Discover Pre-K in the City School District of Albany

Discover pre-K in the City School District of Albany

2019-20 Prekindergarten Lottery Application The City School District of Albany offers high-quality, full-day prekindergarten in all nine of our neighborhood elementary schools, our three themed magnet schools, our bilingual Dual Language Program and at 18 community agencies. Life-long Prekindergarten classes are enrolled through a lottery designed to provide access for all children in Albany. To have the best chance of getting a seat in the program of your choice, you must enter your child in this lottery. This booklet includes an application for the lottery and other important information to help learning you decide on the program that is best for your child. Please see page 5 for a list of prekindergarten programs, their hours and whether they offer before- and after-school child care. To learn more about your options, we encourage you to contact begins the principal or director at the locations that interest you.

A few words about prekindergarten Prekindergarten is more than simply a doorway into your child’s here. formal education experience. Research shows that high-quality prekindergarten increases a child’s chances of succeeding in school and in life. Children who attend high-quality pre-K programs are less likely to be held back, less likely to need special education and more likely to graduate from high school. In the City School District of Albany, we offer high-quality prekindergarten that is “developmentally appropriate,” meaning it respects the age and individual needs of each child. Our caring and responsive prekindergarten teachers work to create a welcoming environment for both parents and children that allows learning to flourish. Peer into a pre-K classroom and it may look like all fun and games. However, there’s an intense amount of brainwork going on. For example, your child’s building blocks and train tracks aren’t just entertaining – they’re teaching problem- solving and physics. This meaningful playing and learning takes place throughout the school day. Whether school-based or located at one of our community-based partners, all of our pre-K classrooms follow the same basic curriculum that provides a combination of both structure and flexibility. Structure takes the form of helping your child develop a routine and good learning habits. At the same time, your child is given the opportunity to investigate new things and make choices about the activities he or she wants to take part in. Finally, we recognize the role parents and guardians play as teachers and advocates before and after their children begin attending school. We look forward to working with you to give your child a solid foundation for school success!

Board of Anne Savage, President • Vickie Smith, Vice President • Jennifer Lange, Secretary Education Damarise Alexander-Mann • Sridar Chittur, Ph.D. • Ellen Krejci • Tabetha Wilson Kaweeda G. Adams, Superintendent

2 How the prekindergarten lottery works All prekindergarten students are enrolled in a random lottery designed to provide access for all children in Albany. To have the best chance of getting a seat in the program of your choice, you must enter your child in the lottery. An independent national firm conducts the lottery to assure fairness and impartiality. The lottery will be held Wednesday, March 13 at 10 a.m. at Thomas O’Brien Academy of Science and Technology (TOAST). You are welcome to attend to find out if your child has been awarded a seat. After the lottery, the district will send an official notification by mail and email to the addresses you provide on the application. District officials will be at the lottery drawing to answer any questions.

Frequently asked questions Q: Will transportation be provided to prekindergarten? apply to your first choice, and only apply to school-based A: No. Families are responsible for transporting their child and themed programs. to and from prekindergarten. Q: What happens if I don’t get a seat at any of my Q: How are twins and other siblings handled in the choices and there are open seats at other sites? lottery? A: You will receive a waiting-list letter or a waiting-pool A: You can choose how you want the district to process letter depending on your first-choice program. That letter the lottery applications for two or more siblings (twins, will include a date that you can register for programs with triplets or children of different ages). Learn more about your available seats and no waiting. options on page 4 under the “sibling linking” heading. Q: Can I remain in the waiting pool for a magnet school Q: If one of my children gets a seat but the other and accept a seat in neighborhood or community- doesn’t, do I now have sibling preference? based prekindergarten program? A: It depends. If one child gets assigned to a magnet/ A: Yes. themed program, the other child will have sibling Q: Can I be in a waiting pool for more than one magnet preference in the waiting pool once you accept the seat for school? and register the first child. Your child will not have sibling A: Yes, but only if you have not been accepted into any preference if you applied to a neighborhood elementary prekindergarten program and two or more of your preferred school or community program and were assigned to a programs are at magnet schools. waiting list. There is no sibling preference for applications submitted after the deadline. (See page 4 to learn more Q: Can I be on a waiting list for more than one about sibling linking.) neighborhood or community-based prekindergarten program? Q: What are my chances of getting my first choice? A: No. A: Your chances of getting your first choice depend on a number of factors, including the number of available seats, Q: If my child is assigned a prekindergarten spot at sibling preference and neighborhood preference. Learn a particular elementary school, can he or she attend more about each on page 4. school there next year and beyond? Q: What are my chances of getting a neighborhood A: It depends. If your child is assigned a seat at a magnet preference or sibling preference school if I do not put it school, he or she can attend through fifth or sixth grade, as my first choice? depending on the school. Otherwise, children automatically are enrolled for kindergarten in their neighborhood school. A: Sibling preference and neighborhood preference only

