All Mini-Mounties Pre-K classrooms have a maximum of 15 children with two full-time staff members (1 teacher and 1 teaching assistant). Classrooms are inclusive, mixed-age groupings.

Yes. Mini-Mounties classrooms include a range of ages, usually with both 3- and 4-year-old children together. This mixed-age grouping supports social learning, cooperative play, and model learning as children interact with peers at slightly different stages of development.

All Mini-Mounties school day programs are 6 hours. Beginning and end times vary by location. Extended or wrap-around care is available at all locations. For specific school day hours and extended care hours and fees, please check each location on our website.

For 2026-2027, the number of classes in each location is as follows:

• Ben Samuels: 3 classes

• Charles H. Bullock (CHB): 1 class

• DLC: 3 classes

• Hillside School: 3 classes

• MCDC: 3 classes

• MCPK: 8 classes

• MMO: 2 classes

• Neighborhood Child and Infant Care Center: 2 classes

• Nishuane: 4 classes

• YMCA: 4 classes

All in-district (DLC, Nishuane, Hillside, CHB), MCPK, Neighborhood Childcare Center, MSU–Ben Samuels, and YMCA classrooms follow the Montclair Public Schools calendar, including start and end dates, vacations, professional development days, abbreviated days, and weather-related closures. Montclair Child Development Center (Head Start) follows the MCDC calendar.

Students in public Pre-K classrooms are not required to be toilet trained. While we recommend families attempt toilet training at home before school, our teachers and staff will assist children with toileting and reinforce the potty training method being used at home.

All Montclair residents who are 3 years old by October 1 qualify. Families eligible for free and reduced-price lunch are prioritized in the application process, but all Montclair families are eligible for this free Pre-K program.

Preschool expansion classrooms are intended for 3 and 4-year-old children only, and retention is not an allowable practice.

The Mini-Mounties application opens on January 9, 2026. Applications are not first-come, first-served. Eligible students are entered into a random selection process, and placements are offered based on availability.

Families who submit an application by Friday, January 16, 2026 will receive placement notifications by January 23, 2026. Once a placement is offered, families have 30 days to complete registration through the Montclair Public Schools registration process and any additional provider-site requirements.

If the number of eligible applicants exceeds available seats, Montclair Public Schools uses a randomized lottery to determine placement. Each eligible applicant is assigned a lottery number. Numbers are drawn until all seats are filled. Once capacity is reached, additional numbers are drawn to create an official waitlist. Families are notified of lottery results by email.

For the 2026–2027 school year, the Mini-Mounties program will continue to use a lottery system, as the program is not yet at full capacity.

No. For the 2026–2027 school year, Mini-Mounties will use a random selection process, and applications are not first-come, first-served. All applications submitted by the deadline will be given equal consideration.

We understand that families have different schedules, and this process is designed to reduce stress and ensure a fair and equitable experience for everyone.

To apply, families will need basic student information and location preferences. After placement notification, families will be required to upload additional documents (proof of Montclair residency, a copy of the child’s birth certificate, NJ universal health record, and proof of immunizations) into the MPS online registration portal.

Yes. As part of the application, families will be asked to rank all Mini-Mounties locations in order of preference. While we do our best to consider family preferences, placement cannot be guaranteed due to space availability.

To submit the application, families must: rank all locations, assign each location a unique ranking, and must avoid selecting the same location more than once. Applications cannot be submitted unless all locations are ranked.

Once the application is submitted, site rankings cannot be changed. We encourage families to attend tours and information sessions before applying to help make informed choices.

Yes. While the lottery is randomized, priority considerations consistent with NJDOE requirements may be applied. Priority may be given to students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, applicants with a sibling currently enrolled in a Mini-Mounties classroom, and families who participated in the previous year’s lottery and remained on the waitlist for the full school year. After priority considerations are applied, remaining seats are filled through the random lottery process.

Sibling priority may be applied when an applicant has a sibling currently enrolled in a Mini-Mounties Pre-K classroom. This priority does not apply to siblings transitioning to kindergarten. Sibling priority does not guarantee placement at a specific site, as placement depends on availability and classroom composition.

