Preschool

A place to play, learn and be curious!

Our fee-based preschools provide outstanding opportunities for 3- and 4-year-olds of all skills and abilities, and assure that they make a smooth transition into kindergarten.

Licensed preschool teachers provide learning experiences to develop the skills your child will need to be successful in school. Your child will make new friends and have lots of time to play and explore. Daily activities include music and movement, sensory exploration, story time, block play, dramatic play, outdoor play, snack and circle time activities.

The preschool lottery window for the 2025-26 school year will be open from Jan. 20 at 7 a.m. to Feb. 2 at 7 p.m.

4 year-old preschool lottery form

3 year-old threeschool lottery form

Contact

Early Childhood Family Center
651-351-4000

Preschool Open House

Visit a classroom and meet the teachers. Learn about our district-aligned curriculum and have your questions answered.

Wednesday, Jan. 15
5:30-6:30 p.m.

All seven elementary locations and the Early Childhood Family Center

Preschool booklet

Give your future Pony a great start!

2025-26 Information

Elementary School Locations

Preschool classes in all of our elementary buildings will run Monday through Thursday. A half day option is available at Brookview Elementary. Childcare is available through Adventure Club before and after the full-day classes from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Classes for 4-year-olds

Full-Day Preschool
Monday-Thursday (7:45 a.m.-2:15 p.m.) ..........................................................................$830/month

Half-Day Preschool
Brookview Elementary only
Monday-Thursday (7:45 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.) ..........................................................................$415/month

Friday Play Days.............................................$235/month
Children attending our preschool classes at the elementary schools can also enroll in Friday Play Days. These days are supervised by our classroom assistants and provide a
social atmosphere in which children can explore and play during the school day.
Fridays..................................................7:45 a.m.-2:15 p.m.

Early Childhood Family Center (ECFC)

Classes for 3-year-olds
2 half-days/week...................................$235/month
Mon/Wed mornings.......................9:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Mon/Wed afternoons...............................1-3:30 p.m.
Tue/Thur mornings........................9:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Tue/Thur afternoons................................1-3:30 p.m.

Classes for 4-year-olds
4 half-days/week....................................$410/month
Mon-Thur mornings........................9:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

4 full-days/week .....................................$810/month
Mon-Thur ......................................9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Friday Play Days......................................$235/month
4-year-olds can also enroll in Friday Play Days. These days are supervised by our classroom assistants and provide a
social atmosphere in which children can explore and play during the school day.
Fridays.............................................9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m

2024-25 Information

Elementary School Locations

Preschool classes in all of our elementary buildings will run Monday through Thursday. A half day option is available at Brookview. Childcare is available through Adventure Club before and after the full-day classes from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Classes for 4-year-olds (full-day or morning only)

Full-Day Preschool
Monday-Thursday (8:45 a.m.-3:15 p.m.) ......................................................................$790/month

Half-Day Preschool
Brookview Elementary only
Monday-Thursday (8:45 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.) ...........................................................................$390/month

Friday Play Days
Children attending our preschool classes at the elementary schools can also enroll in Friday Play Days. These days are supervised by our classroom assistants and provide a
social atmosphere in which children can explore and play during the school day.
Option: Friday Play Days (8:45 a.m.-3:15 p.m.) ..........................................................$200/month

Early Childhood Family Center (ECFC)

Preschool classes located in the ECFC will run Monday through Thursday mornings or afternoons.

Classes for 3-year-olds
2 half-days/week..............................$225/month
Mon/Wed .......................................9:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Mon/Wed ................................................1-3:30 p.m.
Tue/Thur.........................................9:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Tue/Thur..................................................1-3:30 p.m.

Classes for 4-year-olds
4 half-days/week..............................$390/month
Mon-Thur .......................................9:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Mon-Thur ................................................1-3:30 p.m.

4 full-days/week ...............................$725/month
Mon-Thur ....................................9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Preschool Registration

We offer 4-year-old preschool in all seven of our elementary schools and the Early Childhood Family Education Center (ECFC). We also offer 3-year-old preschool at the ECFC. Our preschool program has been given the Four Star Parent Aware rating and is closely aligned with the district's curriculum, which ensures a smooth transition to kindergarten and beyond.

Preschool is a fee-based program provided by Community Education. Limited scholarships are available for Minnesota residents who are not yet 5 as of Sept. 1. Depending on your family income, you may be eligible for discounted or free services. Please call the Early Childhood Family Center at 651-351-4000 for more information about preschool tuition assistance.

Preschool registration utilizes a lottery system to give ALL applicants an equal chance of a child being accepted into the preschool program. When available, lottery entry and interest forms will be linked on this page.

