Children attend preschool from 9 - 11:30 a.m. or 12:30 - 3 p.m. on the days of the week their parents select during the application process.
The work of preschoolers is PLAY! Join us for a year of high-quality education, meaningful friendships, and days full of fun adventures! The Brighton Preschool/Parent Program has been an educational resource in our community for over 60 years. Our preschool allows children to share and learn in a safe and nurturing environment where children are valued and accepted as unique. The curriculum provides creative opportunities for all children to encourage social development and independence building. Planned activities and teacher interaction foster early education skill-building. Through play, our students discover what they enjoy most and what makes them feel competent. Our preschool also teaches children what it means to be a good friend. We provide diverse opportunities for experimentation, which challenge thinking and reasoning abilities. Our facilities are perfect for large and small motor development - inside the classroom and outside on the playground. The preschool is located on the first floor of the Brighton Central School District's Central Administration Building, 2035 Monroe Avenue, Rochester, NY 14618. We meet in a large, bright classroom with interest areas stimulating a child's natural curiosity. Next door is another large classroom equipped for large-muscle development. Outside the building is a large playground specially designed for preschool-aged children. The program follows the Brighton Central School District calendar and is closed when the District is closed for holidays, recess periods, and emergency school closings. To determine how many days the school closes for holidays in a typical year, click here to review the District calendar. Bus transportation is not provided; parents drop off and pick up their children inside the building. Children do not have to be fully toilet trained to attend. Each child reaches toilet training milestones at their own pace. The teachers encourage children to become independent in the preschool bathroom, offering assistance if needed. There are many months between applying to preschool and the first day of preschool. If you feel your child will be ready to manage underwear or a pull-up with help from an adult, do not hesitate to apply. We do not have diaper-changing facilities, hence the requirement for pull-ups or underwear. One of the most significant benefits of our preschool is the amount of parental involvement. On a rotating basis, a parent (or another family member/nanny) serves as a volunteer helper in the classroom. Each family is responsible for volunteering at least six times a year. This commitment to being a part of the classroom gives families a strong foundation in creating positive home-to-school connections. After volunteering, parents often say they haven't had that much fun in a long time! Parents also report discovering new things about their children while spending time with them in the classroom and with their friends.
The upcoming preschool year begins on Monday, September 23, 2024, and tentatively ends on Thursday, May 29, 2025. It is open to children three or four years old by December 1, 2024. The preschool classes include three and four-year-olds. Having more than one age group in a class means siblings can attend preschool together. Thirty-two students are enrolled each year – a maximum of sixteen in a class that meets in the morning and a different group of sixteen in a class that meets in the afternoon. The morning class meets on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9:00 - 11:30 a.m. The afternoon class meets on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from 12:30 - 3:00 p.m. No classes meet on Thursday afternoons or Fridays. A family requests their child be placed in preschool either two, three, or four days a week and selects the time and days their child will attend. Tuition is calculated based on the number of days a child attends. The 2024-2025 school year fees are not determined until all available placements in the class are complete (available online, typically in March). You can review the current class tuition rates at bcsd.org/preschool to estimate next year's tuition. The rates will not increase more than 5% over the current tuition rates. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis beginning January 5, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. They are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Applying online at https://brightonschools.revtrak.net is preferred; paper forms you can submit with a check or money order are available upon request. Currently enrolled students who apply by February 1, 2024, have an initial choice of attendance days. Prospective students who are siblings of current or previous Brighton Preschool students and apply by February 1, 2024, will be enrolled in spaces available after current families have reenrolled. Then, new students will be enrolled in the remaining spots. All families will be notified of their placement by mid-February. If placement is not available, students are moved to a waitlist. The director contacts waitlisted families if room for their child becomes available before July 1, 2024. There is a non-refundable application fee of $100.
Important: If you are applying after February 2024, please note that our morning class has reached the maximum number of students enrolled. There is still room in our afternoon class. During the application process, please select afternoon class days of the week. If you do not want to register for the afternoon class, please call the director and asked to be placed on the morning class waitlist. If room in the morning class becomes available before July 1, you will be contacted by the director.
We strongly suggest families new to our preschool contact the director to schedule a classroom tour. The director can be reached at 585-242-5200, ext. 5595, or mona_zamiarski@bcsd.org. Tours are available at 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, or Wednesdays. For answers to any questions, don't hesitate to contact the Community Education and Preschool Program office, which is open from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday - Friday and at other times by appointment. The number of phone calls and email messages received during the annual application period is significant. There is a chance that your voicemail or email message will not be replied to on the same day. If you call and the director does not answer the phone, please leave a message that includes your child's name and age, as well as your name, phone number, and email address. Thank you in advance for being patient while you wait to hear about your child's placement! We appreciate your interest in the Brighton Preschool/Parent Program!