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Pre-Kindergarten

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Pre-Kindergarten Program Application Deadline: May 1.

Homer Central Schools Pre-Kindergarten program is an age-appropriate instructional program for 4-year olds that prepares students for a successful transition to kindergarten and beyond. The program is a full day program that operates under the regular school calendar. The school day begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 3:15 p.m. Homer School’s Pre-Kindergarten program is designed to promote an active participatory learning process where children make daily choices about their activities and teachers help them cultivate language, fine and gross motor skills, and social skills as they play. Our program adheres to the state high-quality guidelines.

Pre-K Program Application for Selection

Requirements

Program Requirements

  • Child must turn four years old by December 1.
  • Child must live within the Homer Central School District boundaries. 
  • All Homer Central School employees are eligible to apply. However, HCS employee status does not automatically guarantee a seat on the roster. Applications will follow HCSD Policy #7133 entitled Non-Resident Students (Children of Employees) as well as the guidelines of the Placement Process.   
  • If you are the parent of twins, triplets, etc., you are required to submit one application per child.

Required Documents

Completed Homer Schools Pre-K Application Document

If your child is selected for a pre-kindergarten slot, you will then need to provide the following:

  • Proof of age (Your child must be four years old on or before December 1)  

  • Proof of Parent/Guardian Homer CSD Residency

  • Immunization Certificate

  • Custody documents (if applicable)

  • Completed Registration Packet   

If you have questions, please contact the Homer District Registrar @ 607-749-7241 x5041

Placement Process

Placement Process Guidelines

Priority placements are given to children who meet any of the following criteria:

  • Children whose family qualifies as Economically Disadvantaged (see income guidelines for Free and Reduced Lunch Program (downloadable link) or considered Homeless.

  • Children with Special Needs/IEP as confirmed by student's Individualized Educational Plan (IEP)

  • Students who are English Language Learners

Annually, the district will determine the number of priority slots available.  

 

Lottery

If the number of pre-kindergarten applicants exceed the amount of available pre-kindergarten seats, then a lottery will occur. All lottery results will be shared in an expeditious manner.
 
Children who do not meet any of the Priority Placement criteria will participate in the lottery, to take place prior to the end of May.
 
The process will consist of the following:

  1. All numbers eligible for the lottery will be included.

  2. Numbers will be drawn until the available pre-kindergarten slots are filled. 

  3. All remaining numbers will be drawn. The numbers and their corresponding student application will be placed on the Homer Schools pending placement list in the order they were drawn.

  4. All families will be notified of their child’s application status.

If a spot opens up, the next student on the pending placement list will be called and offered a seat.  Families on the pending placement list have three (3) business days to reply after receiving notification of an available spot.  The wait list will remain active and will be utilized throughout the year.