PreK For All UPK
PreK for All UPK – Every family in New York City with a three or four-year-old child can apply to our Pre-K for All programs. 82nd Street Academics offers exceptional Curriculum Design in an atmosphere rich in diversity and inclusivity.
There are many UPK programs in New York City, but only 82nd Street Academics 10x every minute of the day of your child because teachers have exceptional backgrounds in curriculum design. While many of our educational practices are similar to other quality schools, we also have three Core Values for Early Childhood Development.
Delighted Children
We use centers, playground, and happy routines to delight children as they learn. The heart is the way to the head so your child will be eager to come and reluctant to leave. Friendships form as students encourage each other! And we use positive discipline to redirect students as needed.
Creating Family Memories
This is a time your whole family will remember. There are holiday events for photos and projects for your child to create and bring home. 82nd Street Academics believes that diversity is a rich source of human joy. We chose a monthly Diversity theme that will guide some activities in the classroom as well as the decoration of the hallways. You will have a chance to rejoice too!
Learning By Curiosity-Driven Curriculum Design
There is a lot to do in a school day and that is where curriculum design is critical. There are seven learning domains to develop and the teacher plans carefully. Don’t be late to school! 🙂
Our curiosity-driven approach uses an adaptive curriculum. We incorporate 7 Domains of Learning and plans are checked by our Early Childhood Programs Director. The link at the bottom of this page explains the Domains of Learning.
Using multiple domains of learning, we individualize each child’s instruction. Our teaching team of 9 certified teachers meets monthly for planning. We use a Department of Education accredited measurement system which includes observation and evaluation of each student. These assessments will be shared with parents at parent-teacher meetings.
Parent Communication and Promises
We believe that the best way to help a child grow is to build a strong relationship between the school and family with lots of communication.
Daily Communication: Our teachers, the Education Director and Family Service Specialists are available by e-mail and will respond to your questions and concerns. For a longer conversation, you can make an appointment.
Parent Meetings: We hold parent orientation to give families an opportunity to learn more about the class and about each other before the school year starts. We also have parent-teacher conferences during the year.
Program Description
PreK for All UPK – Children eligible to participate in our 3-year-old preschool program in the 2024-2025 school year must turn 3 years old on or before December 31, 2024. For UPK they must turn 4 years old on or before December 31, 2024.
These programs are FREE, sponsored by the Department of Education, New York City. Students are accepted at no cost to families. The 3K and UPK programs are open daily, Monday through Friday. All programs have a duration of 6 hours and 20 minutes. There is no part-time option.
Our teacher-to-student ratio in preschool is 1:9. Lead teachers are New York State Certified in Early Childhood Education. Our program is licensed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
Teachers, Director of Education, and all other staff use the same email address formula, FirstName.LastName@82ndst.com.
During this application period, families can apply online with myschools.nyc, over the phone, or in person at a Family Welcome Center for PreK for All UPK. For more information regarding the application process, please visit the Department of Education’s official website HERE.
We also offer Extended Day Program for parents who work. This fun program complements our pre-k program with engaging activities in literacy, math, science, and physical activity. It does not include videos and boredom 🙂 All children in this 2 or 4 hour program have a one-hour rest period if needed and at least one full hour of physical activity scheduled daily.
Required Documents:
Parent Reviews
“We have had a great experience at 82nd Street Academics. I graduated from 82nd Street Academics about 20 years ago myself and always knew that when I had kids of my own, this is exactly where I would want them to go. The teachers and staff are amazing and I knew my son would be successful after going to this school. We love 82nd Street Academics!” -Joyce, Mother of Jamian in UPK Room 3.
“Our daughter has been at 82nd St through 2 yrs of preschool, summer camp, and continues today in after school. She learned a great deal in Preschoolm made great friends and had some great teachers. The administration at 82nd St has always been open to suggestions and worked with us to make caring for a child with both parents working more manageable. We always know that she is safe and looked after at 82nd St.” -Erica E.
“My son attended 82nd Street Academics in the Pre-school and Pre-K program. One thing I can say for sure, they absolutely care about your child in every way possible.
My son took time to adjust his first year and in no time he was making friends, loved his teachers and learned beyond what I expected. They are attentive, communicative and they’ve become part of the family and we’re very thankful. We had the pleasure of growing with amazing teacher who I hope to still be around when my youngest is ready to attend pre-school.” -Elizabeth K.