UNIVERSAL PREKINDERGARTEN (UPK)

2023-24 Lottery Information

The South Glens Falls Central School District is pleased to announce the Universal Pre-Kindergarten program will be expanding to full day for the 2023-24 school year.

To accommodate the switch to full day, we are extending our lottery entry period to March 31, 2023. All entries must be submitted by 3 p.m. on March 31, 2023 via our online form.

To be eligible for the South Glens Falls UPK program:

Your child must be four (4) years old on or before December 1, 2023.
You and your child must reside in the South Glens Falls School District.

All students will be selected by lottery to participate in the 2023-24 UPK Program with a maximum of 108 enrollees. The Lottery will take place on April 5, 2023, at 10 a.m. at Moreau Elementary School. If you have more than one eligible child (i.e. twin, etc.) you will need to complete a form for each child.

The Pre-Kindergarten Program will follow the South Glens Falls Central Schools District calendar. Students participating in the UPK Program will be enrolled in transportation to and from school provided by the South Glens Falls Central School District. Please note that transportation cannot be provided until your child reaches the age of four. Children who are three at the start of the school year must be transported by their parents or another person designated by their parents until they turn four.

As a part of the expanded all day program, South Glens Falls CSD will have six UPK classrooms. Three will continue to be housed at Moreau and one classroom will be at the other three elementary buildings. Students do not get an official home building until Kindergarten but we will do our best to get your child in a school that is close to your address.

We invite you to an online informational session to give further information about this new program and answer any questions that you may have about it. This will be held via Zoom on Monday, March 27 at 6:30 p.m. A link will be sent to you separately to invite you to this meeting.

If your child’s name is not drawn, you will be notified of where your child is seated on the waitlist. You will be notified if an opening becomes available during the 2023-24 school year.

Please contact Superintendent Kristine Orr with any questions. If you need additional forms, they can be found at any South Glens Falls Elementary School, on the district’s website, or at www.umcdaynusery.com. See more information and FAQ on our official UPK site.

History of the Program

Since the 2006-07 school year, the South Glens Falls Central School District has offered a half-day Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) program that serves 108 children. The program is currently housed at Moreau Elementary School, but operated by the Day Nursery School as the contract provider. Currently, there are six sections of UPK with class size limited to 18. In addition to the teacher, a teacher aide is assigned to each classroom. Enrollment in the UPK program is determined by a lottery held in the spring and transportation to and from the UPK program is provided each day by the SGF Central School District.

Funding for the entire program, including transportation, is derived through a grant supported by the New York State Education Department. Although the Board of Education contracts with the Day Nursery School to provide services, the South Glens Falls Central School District is the lead agency and operates the UPK program under its auspices as part of the public school system. The UPK program is held at Moreau Elementary School.

As noted by the New York State Education Department, “UPK classrooms, regardless of the setting, provide purposeful, child-centered activities and age-appropriate instruction to ensure children’s active learning.” The website also states that: “The UPK program is research based with the goal of ensuring that children receive an excellent educational beginning. Language and communication skills, creative and critical thinking skills, as well as the healthy development of large and fine motor skills, and optimal social-emotional development are integral components to a high quality program.”

In South Glens Falls, we fully endorse these goals as we strive to nurture and support preschoolers to develop the necessary skills that will help them be successful in kindergarten and lead to a positive and productive experience throughout their K-12 schooling.