NEW: District Earns Grant to Provide FREE Preschool!

Preschool Expansion Lottery is Now Open - Lottery Closes Sept. 27, 2021

The Jackson School District is pleased to announce that we have been awarded a $3.1 million grant from the State of New Jersey to expand our preschool program and to provide free preschool to Jackson residents!

In order to offer enrollment in this newly expanded program, we are holding a Preschool Expansion Lottery for parents. (Families currently enrolled in our district preschool program have already been informed that the program will be free from Oct. 1 on and do NOT need to enter this lottery.)

Please use the form linked below to enter the Expanded Preschool Lottery - and please see the process below:

• The lottery is open now and will remain open until Monday, Sept. 27 at 4 p.m. 
• After that date, we will draw names at random from those who entered the lottery and reach out to invite those families to begin the registration process. Please do not complete any registration paperwork until you have been notified that you were selected in the lottery.
• We will be working to get new students registered into the program as soon as possible and on a rolling basis.

Please keep the following information in mind when you enter the Preschool Expansion Lottery:

• The program is open to students who will turn 3 or 4 years old by Oct. 1, 2021. It is a full-day, five-day-a-week program that runs at the same times as our elementary programs.
• There are limited additional spots available at all elementary schools with the exception of Switlik, which already runs multiple pre-school sections.
• You must indicate what your HOME ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is in the form. Students will be placed only in their home elementary school, which is based on your address. If you do not know your home school, please use this link to search for your address (put in K as the grade to search).
• Transportation will be offered to eligible residents (i.e. if the location of your home qualifies for transportation to your home district school. Please note that if your home is considered a “walking” area to your home elementary school, you will not receive transportation).
• For families already enrolled in our preschool program, information about free transportation to your home school through this grant will be provided as soon as possible.

New for 2021-2022 - we are offering a FULL-Day, 5 day-a-week program at each of our elementary schools. 

There will be no half-day programs offered for 2021-2022.

The Pre-School Inclusion Program is an educational environment that provides students who are 3 and 4 years old a developmentally appropriate early learning experience within the school district. Students must reach the age of 3 or 4 by Oct. 1 of a given school year.

Special needs and typically developing pre-schoolers will come together in an inclusive classroom where language, academic and social skills will be developed in a nurturing environment. Enrollment is open to pre-school students who live in Jackson. As of Sept. 20, 2021, there is no cost, thanks to a $3.1 million grant. 

The curriculum design and implementation are based on the New Jersey Department of Education’s Pre-School Teaching and Learning Standards and the Pre-School Implementation Guidelines.

• Child Care is available
• Taught by certified teachers
• Developmentally appropriate, fun and interactive early learning experience within the Jackson School District
• Easy transition to Kindergarten - program is aligned with Jackson School District curriculum

 For cost information, see the RATES page.