Enrollment for New District 304 Preschool Program Starts Next Week

Enrollment for the newly-approved Geneva District 304 preschool program will begin next week.

Parents interested in enrolling their child in the Geneva 304 Early Learning Program for the 2017-18 school year can attend an information night on Thursday, Feb. 23 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Geneva Middle School South, 1415 Viking Drive, Geneva.

Online enrollments will be accepted on a first come, first served basis between Feb. 24 and March 3. Eligible students are residents of Geneva School District who will be 3 years old as of Sept. 1, 2017.

The District 304 Board of Education on Monday approved the establishment of a school district preschool program for the 2017-18 school year. The program will serve tuition-based students and special education students within a blended program, according to a District 304 news release.

Housed at Fabyan Elementary School, the Geneva 304 Early Learning Program will meet five days per week for 2.5 hours each day. Three-year-old children will attend in the morning and 4-year-old children will attend in the afternoon.

"The Geneva 304 Early Learning Program is designed to promote the emotional, physical, social and developmental readiness needs of children through purposeful and constructive play," according to the District 304 news release. "It is staffed by state-certified early childhood teachers and uses a research-based curriculum and assessments."

Tuition will be $260 per month per child. That money will be used to offset any added costs to the district for this program, according to the news release Geneva School District will continue to serve special education students at no charge as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA).

Currently, Geneva School District collaborates with the Geneva Park District to offer Friendship Station Preschool. After this school year, the school district and park district programs will no longer be affiliated, but Friendship Station Preschool will continue to be housed at Geneva Middle School South.

Current district preschool staff who work in conjunction with the Geneva Park District preschool program will transfer into their own classrooms at Fabyan Elementary School.