Program Description.  The Preschool for All (PFA) program at Ravenswood School is a free (state-funded) half-day program for three and four-year olds.  It has been accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) since 1997.  NAEYC certifies that ours is a quality program for young children, providing a safe, nurturing environment that promotes the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development of young children while responding to the needs of families.  PFA is a play-based program with a strong literacy component; all subject areas are integrated into our learning day.

At Ravenswood School, the PFA Teachers prepare the environment and offer suggestions and guidance.  The children are building knowledge through the joy of play.  Many activities are offered to the children because each has a different style of learning.  Through exploration and discovery - which are part of play - the children are developing literacy, mathematical, science, social science, creative, and social emotional skills.  Every day the children have activities in art, music and gross motor skills. 

• Literacy skills are encouraged through speaking, reading, writing, drawing and seeing the connections.
• Discovery skills are enhanced by exploring science and mathematics through hands on work.
• Social Science and Social Emotional skills are developed by learning through practice.

When these critical play skills are encouraged, shared and communicated, the learning takes place for everyone involved. 

Daily Schedule.  A typical morning session in the Preschool for All program looks like this:

8:55-9:15        Arrival Activities: hand washing, sign-in, graph-of-the-day, journaling
9:15-9:30        1st Meeting: community-building, songs, counting, rhymes, transition
9:30-10:30      Choice Time, including a once-a-week cooking activity and small groups
10:30-11:00     Outdoor/Gross Motor Activities
11:05-11:25     2nd Meeting: Story with Discussion
11:25-11:35     Rhymes/Word Play, Re-cap the Day.
11:35              Dismissal.

Field Trips.  Field trips are part of the educational program support the particular themes that children are learning in the classroom.  Parents are encouraged to chaperone.

Program Specifics

• See CPS's Early Childhood Education page for more information including medical and eligibility requirements as well as important downloads such as Application Forms.
• Applications are also available at the school office and are reviewed in the spring according to a Chicago Public Schools mandated protocol.  Children who are 4 years old on September 1st of the school year they are to be admitted, are given priority.  Applications are put in order of greatest need first in terms of family income and language.  Remaining slots are filled by date of application.  Please apply early in the school year prior to your child's age eligibility.  In addition, consideration will be given for the 2010/2011 school year for students that meet residency requirements and/or have siblings enrolled at Ravenswood.
• There are 20 available seats in each the morning and afternoon sessions with one certified teacher and one assistant teacher.  A student teacher is often in the room as well.
• The morning program runs from 8:55 to 11:35 a.m., and the afternoon program from 12:05 to 2:45 p.m on a rotating 4 and a 1/2 day schedule.  During the first semester, the AM class attends Mon-Fri while the PM class attends Mon-Thurs (except for when the school is closed).  During the second semester, the program days switch.
• To enroll, children must be 3 or 4 years old by September 1st of the current school year and toilet trained.
• Any student enrolled in a Ravenswood Pre-K program is automatically eligible to attend Kindergarten at Ravenswood School.
• Download the 2009-2010 PFA Handbook in English and Spanish.