Half Hollow Hills Pre-K Application Deadline Extended

The deadline to submit an application for your child to be considered for the Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) Program in Half Hollow Hills has been extended to April 1, 2019. To be eligible, children must:

• be 4 years old on or before December 31, 2019,
• not be eligible for Kindergarten, and
• reside within the boundaries of the district.

The application can be found at www.hhh.k12.ny.us/district/upk. Resident children who turn five by December 31, 2019, are eligible for Kindergarten in 2019, and their parents or guardians should contact the Half Hollow Hills Central School District at 631-592-3000.

The Half Hollow Hills UPK half-day program is delivered by REACH CYA, and uses The Creative Curriculum framework that aligns with the New York State Prekindergarten Foundation for the Common Core. It includes differentiated instruction strategies to ensure all students meet with success and develop a love for learning.

“Our UPK program is a wonderful opportunity for our families and children in Half Hollow Hills,” said Diana Ketcham, assistant superintendent for elementary education. “We are so fortunate to have the ability to welcome our youngest learners into our school community, providing them with important foundational skills and a strong beginning.”

The program includes bus safety instruction, a trip to the Hills East Planetarium, robotics instruction from the High School Robotics Teams, and field trips to White Post Farms and the Half Hollow Hills Community Library. This spring, iPad Literacy Listening Centers will be implemented into each pre-K classroom to encourage and support all learners, including English Language Learners.

“Our collaboration with REACH enables our students to not only experience a range of important learning opportunities, but also places them in the elementary school in which they will attend Kindergarten the following year,” added Ketcham. “This unique structure helps our students seamlessly transition into Kindergarten with great success, attending a school that already feels like home.”

The Half Hollow Hills UPK program is fully state-funded, with no cost to the local tax payer, and is currently delivered to approximately 180 children during the 2018-19 school year. Each class is taught by a New York State Certified Teacher, an instructional assistant, and may have a maximum of only 18 students. The program implements an age-appropriate comprehensive curriculum that integrates all subject areas, and is aligned with the New York State Pre-K Learning Standards.

An education-oriented community with high academic expectations, the Half Hollow Hills Central School District is located in a residential area of 50,000 people in the central part of Long Island, approximately 40 miles from New York City. Providing for the education of almost 8,000 students, the school district has five elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools. Half Hollow Hills High Schools are fully accredited by the New York State Department of Education. The district is committed to providing all students with opportunities to excel in academics, athletics and the arts.