The preschool program which is hosted at Ridge is open to all CCSD59 families with qualifying 4-year-old children. It was launched in the 17-18 school year and is free to families whose children qualify to attend.

CCSD59’s goal in creating this preschool program is to provide a high quality preschool experience that will both meet the needs of families in the CCSD59 community and assist children with the transition into kindergarten. The program will provide parent education opportunities, a curriculum aligned to the Early Learning Standards, and developmentally appropriate experiences for children in a school setting.

The preschool program housed at Ridge is designed to meet the needs of families whose children do not qualify to attend the Early Learning Center’s (ELC) at-risk or special education programs. Both the new preschool program at Ridge and the ELC each have their own qualification criteria.

Students enrolled in the program will have exposure to and learn from:

• Play-based learning
• Confidence building experiences through social-emotional learning opportunities
• Developing basic literacy and numeracy skills
• An introduction to the English language, as necessary
• Opportunities to interact with other children and learn how to be successful in school
  

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General information ON THE PROGRAM

• Applications will be on a first come, first served basis, with a waiting list maintained at Ridge if one is required. Parents or guardians who are interested in the program must complete an enrollment application, and families who meet the criteria will be notified if attendance is accepted by mid-July. Applications are accepted until the program is full. The following steps will be required for students to be able to attend:
  • Proof of residency in CCSD59 must be provided
  • A CCSD59 registration packet must be completed
  • A child’s official birth certificate or passport must be shown
  • A language screening must be completed at CCSD59
• Applications are available on the CCSD59 website, at Ridge Family Center for Learning, and at the CCSD59 administration office.
• The program follows Ridge’s balanced calendar and is offered as a half day program, as follows:
  • Morning session: 9:00 – 11:30am on Monday through Friday (5 days per week)
  • Afternoon session: 1:00 – 3:30pm on  Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday (4 days a week)
  • While requests for a time slot will be considered, they will be assigned by the district based on the application process.
• In order to qualify, families will need to complete an application including proof of residency and family income, eligibility for public benefits, and a child’s medical history. Please note, a child must be 4 years old by September 1 to begin the application process.
• Classroom sizes and language needs will be reviewed based on the needs and make-up of the student population who are enrolled.
• Attending the preschool program at Ridge will not automatically qualify a child to attend the School of Choice program at Ridge. Parents and guardians who are interested in their student attending the Ridge Family Center for Learning under the School of Choice program will be required to complete the same process as all other requests.

application Formulario de solicitudFormularz wniosku

What is the difference between the program offerings at the ELC and the new preschool program at Ridge?

The ELC offers both a tuition-based program for children who are typically developing and a grant-based program (Preschool for All) funded by the state of Illinois. Children who are 3-5 years old, not eligible for kindergarten yet, and meet the program criteria may qualify under the grant. The ELC also offers special education programming for children who have special needs. All of these students are integrated into classrooms together to meet the needs of the grant.

The Ridge preschool program offers a free-tuition preschool program for typically developing children. There is an application process based on family income and access to public benefits and other state aid. This program is more aligned to a community preschool but is free for families that qualify.

Children who do not qualify to attend the Early Learning Center’s (ELC) at-risk or special education programs may still qualify to attend the new preschool program, which follows Ridge’s balanced calendar. CCSD59 offers a half day program with morning and afternoon sessions.

To learn more about CCSD59’s early childhood program offerings, visit the early education services page.