Lottery Process
The process starts with families completing the Preschool Lottery Form (below) for the school they want their child to attend. We will use a randomized lottery system to fill available preschool spots. The lottery window is open from Jan. 20 at 7 a.m. to Feb 2. at 7 p.m. You will be notified of the lottery results by Feb. 21.

If your child's name is chosen you will have one week to complete the registration process, which will be outlined in the acceptance email you receive.
If your child was not selected in the initial lottery, their name will be placed on a waiting list and an email will be sent with this information.

Only when your preschool contract has been accepted and registration completed will you be charged the registration fee of $80.

Families who register after the Feb. 2 deadline will be asked to fill out an interest form to be added to a waitlist in the order received.

4 year-old preschool lottery form

3 year-old threeschool lottery form

Preschool Locations

We offer eight preschool locations to choose from:

Three-School (for 3-year-olds)

Early Childhood Family Center, 1111 Holcombe St S., Stillwater

Preschool (for 4-year-olds)

Afton-Lakeland Elementary, 475 St Croix Trail St.S., Lakeland
Andersen Elementary, 309 N. 4th St., Bayport
Brookview Elementary, 11099 Brookview Road, Woodbury
Early Childhood Family Center, 1111 Holcombe St S., Stillwater
Lake Elmo Elementary, 11030 Stillwater Blvd. N., Lake Elmo
Lily Lake Elementary, 2003 West Willard St., Stillwater
Rutherford Elementary, 115 Rutherford Road, Stillwater
Stonebridge Elementary, 900 N. Owens St , Stillwater

Preschool School Supply List

Preschool Supply List

1 - 24 count box of Crayola crayons
1 - 10 count pack of Crayola washable markers
1 - Package of dry erase markers
4 - Glue sticks
1 - Wide-ruled notebook
1 - Backpack: large enough to hold snow pants and boots
1 - Small blanket for rest time for all-day students

A great smile on the first day of school!

Printable Supply List

* Please label the notebook, backpack, and blanket with the child's name; the other supplies are community supplies.

Nutrition

Transportation

Before and After School Care

For preschool students at our elementary locations Adventure Club is an option before preschool begins and after full-day classes. Space is limited. There is no childcare at the ECFC. For more information please call 651-351-8300.

In addition, we offer Friday Play Days for those families who need a five-day-a-week preschool option. These days are staffed by our educational assistants, and held in the preschool classrooms. Registration for Friday Play Days is in addition to, and a separate contract from the Monday - Thursday preschool program. Space is limited.

Handbook and Calendar

Financial Assistance

Preschool Financial Assistance

We want all of our littlest learners to have the opportunity to attend preschool.

If you are unable to afford our rates for preschool, please contact us. Limited scholarships are available for Minnesota residents who are not yet 5 years old as of Sept. 1 each year.

Depending on your family income, you may be eligible for discounted or free services.

Please call the Early Childhood Family Center at 651-351-4000 for more information about preschool tuition assistance.

Preschool Frequently Asked Questions

What does a typical day in preschool look like?

Typical Classroom Activities:

Morning Meeting
Teacher-led small group instruction
Student-led playful learning
Letterland instruction
Shared reading
Snack
Songs/music
Second Step lesson
Playground/recess/gym
Sensory exploration
Lunch, recess, and rest for full-day students, in addition to extended learning opportunities!

Preschool booklet

Will my child have opportunities to be outside?

Our preschool classes access the school playgrounds daily. In addition to movement games in the classroom, if the building schedule allows, classes may utilize the gym space for large motor activities.

How will I communicate with my child’s teacher?

Consistent with the elementary buildings, teachers utilize Seesaw as the main form of communication. Emails, phone calls, and personal conversations are also always welcomed. In addition, conferences are held twice per year.

What curricular resources are used in Preschool?

Creative Curriculum: PreK instructional framework
Guiding classroom interest areas and developmentally appropriate teaching practices empowers children to be confident, creative, and caring learners through play-based, hands-on investigations—a research-based approach that incorporates language, literacy, and mathematics throughout the day.
Letterland: District phonics curriculum
Letterland introduces the alphabet letter shapes and sounds to preschoolers, expanding their vocabulary while they explore phonemic awareness. With songs and actions for all the alphabet, this is a wonderfully multi-sensory approach to learning for Pre-K students.
Fountas and Pinnell: Shared Reading: PreK language/literacy
During shared reading, teacher and children read aloud a large version of an engaging text that is beyond children’s ability to read independently. These texts provide early experiences with print and promote the development of reading processes. These texts also serve as mentor texts. After the first reading, children take part in multiple, subsequent readings of the text. They also discuss the text and the teacher selects teaching points based on children’s needs.
Second Step: District Social Emotional Curriculum
Children learn self-regulation and social-emotional skills like listening, paying attention, managing their behavior and getting along with others.

