MPUSD to Open Preschool Program in Monterey
For Immediate Release
December 13, 2023
Media Contact:
Marci McFadden | 831.706.6971
Preschool Enrollment Contact | 831-392-3456
MPUSD to Open Preschool Program in Monterey
First state subsidized program in Monterey offered by a school district
Monterey, CA - The Monterey Peninsula Unified School District will open the Monterey Child Development Center located at 251 Soledad Drive (the former Monte Vista School location) in Monterey on Thursday, January 4, 2024.
“This is an incredible opportunity for our Monterey community,” said Tia Robinson, Coordinator, Early Childhood Education, Monterey Peninsula Unified School District. “The need is there and opening up MPUSD’s fourth location provides transitional kindergarten or kindergarten readiness for children. We are extremely proud to offer the first subsidized preschool in Monterey that is also attached to a school district.”
Robinson anticipates a strong demand as the district has received an overwhelming amount of inquiries from the workforce and the hospitality industry, as well as the district’s own employee base. Additionally, the district has partnered with the early education community and needs assessment conducted as part of The Bright Beginnings Early Childhood Development Initiative indicated that in Monterey County there are only enough licensed child care and education spaces to serve 26% of children under five years of age. The aim of Bright Beginnings is to double school readiness countywide with an eye toward narrowing the equity gap.
The Monterey Child Development Center will open one class for children ages three to five years old with the anticipation of another classroom opening in spring 2024. The student to staff ratio is eight to one with one lead teacher and preschool aides. A child must be potty trained. Families can visit preschool.mpusd.net to learn more and apply.
The program is state funded, and monthly tuition is based on a sliding scale. If a family qualifies based on income eligibility, they will pay a discounted rate as the state will make up the difference. As space permits, the program will also be open to families who may not qualify for the state subsidy and the rate is $850 a month. There is a discount for MPUSD employees and the rate per month is $590.
The program offers:
- Seamless transition from preschool to transitional kindergarten or kindergarten
- Readiness skills for transitional kindergarten or kindergarten
- Social and emotional skill building
- Language development
- Multicultural education
- Music, arts, and crafts
Families who have a child attending a program in Marina or Seaside can request to have their child transferred to Monterey due to convenience if the location is close to their work or home.
MPUSD offers three other preschool programs at the Marina Child Development Center on Lake Drive in Marina, the Seaside Child Development Center at Elm Avenue, and the Dual Language Academy of the Monterey Peninsula Child Development Center located on the campus of the DLAMP school site.
MPUSD recently increased the pay of its preschool teachers to ensure its earliest learners are set up for academic success through the educational foundation offered by the district’s preschool teachers.
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About MPUSD
The Monterey Peninsula Unified School District is built on a solid foundation of effective instruction, positive school culture, systems of support, and collaborative leadership. We are building innovative schools that offer dynamic learning opportunities to all students. While our programs will evolve over time, our focus remains steadfast on increasing student achievement and eliminating performance gaps. The district was established July 1, 1966, and is home to seven elementary schools, three transitional kindergarten - 8th grade schools, two middle schools, three comprehensive high schools, an alternative high school, three preschools, and an adult education program. MPUSD stretches from the city of Marina to the north to the city of Monterey to the south, and encompasses the communities of Del Rey Oaks, Marina, Monterey, Sand City and Seaside.
About MPUSD’s Preschool Programs
The Monterey Peninsula Unified School District offers preschool programs to students at the Dual Language Academy of the Monterey Peninsula preschool, the Marina Child Development Center, the Monterey Child Development Center, and the Seaside Child Development Center. The district offers full-day and half-day preschool. Classrooms are tailored for infants (6 months), toddlers (age 2) and pre-school aged students (ages 3 - 4) with a seamless transition from preschool to kindergarten. Curriculum includes readiness skills for transitional kindergarten and kindergarten; social and emotional skill building; language development; multicultural education; and music, arts, crafts.