FREE Voluntary Prekindergarten Education (VPK) Program 2021/2022-Weston begins

VPK stands for the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program.

The Voluntary Pre-kindergarten program is a FREE educational program designed to prepare Florida’s children (every four-year-old) for kindergarten and develops the skills they need to become good readers and; building the foundation for their educational success.

The VPK program offers each child an opportunity to perform better in school and throughout life by offering quality programs that include developmentally appropriate curricula with a focus on early literacy skills, developmental standards, accountability, substantial instruction periods, manageable class size, and qualified instructors.VPK program improves your children´s pre-reading, math, and social skills. VPK program uses a hands-on, multi-sensory approach to learningIf your child is turning 4 after September 1st, 2021 he/she is eligible for or School Year VPK Program. Starting on August 18th, 2021 to June 9th, 2022

• 540 instructional hours, for the whole school year; 3 FREE hours daily.

One of the best learning experiences your child could live in a preschool located in Weston.As children enter our PK4 program, we start to consolidate their growth towards autonomous and independent thinkers capable of flourishing in any environment and their Elementary School environment!

First Steps International Academy follows the VESS Model, a holistic educational model approved by the Florida School Readiness Program and certified by the Department of Neuroeducation at the University of Barcelona.Our goals for PK4/5 go beyond preparation for Elementary School and into developing Thinking skills that promote creativity, out-of-the-box thinking, deep understanding, and problem-solving. We do so by:

• Promoting each child’s unique passions and needs in a space with multiple learning setups that respond to various interests,
• We complement this with research-based Thinking Strategies to challenge them intellectually and promote deep comprehension.
• We develop autonomous, adaptable kindergarteners with the tools to build fulfilling and balanced lives beyond school.
• We prepare students for life
• We promote ethics and open-mindedness in your child, promoting a culture of values along with a culture of thinking.

Schedule a virtual tour here. Let’ s motivate our kids to become lifelong learners by reaching their full potential: https://fsiapreschool.com/enrollment/#self-schedule-tour

What our VPK does offer?

• 540 instructional hours
• Lead instructor with Bachelors in Early Childhood Education.
• Classes can have a maximum of 11 students with one lead instructor or a maximum of 20 students with a lead instructor and an assistant.
• Graduation Ceremony and End of the Year Show.
• No Registration fee to enroll in VPK Program.
• Thinking as a pedagogical strategy allows students to develop skills in literacy, we go beyond writing skills!
• Warm and Nurturing Environment
• Bilingual Program English-Spanish
• Ongoing Online communication
• Formative assessment process
• Parental Involvement Activities: building healthy habits and stay connected
• Communication Platform
• Habits of mind build learning autonomy
• Fun learning strategies make learning meaningful

VPK Extended Hours Available

1. Lunch included
2. Enrichment classes included
3. Extracurricular classes available How to apply:

• Families may register at any time (ideally before August 21 st ) to get the voucher at the following link: www.vpkhelp.org (It is important to have in mind we have limited spots available)
• You need to provide proof of residency and the child’s date of birth when registering.
• Remember… you can start the registration process in our school without the voucher and as soon as you get it you can bring it to our school.

VPK Standards

-Physical Development

-Approaches to Learning

-Social and Emotional Development

-Language and Communication and Emergent Literacy

-Cognitive Development and General Knowledge: Mathematical Thinking, Scientific Inquiry, Social Studies, Creative Expression through the Arts, motor development.

Ready to start? schedule a virtual tour: https://fsiapreschool.com/enrollment/#self-schedule-tour