A free program for 4-year-olds who live near specific VPS schools

What: A half-day program three days per week. The program provides activities to increase skills needed for school and get ready for kindergarten.

Who: Children who are 4-years-old. There is a 14 student limit for each session. Children must live in the boundary of a Title 1 designated school:

• Anderson
• Fruit Valley
• Harney
• Hazel Dell
• King
• Lincoln
• Marshall
• Minnehaha
• Ogden
• Roosevelt
• Truman
• Walnut Grove
• Washington

When: Wednesdays through Fridays, morning or afternoon sessions. Note: The number of students who apply will determine final program options.

• Mornings: 8:45 a.m.–11:10 a.m.
• Afternoons: 12:10 p.m.–2:35 p.m.

Where: Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School, 8100 NE 28th St., Vancouver, WA 98661

Other details:

• Snack of juice and crackers are provided.
• Full-year commitment is essential to the success of the program.
• Transportation will be provided to homeless preschool students who are enrolled in a VPS preschool program.

Application process

1. Complete and submit an application for your child. Applications are available to students residing in the boundaries of designated Title 1 elementary schools. You may download an application here.
   *Please note that the Title 1 status of a specific school could change for the following school year.
2. Application must be submitted by mail to: VPS Preschool Program, Curriculum and Instruction Department, 2901 Falk Road, Vancouver, WA 98661.  Applications can also be emailed to kendra.yamamoto@vansd.org. Applications received after this date and time will be added to a wait list.
3. If there are more than 28 applicants, eligible students will be selected through a tiered lottery process. The lottery will consist of the following two tiers:
   Lottery #1: Eligible students residing within the boundaries of King Elementary School.
   Lottery #2: Eligible students residing within the boundaries of other Title I elementary schools.
   A lottery drawing will occur at 3 p.m. on June 3, 2020, at King Elementary School. All applicants will be notified by email of the lottery drawing outcome. For lottery results, families may contact King elementary school on Thursday, June 4th via email at kendra.yamamoto@vansd.org or 360-313-2200. Those students not selected through the lottery drawing will be notified and placed on a waiting list. Those on the waiting list will be contacted if and when space opens up in the program.

For 3- and 4-year-olds

What: A free half-day inclusive preschool program for typically developing children and children who have special needs ages 3-4. There are two teachers (one general education teacher and one special education teacher) and two paraeducators in each classroom. Teachers will promote active, engaging learning and social interaction among students of all abilities. The goal is for all students to achieve kindergarten-readiness skills.

Who: Children who will be 3- or 4-years-old by Aug. 31 of the current year. Children must live in the boundary of one of the following schools:

• Anderson
• Fruit Valley
• Harney
• Hazel Dell
• King
• Lincoln
• Marshall
• Minnehaha
• Ogden
• Roosevelt
• Truman
• Walnut Grove
• Washington

When: Tuesdays through Fridays, morning or afternoon session

• Morning: 8:10 a.m.–10:40 a.m.
• Afternoon: 12:10 p.m.–2:40 p.m.

Where: Ogden Elementary School, 3200 NE 86th Ave., Vancouver, WA 98662

Other details:

• Transportation is not provided.

Application process

1. Apply online.
2. Notification of acceptance will be sent after the application closes.
3. If there are more applicants than available spaces, a waitlist will be created.

A preschool program open to everyone

What: This program is part of the child development classes at Columbia River High School. High school students at River experience hands-on learning while working with young children. Under the supervision of a certified teacher, the students do the planning and implementing of age- and skill-appropriate projects and activities. Each day the preschoolers are offered two art projects, circle time, one-on-one reading time, free play, snacks and physical activity in the gym or outside. Transportation is not provided.

Who: All 3- to 4-year-olds (open to anyone; first-come, first-served). Total class size is 18 children.

When: Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays: 9:30 a.m to 11:20 a.m.

Cost: $90 per semester

For 3 to 5-year-olds

Vancouver Public Schools offers a free half-day preschool program for children ages 3 to 5 who have special needs. Each preschool classroom has one special education teacher and two paraeducators. Our child-centered program provides special education services including cognitive, communication, adaptive, social emotional, behavior, fine motor and gross motor goals. The goal is for all students to achieve kindergarten-readiness skills.

How would my child qualify for this program?

Children who currently have an Individualized Education Plan qualify for this preschool program. If you suspect your child may have a developmental delay, but does not have an IEP, please visit our early childhood evaluation site. 

When: Tuesday through Friday, morning or afternoon session

• Morning: 8:10 – 10:40 a.m
• Afternoon: 12:10 -2:40 p.m.

Where: Marshall Elementary School

Other details:

• Transportation provided