ThreeSchool Frequently Asked Questions

What are the requirements for ThreeSchool?

Children must be 3 years of age by Sept. 1.
Children must be independent with toileting by Sept. 1 of school year (students with a disability which may prohibit independent toileting are exempt from this requirement.
Children must go through Early Childhood Screening within the first 90 days of school.

What does a typical day in preschool look like?

Typical Classroom Activities

Circle Time
Student-led playful learning
Teacher-led small group instruction
Snack (provided by family)
Songs/music
Playground/recess/gym
Dramatic play
Large/small motor activities
Sensory exploration
Read alouds

Will my child have opportunities to be outside?

In addition to movement games in the classroom, our ThreeSchool classes have daily access to the ECFC school playground and gym - both of which were designed specifically for our youngest learners.

How will I communicate with my child’s teacher?

Teachers utilize Seesaw as the main form of communication. Emails, phone calls, and personal conversations are also always welcomed.

What curricular resources are used in ThreeSchool?

Engaging and playful exploration in our ThreeSchool classrooms support all areas of children’s development: social-emotional, physical, language, and cognitive. In addition, guided support from our teachers help children gain understanding of appropriate pre-academic concepts.
Creative Curriculum: PreK instructional framework
Guiding classroom interest areas and developmentally appropriate teaching practices empowers children to be confident, creative, and caring learners through play-based, hands-on investigations—a research-based approach that incorporates language, literacy, and mathematics throughout the day.

Early Childhood Screening

Any child who will go to school in the state of Minnesota must have an Early Childhood Screening record before entering kindergarten. It involves a simple, easy method of finding out how a child is growing and developing in areas of vision, hearing, speech, and thinking skills, as well as general health and growth.

The ideal age to have your child screened is between 3 and 5. Families living within the school district should receive a postcard about screening when their child turns 3. If you've not received the notice, please call our Enrollment Office at 651-351-8412.

Schedule Your Appointment

Schedule an in-person screening appointment online or call 651-351-4022. Screenings are held at the Early Childhood Family Center, 1111 Holcombe St. S. in Stillwater. Appointments typically take one hour.

Goals of Early Childhood Screening

Find out how your child is growing and developing.
Connect families with early childhood programs and other community services that may be needed.
Answer any parenting questions/concerns you may have.
Identify any possible health or learning concerns so that they may be addressed before a child enters school.

Early Childhood Screening is not a kindergarten readiness assessment and should not be put off until right before kindergarten. Children usually go through screening one to two years before they enter kindergarten. However, if your child is five years old, not eligible for kindergarten, and not yet been through preschool screening, call to arrange an appointment.

Visit the Early Childhood Screening page

Why Choose Our Preschool?

Sure, there are other preschool options available in our community, but ours is the only one that fully aligns with Stillwater Area Public Schools curriculum. Our preschool teachers work closely with kindergarten teachers across the district. They share ideas, align curriculum, and talk about individual students' strengths and needs as they transition from preschool to kindergarten.

Not convinced yet? Here's a few more reasons to choose us:

Licensed teachers and staff who care deeply about our youngest learners
Integrated classrooms that serve children of all skills and abilities
District-aligned curriculum
Full-day and half-day options
Free bus transportation may be available
Financial assistance

Four Stars for Excellence

The state has recognized our preschool program with a Four-Star Parent Aware Rating.

There's A Lot To Learn In Preschool

How to be a Good Student

Kids learn how to share, participate in groups, follow instructions and make new friends.

They also learn important pre-math, science and literacy skills to get them ready for kindergarten.

Social Emotional Development

Children gain a sense of self, explore, get along with peers, and build confidence and independence.

It’s important for kids to spend time away from parents and build trusting relationships with adults outside the family.

Language and Cognitive Skills

Teachers help children stretch their language skills by asking thought-provoking questions and introducing new vocabulary.

Students engage in hands-on activities that challenge them to observe closely, ask questions, test their ideas or solve a problem.

Motor Skills

Kids are encouraged to run, climb and play active games - all of the things that help them grow strong and develop motor skills.

They'll also create works of art using scissors, crayons and paint brushes - all while developing their fine motor skills.

"We loved everything about the preschool program! It prepared my children academically for kindergarten as well as allowed them to develop lasting relationships.”