Tell me more about the grafton public schools preschool program!
Tell me more about the grafton public schools preschool program!
The Grafton Public Schools Preschool program is an integrated preschool program comprised of students with special needs and "Community Peers" that are peer models. Every Grafton Public Schools Preschool classroom is multi-age (3, 4, and 5 year olds). To attend the preschool program, "Community Peers" need to enter the preschool lottery and be offered a spot within the program based on their lottery number and availability. These "community peer" spots are tuition based and families need to reside in Grafton.
Yes! The Grafton Public Schools Integrated Preschool Program is open to children who reside within Grafton that meet the age requirement for preschool.
For a child without disabilities, children are required to be age 3 before September 1st of the designated school year in order to qualify for enrollment and be a resident of Grafton. Children that may be found to be eligible for special education needs through the special education evaluation process may begin the indicated and consented services upon their third birthday of the designated school year.
The Preschool Lottery is the way that Grafton Public Schools determines the school and preschool session choice for the upcoming school year. The number you receive in the lottery determines the choice of school and session your child received. Often times there are more applicants than available spaces. Applicants are then placed on a waiting list to be considered for future openings as they become available throughout the school year.
It is important to note that all children in the lottery will get a lottery number, however not all children will receive a preschool slot given that slots are dependent on availability.
For students without disabilities, the preschool lottery application will be available from January 15th-February 15th.
The lottery application is completed online.
The Preschool lottery takes place in March.
After the lottery is completed, the preschool coordinator will begin reaching out to families, starting with Lottery #1, to offer a available preschool slots.
In June, every child will be participate in the preschool screening process. Preschool screening takes place at North Grafton or South Grafton Elementary School. It is an opportunity for your child to participate with other children, a teacher, and service provider in order to explore typically developing pre-academic, motor, and speech and language skills. Should concerns be noted in the preschool screening process, additional screening or potential evaluation may be recommended by those completing the screening.
Preschool screenings take place for all students who receive a number within the lottery. Preschool screening is not dependent on available preschool spots.
Depending on the number of available preschool classroom spots we have each school year, there is a possibility that every child in the lottery will not receive a preschool placement. Once the lottery takes place and every child receives a number, the Preschool Coordinators will start with lottery number 1 and offer preschool slots. When all preschool spots available are filled, any remaining students within the lottery will receive a waitlist number. Often times there are more applicants than available spaces. Applicants are then placed on a waiting list to be considered for future openings as they become available throughout the school year.
If a preschool spot becomes available, number 1 on the wait list will be offered the spot. At that time they can accept or ask to remain on the wait list until their preferred spot becomes available.
At this time each child will get their own lottery number and a slot would be offered based on the lottery/waitlist number received. Therefore there may be a chance that one sibling/twin would be offered a spot and the other is placed on the waitlist. These "policies" are always ones that we are reviewing, however, unfortunately at this time, siblings, twins, etc are given their own lottery/waitlist number.
Yes! Given that it is a new year and to be fair to all applicants, families will need to enter their child into the lottery again.
If the school year has already started and open preschool slots are available, we will continue to fill those slots throughout the school year, as long as the student has turned 3 before Sept 1st of the designated school year. Please reach out to Melissa Johnson, Preschool Coordinator at johnsonme@grafton.k12.ma.us for open availability and questions regarding the application process.
Given that students who are "Community Peers" attend the preschool program to be peer models for our integrated special education students, extended vacations longer than 6 weeks may result in withdrawal from the preschool program. Please contact Melissa Johnson at johnsonme@grafton.k12.ma.us if you are currently enrolled in the program and need to take an extended vacation.
2024-2025 school year:
Tuition
4 day AM (Monday-Thursday 9:00am-11:30am)
$300/month
5 day PM (Monday-Friday 12:30pm-3:00pm)
$400/month
5 day Full Day (Monday-Friday 9:00am-2:00pm)
$650/month
2025-2026 school year tuition rates:
5 day AM (Monday-Friday 9:00am-11:30am)
$450/month
5 day PM (Monday-Friday 12:30pm-3:00pm)
$450/month
5 day Full Day (Monday-Friday 9:00am-2:00pm)
$700/month
We do offer a reduced fee for those families that qualify for it.
Yes! Please use the link below to access the Financial Aid Application. The application can be brought to the Town Hall-School Department once your child has a confirmed preschool spot (after the preschool lottery has been held).