3 Important information to consider as you rank your choices How you decide your choices likely will be affected by a prekindergarten program’s location, whether you have other school-age children, whether additional child care is offered and other personal preferences. However, certain additional factors go into play in the lottery that will influence your child’s eventual assignment. The names of prekindergarteners with a sibling preference (see below) are drawn first in the lottery. The names of those with neighborhood preference (see below) are drawn second in the lottery. All other names are drawn for remaining seats.

section at albanyschools.org and Please visit the Prekindergarten page Sibling preference click on “Attendance Zones” in the at albanyschools.org to find out the A child with a brother or sister right sidebar.) number of seats available at each already in a neighborhood or magnet/ program for the upcoming year. themed elementary program will Prekindergarteners with neighborhood have a better chance of getting into a preference are drawn second in the Sibling linking prekindergarten class at that school. prekindergarten lottery. This is called “sibling preference.” You can choose how you want Neighborhood preference works only the district to process the lottery Prekindergarteners with sibling if your first-choice prekindergarten applications for two or more siblings preference are drawn first in the program is located in your (twins, triplets or children of different prekindergarten lottery. neighborhood school enrollment zone ages). This is known as “sibling or a half-mile from your home for a linking.” Sibling preference works only if your magnet elementary school. first-choice prekindergarten program is If you choose to link your children’s located at the elementary school your Number of applicants applications, they will go through the other child currently attends AND will lottery together. That means your attend in 2019-20. Sibling preference versus number of children either will be: will not apply if your child currently at seats the elementary school moves up to 1) Assigned to a school or program middle school in 2019-20. Some programs are in greater together; OR demand than others, meaning more There is no sibling preference for families apply to those programs. Also, 2) Not assigned to any school or community-based prekindergarten these limited seats often fill quickly program, which may happen if there programs. with students who have sibling or is not room for two or more children neighborhood preference (see above). there. This can affect your child’s chance Neighborhood of being assigned to your first-choice If you opt to not link your children’s preference program. applications, each will go through the lottery and be assigned individually. A child who lives within his or her Programs that historically have more neighborhood elementary school applicants than seats are at Albany In that case, it’s possible that your enrollment zone or within a half-mile School of Humanities (ASH), the children will not be assigned to the of a magnet/themed elementary Dual Language Program at Delaware same school or program. However, program will have a better chance Community School, the Albany Jewish you can accept a spot in the school or of getting into a prekindergarten Community Center, Montessori program one of your children gets into, class at that school. This is called Magnet School and New Scotland and your other child’s or children’s “neighborhood preference.” (Not sure Elementary School. application(s) will have sibling of your neighborhood elementary preference in the waiting pool for the school? Call (518) 475-6125 to find The number of seats available in our next available seat. out or visit the Student Registration community-based programs varies.

4 Make an informed choice You are allowed to select up to four of the program sites below in the prekindergarten lottery.