Children currently enrolled in a Mini-Mounties Preschool Expansion classroom as 3-year-olds are automatically enrolled for their second year (as 4-year-olds), unless the district is notified otherwise. Because these students retain their seats, the number of available spots for new applicants may vary by location.

If your child is already registered in one of the existing Mini-Mounties Pre-K classrooms, they do not need to update their registration until they transition to kindergarten.

No. Enrollment as a tuition-based student at a site does not guarantee placement into the Mini-Mounties program. All Mini-Mounties placements are determined through the lottery and waitlist process.

Families will be offered a placement at one Mini-Mounties location. Transfer requests are very limited and will only be considered if a sibling is enrolled at the requested site.

For children who are already enrolled in a Mini-Mounties Pre-K classroom, site changes are not permitted except in extenuating circumstances.

Any transfer requests must be submitted in writing and sent directly to Ms. Perez by January 16, 2026 for consideration.

Yes, every student must be registered individually.

No. Children with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) that recommends preschool placement do not participate in the lottery. These students are entitled to a preschool seat and are placed directly into an appropriate program through the IEP process, in accordance with state regulations.

Families who are not offered a seat through the lottery are placed on an official waitlist in the order drawn. The waitlist remains active for the entire school year. If a seat becomes available due to withdrawals or enrollment changes, families are contacted in waitlist order.

Waitlist status applies only to children who are age-eligible for the Mini-Mounties program for that specific school year. Children must be 3 or 4 years old by October 1 of the school year to remain eligible.

Any child who does not meet the age requirement for the upcoming school year will be removed from the waitlist.

If a family declines a placement offer and does not choose to remain on the waitlist, the child must re-enter the lottery for the following school year in order to be considered again.

If a family declines a placement offer but chooses to remain on the waitlist, the student will be moved to the bottom of the waitlist for that same school year. In this case, the family does not need to re-enter the lottery for the following year, provided the child remains age-eligible.

As the District transitions into a new lottery year, age-eligible students from the prior year who remained on the waitlist will be considered first for available seats. Once all eligible returning waitlist students have been placed, the District will then move to new applicants for the current school year through the randomized lottery system.

No. The Mini-Mounties waitlist is program-wide, not site-specific. There is no waitlist by individual location, and remaining on the waitlist does not guarantee placement at any particular site.

Unfortunately, the transfer of a Mini-Mounties Pre-K lottery seat to an older sibling within the same family is not possible. Our classroom placements are carefully considered, and we must adhere to the original assignment.

No. Families may not substitute a younger sibling for a child currently on the waitlist in a subsequent school year. If a younger sibling becomes age-eligible, a new application must be submitted for that child for the applicable school year.

Families typically have 48 hours to accept or decline a placement offered from the waitlist, unless otherwise required by program timelines. Families who decline a seat may be removed from the waitlist or, upon request, may remain active and be moved to the bottom of the list.

We encourage prospective families to tour or attend the open house for all Pre-K locations, preferably before enrollment opens in early January. Placement at your preferred location is not guaranteed, and touring provides valuable insights into the environment, teaching methods, and overall atmosphere of each Pre-K, helping you make an informed decision in your ranked preference.

While families are asked to rank all Mini-Mounties locations in order of preference, placement cannot be guaranteed. Final placements depend on seat availability, required mixed-age ratios, maximum class sizes, and overall classroom composition across sites.

All students must be three years old by October 1. Students eligible for kindergarten (turning five by October 1) are not eligible for Mini-Mounties Pre-K.

After placement notification, families must submit proof of Montclair residency, a copy of the child’s birth certificate, a completed NJ Universal Health Record, and proof of immunizations through the MPS online registration portal.

Please refer to the MPS website for required registration information. 

Mini-Mounties is a program for Montclair residents. If a family moves out of the district, continued enrollment may be impacted. Families should notify the district as soon as possible if their residency changes.

New Jersey state law requires all children enrolled in preschool to be up to date on immunizations. In addition, children must receive a flu vaccine each year between October 1 and December 15. Students who do not meet these vaccination requirements will not be permitted to attend the program, in accordance with state regulations.

Mini-Mounties Pre-K students who live more than two miles from their assigned location may qualify for transportation. Eligibility is determined by the MPS Transportation Department.

