligible for bus transportation and, therefore, walk to school if their families cannot provide their own transportation. If you are unsure as to whether your house is within the one-mile mark, contact the Office of Transportation at 860-561-6647.

Before and after care is provided by independent agencies at each elementary school. Please contact the program directly.

Charter Oak International Academy: Family Resource Center: 860-929-5573

Webster Hill School: 860-525-1163

Smith STEM School: 860-525-1163

If you have questions about your child's development, or suspect that your child may have special education needs, please call the Intake Coordinator at the Early Learning Center at 860-233-8541 ext 3567.