VPK (Voluntary PreKindergarten Program) Opportunity, Inc. participates in the Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) which is a legislatively mandated program designed to prepare every four-year-old in Florida for kindergarten and build the foundation for their educational success. The VPK program gives each child an opportunity to perform better in school and throughout life with quality programs that include high literacy standards, accountability, appropriate curricula, substantial instruction periods, manageable class sizes, and qualified instructors. All eligible four-year-olds are entitled to participate in one of the VPK program options. VPK (Voluntary Prekindergarten) Enrollment: Available slots will be filled on a first come, first served basis. To participate in the program you may go to Family Central, Inc., located at 3111 South Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach, Suite 142. For more information, call hotline number (561) 653-2458 or visit http://www.familycentral.org. To qualify for a VPK Certificate, bring proof of your Florida residency and your child’s birth certificate with you to the Family Central office. When registering your child with Opportunity, Inc., you must bring your child’s: 1. VPK Certificate of Eligibility, if already obtained at Family Central 2. Birth certificate 3. School Entry Health Exam Form (yellow form/completed) 4. Certification of Immunization Form (blue form/current) 5. Social Security Card (optional) 6. Four weeks of consecutive paystubs CURRICULUM The program’s curriculum is based upon the State VPK Standards utilizing the High/Scope approach. High/Scope incorporates five elements. • Active Learning - Children are involved in direct, hands-on experiences. They construct their knowledge through interactions with the world and people around them. Teachers plan around 58 Key Experiences essential to children’s social, intellectual and physical growth. • Learning Environment - Classrooms are set up into clearly defined and labeled interest areas. The children are able to find, use, and return materials they need in order to learn about and discover their world. • Daily Routine - Large and small group instruction is part of the daily schedule. Large Group Time: Both children and adults initiate music and movement activities, story reenactments, group discussions, and cooperative play and projects. Small Group Time: Small group time encourages children to explore and experiment with new or familiar materials adults have selected based on their daily observations of children’s interests, the Key Experiences, local events and skill development. Children are also involved in the “Plan/Do/Review” process which allows them to plan, follow through, and then reflect on their experiences with their peers and teachers. •Adult-Child Interaction - Teachers interact and observe children as they are actively involved in their learning. Teachers work with the children individually, in small groups and in large groups throughout the day. • Assessment - The High/Scope Child Observational Record is used for assessment. This summer, the District’s Prekindergarten Student Profile, an on-going observational tool, which is aligned with the state VPK standards, will be used. In addition, a District created letter/sound screening will be used at the beginning/end of the summer session. LITERACY Florida Statue 411.01 requires that children be read to for a minimum of 30 minutes throughout the day. The High/Scope curriculum provides developmentally appropriate strategies to promote literacy, which are used with children in a small group, large group or individually. PARENT INVOLVEMENT Parent involvement and education are both greatly encouraged in their child’s Prekindergarten experience. Homework is an activity with which parents can help their child. Each classroom will keep a file to document parent involvement activities, such as… • Parent Workshop • Classroom Volunteers • Parent Conferences • Meet the Teacher • Parent Survey