For Dallas ISD\u2019s youngest students, early education isn\u2019t just about academics.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a chance to eliminate possible fears of starting school for the first time, manage emotions, and build a trusted community away from home where students feel loved, welcomed, and supported.<\/p>\n
And now, through the universal pre-K program, Dallas ISD offers pre-K 3 and pre-K 4 programs at no cost to all families, giving more opportunities to set children up for success.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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The sooner children start school, the better they perform as they move into kindergarten and upper grades, said Katie Lewis, principal at Martha Turner Reilly Elementary School.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes parents are hesitant to send their kids to school because they’re so little, but pre-K 3 is a great launching pad,\u201d Lewis said. \u201cIf a child comes to school anxious or hesitant to participate, they’re going to have a harder time retaining information and developing skills that are the foundation for everything after kindergarten.\u201d<\/p>\n
In Omar Sigala\u2019s pre-K 3 classroom, mornings begin with circle time, which includes stretching, exercise, or a quick song, followed by a literacy block where students recite a daily morning message tied to an educational theme.<\/p>\n
\u201cSchool is the first time they are exposed to many concepts like shapes, colors, letters, numbers, and counting,\u201d he said. \u201cIt’s all part of the experience of learning how to be in a school setting: following rules, understanding expectations, and communicating their needs and wants.\u201d<\/p>\n
By pre-K 4, students step into new academic and social challenges with growing confidence.<\/p>\n
\u201cOffering children a foundation in pre-K 3 and pre-K 4 by learning language skills, how to interact with others, and how to ask for help builds independence,\u201d said Lindsey Hudman, pre-K 4 teacher. \u201cThose things aren’t explicitly written in a curriculum, but as a pre-K teacher, you teach them every single day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Across both pre-K 3 and pre-K 4 classrooms, interactive center time allows students to rotate through hands-on stations focused on art, STEM, writing, construction, and more. As setups evolve throughout the year, introducing new educational tools, teachers and teaching assistants use small group instruction to provide targeted instruction on skills like pencil grip, early reading, and relationship-building.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s more than book learning; it’s really more about the interactions between students and learning what community looks like,\u201d Lewis said.<\/p>\n
Throughout the day, students learn about science, social studies, and math, and close the day with flexible time dedicated to science activities, arts and crafts, dancing, or music.<\/p>\n