Mini-Mounties is a full-day preschool program. Part-time enrollment is not available. Families may choose to use before- and after-care options offered by individual sites.

Please refer to each location's website for before and aftercare information.

The in-district classrooms before and after care is facilitated by the YMCA and all questions should be directed to rcasale@montclairymca.org or jmurphy@montclairymca.org.

Unfortunately, only students who have been allocated spots through the enrollment process are eligible to attend a Mini-Mounties class. As such, self-payment for additional seats in the class is not an available option. If the location has additional classrooms that are not part of the Mini-Mounties program, you are encouraged to reach out to them directly regarding availability and tuition.

Due to the randomized nature of the Mini-Mounties lottery, placement for twins cannot be guaranteed, and it is possible that one twin may receive a placement while the other does not.

When possible, the placement process prioritizes keeping siblings at the same school if both children receive a placement. However, placements are dependent on seat availability, required classroom composition, and the outcome of the randomized lottery.

Classroom placement decisions are made by each individual location. While all sites value and consider family input, same-classroom placement is not guaranteed.

Families requesting that twins be placed in the same classroom should contact the assigned location directly after placement is offered. Written requests must be submitted by the specified deadline (TBD) in order to be considered. A formal request form is currently being developed and will be included as part of the registration process.

Mini-Mounties classrooms are inclusive and supported by a district early childhood team. If your child has an IEP or is in the evaluation process, the IEP team will work with families to support appropriate placement and services.

Yes, you can apply for a spot. If eligible for special education, the IEP team will assist in the placement process.

All placement notifications and important updates are sent via email. Families should ensure their email address is accurate and regularly check spam or junk folders.

The implementation of a play-based curriculum in pre-kindergarten is crucial for fostering holistic development, as it recognizes that play is the natural mode of learning for young children, promoting cognitive, social, and emotional skills in an engaging and enjoyable manner. The adoption of a play-based, state-approved curriculum across all locations ensures a standardized and effective approach, guaranteeing that children receive a well-rounded education that aligns with developmental milestones and educational standards.

DLC, Nishuane, CHB, Hillside, MCPK, Neighborhood Childcare Center, and the YMCA  classrooms use the Tools of the Mind (TOM) curriculum. TOM  is a research-based early childhood model based on the developmental theories of Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky. The program combines teacher professional development with a comprehensive innovative curriculum that helps young children to develop the cognitive, social-emotional, self-regulatory, and foundational academic skills they need to succeed in school and beyond. 

MCDC (HeadStart) and MSU-Ben Samuels classrooms use the High Scope curriculum. The HighScope preschool curriculum is an educational approach that emphasizes active learning and hands-on experiences for young children. Developed in the 1960s, it is based on the belief that children learn best through active engagement with their environment and encourages a child's initiative and decision-making. The play-based curriculum includes a daily routine, key developmental areas, and the use of a plan-do-review process to foster a child's intellectual, social, and emotional growth.

Mini-Mounties PreK classroom teachers are required to be certified by the State of New Jersey in Early Childhood Education (P-3 Certification).

While all locations may be a slightly different, in general, all classrooms will follow a schedule similar to:

Arrival/Unpack/Wash hands

Teacher Table Work – fine motor activities

Opening Group

Play Plan/Play Centers

Graphics Practice/Buddy Reading

Lunch

Rest time

Bathroom

Outside time

Snack

Pack up/Closing group

Dismissal

Yes, our commitment is to maintain consistent programming across all locations.

Our daily schedule includes dedicated outdoor time, ensuring children have ample time for outdoor activities. Adjustments may occur due to inclement weather or other circumstances prioritizing safety.

Yes, our program includes designated times for rest or quiet activities, supporting children's well-being and providing energy for a full day of learning.

All locations have meals available. Meals are provided on-site at NCICC and MCDC. Montclair Public Schools provides meals for all other locations. MPS meals are provided at no cost to families eligible for free/reduced lunch. 

If your child begins school after the school year has started, we will work with you to support a smooth transition. Placement will be based on space availability, and your child may join a classroom when space becomes available.

Families may reach out to the Mini-Mounties team using the contact information listed on the Mini-Mounties website. We are happy to support families throughout the application and placement process.