Preschool Program Information

Welcome to Centennial Preschool!

The Centennial School District provides high-quality part-day and full-day preschool experiences. Classrooms are located at each of the elementary schools in the Centennial School District as well as the Early Childhood Center. Centennial Preschool prioritizes:

School Readiness

The goal of Centennial Preschool is to help children enter kindergarten with the skills and behaviors necessary to be successful learners.This goal can be met in both part-day and full-day classes. Unlike day care, which focuses on meeting the need for care during a parent's workday, Centennial Preschool focuses on exposure to and repetition of the skills and routines of school readiness while still offering care before and/or after preschool.

Parent Involvement 

Throughout this web-brochure the term "parent" includes any adult caregiver for a student. Centennial Preschool welcomes parents, foster parents, grandparents, babysitters/nannies, and other caregivers. Part-day classes at the Early Childhood Center include a weekly parent attendance day, while full-day classes offer special opportunities for parent participation. Centennial Preschool places an emphasis on parental involvement because research has shown that early childhood programs that involve parents and children learning together are more effective than programs that focus only on the child.

Experienced, Caring Staff

Centennial Preschool is held in classrooms with a 1 to 10 staff-to-student ratio, taught by preschool  teachers. Both teachers and classroom support staff receive ongoing staff development. Our preschool program has earned a 4-Star Parent Aware rating, which means our program meets high quality indicators in training, curriculum and assessment.

“[My daughter] comes home every day saying “it was the best day ever except for going to the Taylor Swift concert!” (her exact words!) and talks about all her friends and the fun things they did. She loves all the different activities her teachers do with them and how engaging they are with her.”

"Ms. Maria [S], Ms. Lisa, and Ms. Patrice are so wonderful! They are kind, patient, and excellent teachers. My son is LOVING preschool and is so happy to go each day -- this is thanks to having such wonderful staff who put such thought and caring into the planning of their day!"

"Ms Julie she is kind and responsive. You can tell she truly loves the kids and treats them individually."

“Molly is fantastic and shows that she really cares about our children. Ms. Cindy is also awesome, helping out the little ones when they are having a rough day. Amanda is the absolute best and Angela is wonderful. Really liked having both parent educators, the different teaching styles between the two are always fun.”

“Maria has been outstanding in communication, making us feel like our daughter is her #1 priority (even though she probably makes all of her families feel that way) and manages her disability with such thoughtfulness and curiosity.”

“Sam is so caring, it was a big transition for our son and she has been amazing!”

“Ms. Ann has been genuinely attentive and nurturing to our daughter. We can tell that she studies her and cares deeply for her as a human. We feel so honored to have her as part of our village this school year!”

When surveyed, 92% of preschool families felt that preschool is helping their child be fully prepared for kindergarten with the skills and behaviors necessary to be successful.

Full-Day Classes (for students who have turned 4 on or before September 1, 2025)

In addition to the academic and social learning, our full-day classes focus on building skills needed for a successful transition to kindergarten the following year. Full-day classes have several early release days throughout the year to allow for staff trainings and meetings. See the dates in the Early Release Days section below.

Part-Day Classes (for students who have turned 3 on or before September 1, 2025)

These classes are intended to be a student's first preschool experience. Play is the main focus, providing the structure through which students grow more familiar with the classroom, their peers, and spending class time away from their parent. A parent (or other adult) is required to attend with the child one day each week as noted.

Centennial Outdoor Explorers Preschool (for students who are at least 3-1/2 as of September 1, 2025)

Students must be fully toilet trained and consistent in their ability to use the restroom independently, as the class will be spending significant periods of time away from toilet facilities.

Once a student has started a class, schedule changes are allowed only as space allows.

There is a tuition cost for all Centennial Preschool classes. Limited financial aid in the form of discounts and scholarships is available for those who qualify. (See financial aid section below.) The cost for the year is divided into nine monthly payments and invoiced one month in advance, August through April. Tuition rates for the 2025-2026 school year are as follows:

A non-refundable registration fee of $50 is charged at the time of contract approval. Pre-K Kids Club (full-day classes) and sibling care (part-day classes) are an additional cost.

Please see  Paying for Preschool for complete information on financial aid options.

Centennial Preschool students must be the required age for a class as of September 1 of the school year. (January 1, 2025 for Centennial Outdoor Explorers Preschool.)

All students must be able to use the bathroom independently, including pulling pants up/down and wiping.

Early Childhood Screening is required to attend Centennial Preschool. See here for more information. 

Program Dates and Procedures

Transportation

Priority Factors

• qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch
• is an English language learner
• is homeless
• has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or standardized written plan*
• is identified through Early Childhood Screening with a potential risk factor that may influence learning
• is defined as at risk by the school district

BEFORE your contract is approved (bolded items apply to all students):

• Review all information in the online brochure.
• Get answers to specific questions by reading the Frequently Asked Questions section below or the family handbook.
• Submit a registration in the Eleyo system
• Send tax forms to document income if applying for financial aid. Mail to Centennial Preschool, 575 Birch St, Lino Lakes, MN 55014. Please be sure to write your student's name on your documents. Your contract will not be approved unless/until we have confirmed your tuition rate.
• Make an appointment for Early Childhood Screening if your child is not already screened. Screening is required of all district preschoolers. (Children who will not turn 3 before May will be screened in the fall.)
• If your child has an IEP or other special education service plan, please contact the Early Childhood Special Education program at 763-792-6140 or email for assistance.

AFTER your contract is approved:

• Read your welcome email (upon contract approval)
• Complete an online enrollment with the district via Infinite Campus.
  • Instructions for this enrollment will be sent in a separate email.
  • Watch for an email (July or later) with instructions to activate a Parent Portal account if you do not already have one.
  • Apply for educational benefits if eligible, via Parent Portal or here.
• Establish sibling care or Pre-K Kids Club care, if needed
• Review your classroom-specific welcome information (emailed in early August), including drop-off/pick-up information.
• Make your September tuition payment on or before August 15 (or by the due date, if starting after the first day of school.

Students will not be allowed to attend class until all applicable items on the checklist have been completed, regardless of the date of your contract approval.

Please see the family handbook for more detailed descriptions of classroom activities and procedures. The following are sample schedules. Each classroom has a unique schedule, but will include these activities.

Full-day class families may choose to add childcare by utilizing before and/or after school care through Pre-K Kids Club. Attendees can be dropped-off/picked-up anytime during the care window, but the daily rate is the same regardless of the length of care. Families must choose at least two days/week for morning and/or afternoon care. Space is limited.  See Pre-K Kids Club for more information.

Not sure if your child is ready for an independent preschool experience? Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) has options for you.

Parents & Preschoolers (2-1/2 to 4 Years)

This once-a-week class provides some of the structures and content of the preschool curriculum but a parent or caregiver attends class each week with the child.

Step Up to Preschool (2-3/4 to 5 Years)

Students may join this class to begin working on their independence. We start the year as a once-a-week parent-child class, then add a second day of class that the students attend on their own. This class is a great option for students who haven't quite mastered toilet training, who do not meet the age requirement for part-day preschool but are ready to give up afternoon naps, or who have limited experience being away from their parent/caregiver.

Registration for these classes takes place in May. See ECFE or call 763-792-6120 for more information.

Centennial Preschool is not open on non-school days. If there is a planned non-school day and it isn’t a holiday for our staff, we offer care for full-day students through Pre-K Kids Club at an additional fee. (You must have a pre-existing Pre-K Kids Club contract to use non-school day care.) Watch for more information via email and click here to register.