Preschool Program Information

Welcome to Centennial Preschool!

The Centennial School District provides high-quality part-day and full-day preschool experiences. Full-day classrooms are located at each of the elementary schools in the district; part-day classes take place at the Early Childhood Center. Centennial Preschool prioritizes:

Preparing Learners for Classroom Success

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. Following the MN Department of Education's Successful Learner Equation, we are ready to meet students wherever they are in their development.

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. Most part-day classes at the Early Childhood Center include a regular 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, 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!"

“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.”

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

"Ms. Susie is so sweet and caring with my daughter, even when drop off has been hard."

"The entire staff are so incredible. Our daughter always talks about how kind they are. Every interaction we have had with staff has been so positive and productive."

When surveyed, 97% 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, 2026)

In addition to 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 Early Release Days section below.

Once a student has started a class, schedule changes are allowed only if space available.

4-year-olds are welcome to attend any Centennial Preschool class, including those in the next section.

Part-Day Classes (for students who have turned 3 on or before September 1, 2026)

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 parents. A parent (or other adult) is required to attend with the child one day each week as noted. (1/29/26: Parent Attends days are now updated.)

Centennial Outdoor Explorers Preschool (for students who are at least 3-1/2 as of September 1, 2026)

See description in Outdoor Learning Opportunities section below. Class takes place in an outdoor classroom and includes treks into the adjacent Rice Creek Chain of Lakes park. Parents attend bimonthly sessions on Mondays with their child at Wargo Nature Center.

Once a student has started a class, schedule changes are allowed only if space available.

Not sure if your child is ready for an independent preschool experience? Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) has options for you! Registration for these classes will be open in spring. See ECFE or call 763-792-6120 for more information.

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 every 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.

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 2026-2027 school year are:

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. Financial aid is limited and is not available for students who are age-eligible to attend kindergarten, regardless of other qualifying factors.

Centennial Preschool students must be the required age for a class as of September 1 of the school year.

All enrolled students must be fully toilet trained prior to their first day of attendance and demonstrate bathroom independence with minimal accidents.

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 by 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.

Important: For 2026-27, Pre-K Kids Club registration will not open until April 27 at 8 am. This is to ensure that siblings can be approved at the same time. Because Pre-K Kids Club care takes place primarily in the preschool classrooms, we anticipate being able to accommodate all preschoolers needing care who register early.

Families can be surprised when their preschooler struggles with the structured nature of preschool. Some of the skills we expect from our preschoolers are not always expected at home or in daycare, such as:

• Following directions
• Waiting their turn
• Sharing with others
• Standing in line
• Eating without assistance
• Wiping nose, washing hands
• Asking to use the restroom
• Stopping an activity when directed

Centennial Preschool is ready to meet students wherever they are in their development, but you can help prepare your child for a successful start at school by practicing some of these skills in the year prior to preschool:

• Give your child multi-step directions: “Take off your shoes and put them in the closet.”
• Incorporate waiting into your day: “I’ll help you with that as soon as I put this away.” “Let’s eat lunch first, then we can play with that toy.”
• Demonstrate patience when standing in line at the store
• Allow your child to open food packages on their own
• Demonstrate proper hygiene techniques
• Encourage your child to ask for what they want. Offer choices so they can express their opinion: “Do you want milk or water with lunch today?”
• Give time warnings before major transitions in the day: “We’re going to play for five more minutes, then we have to go to our appointment.” “In two minutes we are going to clean up and get ready for dinner.”
• Give children opportunities to use the bathroom independently including changing clothing and wiping.