The Valley Central School District announces its anticipated participation in the grant-funded New York State Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) program for the 2025-2026 school year. Services for the anticipated half-day, full-day and expanded-day UPK program are provided through locally approved UPK providers. Eligible children include those who will be four years old on or before Dec. 1, 2025 and who reside in the Valley Central School District. Applications for the 2025-2026 UPK program will be available beginning on Jan. 23 on the district’s Universal Prekindergarten web page, at the Parent Information Night, and at the Central Office administration building. Parents can also call or email the UPK Office to request an application. The application deadline is Feb. 14.
UPK placements are awarded at no-cost to the parents through a lottery system, requiring eligible families to complete an application by the deadline to be included in the drawing in the spring. For more information or to access an application, please visit Valley Central School District’s Universal Prekindergarten web page at vcsdny.org/about-us/universal-pre-kindergarten/, call the UPK Office at (845) 457-2400 ext. 18134 or email UPK@vcsdny.org.
Parents and guardians are encouraged to attend the UPK Parent Information Night on Jan. 23 at 6:30 p.m. in the Berea Elementary School Cafeteria located at 946 NY-17K in Montgomery. In addition to receiving an application at the event, parents are invited to watch a presentation, and have their questions answered about the UPK lottery system, program providers, the types of programs, and more.
Universal Pre-Kindergarten is designed to promote literacy through the use of evidence-based practices, promote positive emotional, social and cognitive skills through collaboration between schools and parents, and more.