Why Preschool Matters for Your Child’s Development

For decades, the benefits of attending preschool have been widely studied by experts—and research has continued to find that preschool not only gives young children a leg up on learning, but it also boosts social skills, listening skills, and emotional development.  

At One Place, our preschool programs serve more than 700 children in both public and private sites annually. If you are interested in the North Carolina Pre-Kindergarten program for the 22-23 school year, applications are now available online. Keep reading to learn more about the importance of preschool and how you can complete an application for your child.

What’s Preschool? 

Depending on the age of your child, there are two options: 

• • NC Pre-K is a state-funded, community-based preschool program designed to provide 4-year-old children with an educational experience. To be age-eligible for pre-k, your child must be 4-years-old on or before August 31 of the school year. If your child has an identified disability or documented risk factor they may also be eligible. 

• • Three School is designed for 3-year-old children. Through high-quality educational experiences, Three School helps to enhance school readiness for children who may not otherwise be served. 

What’s a typical day like in preschool?

Pre-K and Three School is a 6.5 hour day program that operates on the public school calendar. All the program standards are built on the mindset that for a child to be successful in school, they must be prepared in five major areas:

1. Health and Physical Development

2. Social and Emotional Development

3. Language Development and Communication

4. Cognition and General Knowledge

5. Approaches to Learning

What do our preschool programs offer?

Both NC Pre-K and Three School programs include a few key features: 

• Locations in high-quality child care centers, including degreed teachers and state-approved curriculum 
• Small class sizes 
• Family support regarding health, nutrition, development screening, and placement for children with special needs 
• Transition coordination to support families and children as your child moves from three school to preschool or preschool to kindergarten to ensure a successful start in school 
• High-quality early learning environment for children with developmental, social, and familial risk factors that may impact their success in school 

Why does preschool make a difference? 

Enrolling your child in a preschool program will have a tremendously positive impact on the rest of their life. One study discovered that children who participated in preschool programs were less likely to be arrested, more likely to graduate, and less likely to struggle with substance abuse as adults. One follow-up study reconnected when the students were in their mid-30s and discovered that they were more likely to attend and complete college than students who did not attend preschool. 

When children attend preschool programs, they’ll begin to gain important skills and develop a solid foundation for the rest of their academic life. Because a child’s brain undergoes crucial development during the first five years of their life, enrollment in a preschool program serves as a vital opportunity to build school readiness skills. 

School readiness has been found to be a solid predictor of long-term achievement—and it includes cognitive, behavioral, and social skills needed to set a child up for long-term success. 

Ready to enroll your child?

Great! Here’s what you need to know to get started.

Is your child the right age? Pre-K is open for children who are 4 years old on or before August 31 of the applicable school year, and Three School is available for children who are 3 years old on or before August 31 or the program year.

If yes, be prepared with the required documents ready to submit with your application. 

• All sources of family income for the last 12 months.
• Child support verification of 12 months for all children in the home (if none, verification from child support office of none received)
• Child’s certified birth certificate
• Child’s immunization record
• Proof of residence in Onslow County (current water/electric bill). If living with family or friend, a notarized statement is needed along with the bill.
• Parent/guardian proof of identity (state ID, driver’s license, military ID).

Is your child the right age? NC Pre-K is open for children who are 4 years old on or before August 31 of the applicable school year, and Three School is available for children who are 3years old on or before August 31 of the applicable school year.

To learn more and find the application, visit our website here. 

Questions? 

If you have questions about eligibility or the application process, contact us at (910) 968-2722 or courtney.wandishin@oneplaceonslow.org.