Thomas O’Brien Academy of Science DIGI Preschool Academy Inc. School-based and Technology (TOAST) 82 Madison Ave. • (518) 818-0976 Lincoln Park • (518) 475-6875 Before-school care*: 7:30-8 a.m. programs School day: 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. School day: 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. After-school care*: Until 5:30 p.m. After-school care*: 2:30-5:30 p.m. Arbor Hill Elementary School 1 Arbor Drive • (518) 475-6625 School day: 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Ernestina DiCioccio Bilingual Day Care Community-based Center-Centro Civico After-school care: Until 6:30 p.m. 230 Green St., 1st Floor • (518) 465-1145 programs Before-school care*: 8-9 a.m. Delaware Community School School day: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. 43 Bertha St. • (518) 475-6750 ACAP Head Start (four locations)** After-school care*: 3:30-5:15 p.m. School day: 9:05 a.m.-3:35 p.m. (518) 463-3175 ext. 135 After-school care*: Until 5:30 p.m. Early Learning Center Nursery School at The College of 25 Monroe St. Saint Rose Eagle Point Elementary School Before-school care*: 7:30-8 a.m. Saint Rose campus (half-day program) 1044 Western Ave. • (518) 475-6825 School day: 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (518) 337-2337 School day: 8:10 a.m.-2:40 p.m. After-school care*: 2:30-5:30 p.m. School day: noon-3 p.m. After-school care*: Until 5:45 p.m. Hackett Boulevard Head Start After-school care: No Giffen Memorial Elementary School 21 Hackett Blvd. 274 South Pearl St. • (518) 475-6650 School day: 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Infinite Care After-school care*: Being considered 43 Quail St. • (518) 432-2750 School day: 9:05 a.m.-3:35 p.m. Before-school care*: 7:30-8:30 a.m. After-school care: Until 6:30 p.m. Nathan Lebron Early Learning Center School day: 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. 170 Ontario St. After-school care*: 3-5:30 p.m. New Scotland Elementary School Before-school care*: 7:30-8 a.m. 369 New Scotland Ave. • (518) 475-6775 School day: 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. St. Anne Institute School day: 9:05 a.m.-3:35 p.m. After-school care*: 2:30-5:30 p.m. 160 North Main Ave. • (518) 437-6735 After-school care*: Until 5:45 p.m. Before-school care*: 8-8:30 a.m. Olivia Rorie Center School day: 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. North Albany Academy 7 Morton Ave. After-school care*: 3-5 p.m. 570 North Pearl St. • (518) 475-6800 School day: 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. School day: 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. After-school care*: Being considered St. Matthew Lutheran School After-school care*: Until 5:30 p.m. 75 Whitehall Road # A • (518) 463-6495 Albany Jewish Community Center Before-school care*: 7-8 a.m. Pine Hills Elementary School 340 Whitehall Road • (518) 689-0039 School day: 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. 41 North Allen St. • (518) 475-6725 School day: 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. After-school care*: 2:30-5:45 p.m. School day: 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. After-school care*: 3-6 p.m. After-school care: No Temple Israel Arbor Park Child Care Center 600 New Scotland Ave. • (518) 438-7858 Schuyler Achievement Academy 96 Second Street • (518) 465-8466 Before-school care*: 8-9 a.m. 676 Clinton Ave. • (518) 475-6700 School day: 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. School day: 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. School day: 9:05 a.m.-3:35 p.m. After-school care: No After-school care*: 3:30-5:30 p.m. After-school care: Until 6:30 p.m. Capital Milestones Childcare Trinity Nursery and Daycare Sheridan Preparatory Academy 3 Harriman Campus Dr. • (518) 457-3210 215 Lancaster St. • (518) 436-4514 400 Sheridan Ave. • (518) 475-6850 Before-school care*: 7-8 a.m. Before-school care*: 6:30-9 a.m. School day: 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. School day: 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. School day: 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. After-school care: Until 5:30 p.m. After-school care*: 2:30-5:30 p.m. After-school care*: 3:30-5:30 p.m. Children’s Place at the Plaza Themed programs Swan Street Building, Core 2, Empire State Plaza, *Many programs charge a fee for after-school Albany School of Humanities (ASH) Crystal Room Pavilion • (518) 474-4736 care, and it is offered at the discretion of 108 Whitehall Road • (518) 475-6575 Before-school care*: 7-8:30 a.m. outside providers when there is sufficient School day: 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. School Day: 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. enrollment and qualified staff. Contact the After-school care*: Until 5:30 p.m. After-school care*: 3-5:30 p.m. school or program for more information. The Albany County Department of Social Services Dual Language Program at Delaware Children’s Place at the Plaza State may be able to help you pay. For more Community School Education Building information, contact them at (518) 447-7435 or 43 Bertha St. • (518) 475-6750 10 N. Hawk St. • (518) 474-2918 [email protected]. School day: 9:05 a.m.-3:35 p.m. School day: 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. After-school care*: Until 5:30 p.m. After-school care*: 2:30-6 p.m. ** Please note that to be eligible for a Head Start prekindergarten program, your family Montessori Magnet School A Child’s Place at Unity must meet certain income requirements. For 45 Tremont St. • (518) 475-6675 50 Philip St. • (518) 434-0815 more information, call (518) 463-3175, ext. 135. School day: 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Before-school care*: 7:30-8 a.m. After-school care*: Until 5:30 p.m. School day: 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. After-school care*: 2:30-5:30 p.m.

