Update on Prek for fall 2016
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By Joyce Szuflita
Public prek application season has started. Applications can be submitted online from 1/25 through 3/4 as well as in person or by phone. This is NOT a first come, first served process (it is crazy how that rumor persists). You are placed in early to mid May and then you are automatically placed on a wait list for any school that you ranked higher than the school you are placed in. There may be some new programs added during the late spring and you can apply to them in Round 2 (May2-20).
I was going to write a new explanation of the process but actually the one I wrote in Nov. is so good, I am just going to link to that here.
There are three places you can find free full day UPK preks: in a public school, in an NYCEEC (NYC Early Education Centers - existing daycares preschools that have done the paperwork to get funding for the four's year) , and in a stand alone Prek Centers (single year DoE programs that may or may not be located in a public school but are not affiliated with that elementary).
I am not going to list all the preks that I love, many of which fill with sibs and zoned families (you know who you are!), but I thought it would be helpful to highlight some that have lots of seats available for families out of zone or district and some wonderful programs (but not all of them- if I didn't have families attending or have seen them myself- there may be wonderful schools out there that you can also recommend - let me know) that DIDNT FILL last year! shocking, since many of them are so lovely. You should never rank a school just because I listed it! but these are all worth your investigation and you may be surprised and delighted by what you see. Remember, you have 12 choices. You can rank schools even if they are out of district. The 'lowest priority accepted' information in the directory is from the initial placement from last year - not the last wait list placement made.
Check them out:
District 13 (Brooklyn Heights to Western Bed Stuy)
Helen Owen Carey (80 seats! 5- non-priority students)
PS 11 (72 seats, 8- in district)
PS 282 (90 seats, 8- in district)
PS 307 (108 seats, Did not fill)
there are MANY more that did not fill, check your directory
District 14 (you guys have a ton of good options and all of you in Bushwick, Clinton Hill and Bed Stuy can get to many of these school pretty easily)
Kings Bay Y at North Williamsburg (20 seats, 5- non-priority students)
Queen of the Rosary Catholic Academy (36 seats, Did not fill)
PS 18 (36 seats, Did not fill)
PS 84 (72 seats, 8- in district)
PS 110 (90 seats, 8- in district)
PS 132 (72 seats, 8- in distict)
PS 147 (54 seats, 9- in borough)
PS 157 (36 seats, Did not fill)
PS 196 (54 seats, Did not fill) you are doing yourselves a disservice not to check it out: Open Play date on Sat., Jan. 30 @ 9:30am. Also, on Feb. 5, 2016 @ 9:30 am they are having a PreK Showcase/Breakfast for students born in 2012. They can contact the Parent Coordinator Maria Rodriguez for more info. (718.497.0139)
PS 250 (36 seats, 8-in district)
PS 380 (90 seats, Did not fill)
District 15 (many of you don't have prek in your zoned schools, but you do have good seats...)
Giocare (12 seats, 5- non-priority students)
Hanson Place (20 seats, 5- non-priority students)
Little Nest Preschool (15 seats, 5- non-priority students)
St. Francis Xavier (36 seats, 5-non-priority students)
Warren St. Center (29 seats, Did not fill)
PS 15 (90 seats, plus DL, 9- in borough)
PS 38 (126 seats, 8- in district)
PS 118 (72 seats, 7- in district)
PS 124 (36, 7- in district)
PS 516 (54 seats, 7-in district)
Prek Center at Bishop Ford (504 seats!!! oh yeah, you read right, Did not fill)
Prek Center at 118 (72 seats, did not fill)
Prek Center at 25th St. (108 seats, did not fill)
District 17 (I need to know more about D17 preks - parents! educate me!)
PS 316 (54 seats, 9- in borough)
PS 705 (72 seats, 8- in district)
PS 770 (36 seats, 9- in borough)
District 22 (I only cover the northern part of the district but I would love to know more here too)
Kaleidoscope (43 seats, 5-non priority students)
