Preschool Programs

Highline Public Schools’ Montessori program is located within the Wesley Des Moines retirement community and is available to 3- & 4-year-olds in the Midway Elementary service area. The program provides meaningful activities and experiences for the young and young-at-heart. Residents join students for story time, gardening, singing, cooking and more.

Montessori is a method of education that is based on self-directed activity, hands-on learning and collaborative play.

In Montessori classrooms, children make creative choices in their learning, while the classroom and the teacher offer activities to guide the process. Children work to discover, explore and develop to their maximum potential.

THE CLASSROOM

Maria Montessori, the founder of the Montessori Method of education, observed that children ages 3 to 6 prefer individual work in the company of others. Children freely explore the prepared classroom, learning about themselves and their surrounding environment. 

EVERY MONTESSORI CLASSROOM

• Has materials for students to play with and learn from and a trained adult to guide the students' activities
• Provides students with the opportunity to exercise and develop free choice and independence
• Fosters students’ awareness and appreciation of collaboration

GOALS OF THE CLASSROOM

• Foster independence, persistence and self-control
• Support social development through respectful, clear communication and safe, natural consequences
• Provide different activities to help students with their motor skills,
• literacy and math
• Offer opportunities for imaginative exploration, leading to confident, creative self-expression

Who: 3- & 4-year-olds in the Midway Elementary service area
What: An intergenerational Montessori pre-school in partnership with Wesley Homes offering a program focused on social-emotional development and foundational skills in language, literacy and math
Where: Wesley, 1122 S. 216th St., Des Moines

Space is limited. A lottery process is used when applications exceed capacity. Families will be notified of acceptance. Transportation is not provided for this program. For more information, call Midway Elementary at 206-631-4400.

Our ECEAP program provides free preschool for eligible families, serving children throughout the Highline community. These classes are half-day, AM/PM and run Monday-Thursday. 

Contact

For families who may be eligible or for more information, please contact the site nearest you.

Locations

• Beverly Park Elementary 
• Hilltop Elementary 
• White Center Heights Elementary 
• Valley View Early Learning Center 
• Mount Rainier High School

This preschool program is part of the Developmental Preschool and is for typically developing children from the community.  Certificated early childhood teachers lead these classes. Spots are limited, and enrollment is on a first come first serve basis. These are half-day AM/PM classes running Monday-Thursday.  Families pay $75/month for this program. 

Contact

For more information, please contact:

Amy Chamberlin 
206-631-3245

Locations

• Valley View Early Learning Center
• Hilltop Elementary
• White Center Heights elementary
• Mount View Elementary
• Cedarhurst Elementary
• Hazel Valley Elementary
• Gregory Heights Elementary

Six elementary schools and Valley View Early Learning Center support a free Developmental Preschool program with specially designed instruction for young children with special needs.  These children need to qualify through the Child Find evaluation process in order to be eligible for this program. 

Contact

For families with concerns about their child’s development: Speech/language, cognitive (learning difficulties), motor, social emotional/behavior, adaptive (self-help skills), please contact:

Amy Chamberlin
206-631-3245

Locations

• Valley View Early Learning Center
• Hilltop Elementary
• White Center Heights elementary
• Mount View Elementary
• Cedarhurst Elementary
• Hazel Valley Elementary
• Gregory Heights Elementary

Children are learning all of the time and they learn best with the support of those who care about them. Highline's PreK Play and Learn is a free preschool program that provides a structured time for children to learn the skills they need to be successful in school.

The program is open to children who will attend kindergarten the next school year. A parent or guardian attends the program with each student. This provides an opportunity for parents to learn how to teach their children at home.  

At Highline's PreK Play & Learn, children will experience:

• Circle Time: when we gather as a group to sing songs, learn finger plays and read books.
• Learning Stations: where engaging activities support math, reading, art and language skills.

PreK Play & Learn program runs from February - June. Check back in January for PreK Play & Learn locations and schedule.

To qualify, students must be enrolled at a Highline elementary school for kindergarten for the upcoming school year. To enroll, families should visit their neighborhood school during regular school hours.  

Parents and their child can drop in for any session; need to register and younger siblings are welcome to join.

Parent Testimonies: 

"We are reading more & focusing on the individual words & sounds. We spend lots of time drawing. We started viewing new opportunities to make every task or outing a learning opportunity.”

"I read to my child more frequently than before. I do more activities with my son. I noticed my son learns better while he is playing."

Questions? Contact Elisa Turner at 206-631-3190.

GLEA (Graduates of Early Learning and Education Academy) is a partnership program between King County Housing Authority and Highline Public Schools. This free family engagement program is for parents of children Birth-2 yrs who live in the White Center area. The program has several components including: home visits, baby academy, baby grads, and an opportunity to earn credits through Highline College. 

Contact

For more information, please contact:

Camille Churchill
206-631-5205
White Center Heights Elementary

Magy Cruz
206-631-4500
Mount View Elementary School

Highline's PreK & Elementary Success team hosts professional learning events for the early learning community.  Anyone in the Highline service area providing an early learning experience for children in settings such as preschool (district and community), childcare centers, in-home care, or Play & Learn are welcome to join us. 

At these events, we network, share continental breakfast, collaborate, and develop deeper understanding of kindergarten readiness in Highline. Free STARS credits are provided, as well as new instructional resources and raffles for teaching materials.

Resources 2018-19 PLCs 
Please contact Elisa Turner at 206-631-3190 if you have any questions or would like to be added to the email invitation list.

We will share the dates of the Early Learning PLCs for the 2018-19 school year soon.

PLCs are held at the Highline Central Office Boardroom at 15675 Ambaum Blvd. SW, Burien, WA 98166 from 8:45 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.