Sunday, January 19, 2025
For the third year in a row, the Malverne School District will be offering a universal pre-K program for the village’s 4-year-olds — and enrollment has just begun for the 2025-26 school year.
The current school year is the second year of the district’s UPK program, which has been offered at two locations — Nottingham Academy, at 12 Nottingham Road in Malverne, and Tutor Time, at 131 Main St. in East Rockaway.
The program is 10 months long, from September to June, and operates like a regular school day. Enrollment for the next school year began on Dec. 1, and parents can sign up their children at the district website.
The interest level for the upcoming school year has already surpassed previous years, much to the delight of the organizers who want to get more students enrolled in this program. There are 38 students registered for the current school year.
“We have never in this district been able to offer pre-K because we have no physical space in our buildings,” Malverne Superintendent Lorna Lewis said. “We sought to partner with Tutor Time last year, and they offered us the opportunity to do it again this year with additional programs. We went from having none three years ago to a potential 90 seats available.” They are hoping to fill all those seats.
“We have direct evidence that students who benefit from this program are far more ready for kindergarten,” Romano said. “They come in knowing their numbers, letters and names. They know how to interact socially. They’re light years ahead of students who have not had a pre-K program.”
The UPK program is five hours a day, starting at 9 a.m. and ending at 2 p.m., during which time students learn math, creative arts, STEM activities and more. They also have a standard break time in which they can nap, as well as eat lunch and snacks.
“They have our students ready,” Balzan said. “Having letter recognition, sound recognition and numbers is exactly what we want them to be able to do in kindergarten. This program offers that and more. The feedback has been resounding.”
Parents have until May 6 to sign up their children for Malverne’s pre-K program for 2025-26. The lottery to see who will be accepted into the program will be conducted on May 9, depending on enrollment numbers. The 2025-26 UPK program begins on Sept. 3.
According to the Malverne district website and their FAQ’s, the number of eligible students is contingent upon passage of the official New York state budget, the corresponding per pupil allocations, and childcare provider availability. Participating students must reside within the Malverne district.
Children who turn 4 on or before Dec. 1, 2025, and are first eligible for kindergarten in September 2026, are eligible for enrollment in the UPK program. These students must be born between Dec. 2, 2020 and Dec. 1, 2021, but students will who turn 5 on or before Dec. 1, 2025, or kindergarten age, will not eligible for the UPK program, according to state eligibility requirements.
This UPK program directly aligns with the newly implemented “Portraits of a Graduate” by preparing students for kindergarten, which then sets them up for the next three grades. This completes the portrait as they enter the latter half of primary school.
After selecting which location you would like your child to attend, parents can register their child for the next school year, so long as they meet all the eligibility requirements.