5 After the lottery Once lottery seats are assigned, the district will send an official notification Applying by mail and email to the addresses you provide on the application. You will receive one of three letters: an acceptance letter, a waiting-list letter or a for the waiting-pool letter. If you receive an acceptance letter lottery You MUST register your child at our Central Registration Office, located at 75 Complete the application on Watervliet Ave. If you do not register your child by the deadline indicated in pages 7 and 8. Please print the letter, his or her spot will be given to another child. legibly so that all information can be entered accurately. If you receive a waiting-list letter Review your application If you applied for a spot in one of our neighborhood elementary schools, the carefully to make sure the Dual Language Program at Delaware Community School or a community information is accurate. program, your child’s name will be put on a waiting list for your first-choice program. Families will receive a waiting-list number and be offered the Mail or hand-deliver your opportunity to choose another prekindergarten program that has available application to: seats. Applications received after March 2 will be placed on the waiting list in City School District of Albany the order they were received and without sibling or neighborhood preference Magnet Schools Office consideration. 1 Academy Park If you receive a waiting-pool letter Albany, NY 12207 If you applied for a spot in one of the three magnet schools – Albany School Application deadline: of Humanities (ASH), Montessori Magnet School or Thomas O’Brien Academy of Science and Technology (TOAST) – your child’s name will be Friday, March 1 placed in a waiting pool and will be eligible for monthly drawings based on available seats. This process allows families to enroll in another district Lottery date: prekindergarten class and still have a chance of obtaining a seat in one of the Wednesday, March 13 themed programs. 10 a.m., TOAST, Lincoln Park The waiting pool is “weighted,” meaning that a child with a sibling and/or neighborhood preference will have priority over other students. All other Remember: students are weighted equally regardless of when they apply throughout 1. To be eligible for the year. Again, a monthly lottery will select students from the waiting pool prekindergarten, your child through May. must be at 4 years old by Dec. 1, 2019 (born Dec. 2, 2014 through Dec. 1, 2015) 2. To be considered siblings, children must share at least one parent 3. ONLY Albany residents can participate in our prekindergarten programs 4. Special-education placements are determined by the Special Education Department. Availability of programs varies at each school. Questions? For more information, call: (518) 475-6551 #allinforalbany 6 City School District of Albany OFFICE USE ONLY Attendance zone 2019-20 Pre-K Lottery Application Sibling pref. Neighborhood pref. Deadline March 1 • Lottery held March 13 Processed A separate application must be completed for each child. Please print clearly and complete both sides. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Child’s Last Name Child’s First Name

Parent/Guardian Last Name Parent/Guardian First Name

Street Address Zip Code

Phone Work Phone Email

Child’s Date of Birth Child’s Gender Does the child speak English? If no, please indicate primary language.

Does the child receive any special education services? If yes, please list services received. NOTE: Placement of students who receive special education services, including placement in an integrated classroom, must be determined by the Committee on Preschool Special Education. Will you enter more than one child in the pre-K lottery for 2019-20? Yes No If yes, do you want your children’s applications “linked”? Yes No (See page 4 to learn more about linking and whether this is an option for your children)

Does a sibling currently attend the City School District of Albany? Yes No (If yes, please complete below)

Sibling name Sibling school Sibling grade

The following information is necessary to assist in state and federal monitoring efforts and will not affect a student’s assignment. Ethnic origin (check one): Hispanic/Latino NOT Hispanic/Latino Race (check all that apply): Asian Black or African-American White American Indian or Alaskan Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander

I affirm that the information included in this application is true and complete to the best of my knowledge. I understand that completing this application does not guarantee my child admission. Upon acceptance into a magnet program, I, as parent or guardian, agree to attend any meetings or orientations that may be required by the school.

Parent/Guardian Signature Date PLEASE TURN OVER TO FINISH APPLICATION 7 Selection Please select your top four choices (1, 2, 3 and 4), with 1 being your first choice. Information about each school or program is in the booklet. If you select the Dual Language Program at Delaware Community School as one of your options, please be sure to indicate whether English or Spanish is your child’s dominant language.

Choice School or program Choice School or program

ACAP Head Start – Early Learning Center* Eagle Point Elementary School

Ernestina DiCioccio Bilingual Day Care ACAP Head Start – Hackett Boulevard* Center-Centro Civico

ACAP Head Start – Nathan Lebron Center* Giffen Memorial Elementary School

ACAP Head Start – Olivia Rorie Center* Infinite Care

Albany Jewish Community Center Montessori Magnet School

Albany School of Humanities (ASH) New Scotland Elementary School

Arbor Hill Elementary School North Albany Academy

Nursery School at The College of Arbor Park Child Care Center Saint Rose

Capital Milestones Childcare Pine Hills Elementary School

Children’s Place at the Plaza Schuyler Achievement Academy

Children’s Place at the Plaza State Education Building Sheridan Preparatory Academy

A Child’s Place at Unity St. Anne Institute

Delaware Community School St. Matthew Lutheran School

DIGI Preschool Academy Inc. Temple Israel

Dual Language Program at Delaware Community School Trinity Nursery and Daycare To choose this program, ENGLISH Thomas O’Brien Academy of Science you must select your child’s and Technology (TOAST) dominant language SPANISH

* Please note that to be eligible for a Head Start prekindergarten program, your family must meet certain income requirements. For more information, call (518) 463-3175, ext. 135.

PLEASE REVIEW YOUR APPLICATION CAREFULLY TO MAKE SURE THE INFORMATION IS ACCURATE. Your completed application can be mailed or hand-delivered to:

City School District of Albany Magnet Schools Office • 1 Academy Park, Albany, NY 12207 • (518) 475-6551

THE DEADLINE TO SUBMIT APPLICATIONS IS 4 P.M. ON FRIDAY, MARCH 1. MAILED APPLICATIONS MUST BE POSTMARKED BY THAT DATE. Applications received after the deadline will be eligible for future lottery drawings as seats become available. The lottery will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 13 at TOAST.

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE COMPLETED BOTH SIDES OF THIS APPLICATION