The East Greenbush Central School District is making plans to offer a pre-kindergarten program for four year old children that would start in the 2021-22 school year. Superintendent Jeff Simons provided an update on this planning at a public Board of Education meeting on Wednesday evening.

The district was awarded a $583,200 grant from the New York State Education Department this spring to implement a pre-k program for eligible children.

A Pre-K Committee was formed by the district to review the grant, state regulations and make plans for this new program. A Request for Proposal (RFP) was issued by the district earlier this summer to local child care organizations that operate pre-k programs. One community-based organization, which can serve 30-40 students, responded to the RFP by the deadline of July 28.

Mr. Simons also discussed the potential option to work with Questar III BOCES in order to serve more children through this new program.

The Pre-K Committee will review these options with the hopes of starting a program located in an East Greenbush elementary school this fall.

More information about this new program will be shared with the school community when it becomes available.