Return to Learn: Plan for a Safe Return 2020-2021

The NNPS Preschool Program is a voluntary program which provides innovative early childhood instruction for 4 and 5-year olds. It is designed to help four-year-old learners gain an understanding of their world through joyful, developmentally appropriate experiences.

All Early Childhood Centers host a full day program, using the same curriculum, materials, and instructional strategies.  Literacy instruction follows a continuum that builds on the child's need to communicate through meaningful and authentic activities in oral language, reading, and writing.  Our students gain mathematics concepts through questioning, problem solving, persistence, and communication.  Units of study based on science and social studies concepts provide opportunities for students to understand themselves, friends, families, communities, and the larger world in which they live through inquiry and daily experiences.  Students have daily art, music, and physical activities to develop the whole child.

School assignments must be based on the home address of the child's parent/legal guardian.

A teacher and an instructional assistant have about 18 children in each class.

There is no charge; the program is free.

Transportation is provided to and from school, based on the home address of the child's parent/legal guardian.

First Step students enter kindergarten the following school year.

During these unprecedented times, NNPS is going to pre-register students for pre-K virtually. View more information about registering for preschool.

To be eligible for the 2020-2021 preschool program:

• The child must live in a Newport News Public School zone.
• The child's birthday must be between October 1, 2015 and September 30, 2016 to be eligible to participate for the 2020-2021 school year.  Based on available space.
• Meet State requirements for eligibility. (Based on parental income, education, homelessness and special education needs services.)
• Your child must have immunizations unless there are medical reasons shared by a letter from a certified physician.

The child's birthday must be between October 1, 2015 and September 30, 2016 to be eligible to participate for the 2020-2021 school year (based on available space).

If your child meets the eligibility guidelines, please complete the pre-registration form and submit via one of the three options below:

1. Complete the form online and email it along with income verification to [email protected].
2. Print the completed form and send it along with income verification through postal mail to:
      South Morrison
      Attn: Phuong Le
      1241 Gatewood Road
      Newport News, VA 23601
3. If you need a hard copy of the form, please email [email protected] or call (757) 283-7788.

Pre-registration with NNPS is easy as 1, 2, 3!

Parents play an important part in the preschool program. If a child is accepted in the program, the parents must:

• Complete the registration process as scheduled in the registration letter.
• Have a responsible person pick up the child at school or meet the school bus on time every day.
• Participate in parent meetings when requested.
• Make sure the child wears the supplied name tag each day.

Talk to your teacher and inquire about interventions.

Yes, we have Family Engagement Specialists that can give you some resources.

Yes, depending on areas of concern, we can refer you to an outside agency and they will follow-up with you.

To determine which school your child will attend, use the NNPS School Zone Finder. Enter your address, and the zone finder will provide the names of the elementary, middle, and high school assigned to your residence in the city. You may also call (757) 591-4500 to find out which school serves your neighborhood.

• Daily Engagement Time: 30-45 minutes
• Direct Instruction with Teacher, Zoom Live Group Discussions
• Every student is expected to engage in 90-120 minutes of instruction &activities per day.
• This includes (not in addition to) the daily engagement time.
• Small group instruction, Discussion Boards, and reading/writing assignments and Projects
• Zoom Links will be posted in Canvas.
• Video Link shared in Canvas: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AnJTS6jhrKYs1qPfTwitMh0Mtzj4XC3m/view?usp=sharing
• Parents will be informed by teachers of child LOG IN times.

On March 23, the VDOE posted COVID 19: A Parent Guide for School Aged Children. In addition, the VDOE has pulled together the following free learning resources that are available to families as a supplement to the structured, virtual instruction provided by early childhood programs.
WideOpenSchool, powered by Common Sense Media©, has developed resources to help families navigate virtual learning. Helpful resources include: Parents Tips and Tricks for Distance Learning and 5 Signs of Screen Overload- And How to Handle Them.

September

• Open House
• Suicide Prevention
• Hunger Action
• Peninsula Foster Grandparents Program

October

• Red Ribbon Week
• Picture Day
• Conference Night
• Book Fair
• Federal Survey Cards

November

• Fall Festival
• Mayor’s Book Club
• Carver Readers
• Dental Lessons
• American Education Week

December

• Carver Readers
• Mayor’s Book Club
• Winter Break

January

• Report Cards
• New Semester

February

• Black History Program
• Mayor’s Book Club
• Dozier’s Community Officer’s Partnership at DECC

March

• Carver Readers
• Mayor’s Book Club
• Conferences
• Read Across America
• Student Led Conference

April

• Spring Break
• Mayor’s Book Club
• Career Fair
• Book Fair
• Month of the Military Child

May

• Carver Readers
• Mayor’s Book Club
• Field Day

June

• Summer Break
• End of the year celebrations