To provide a quality early childhood experience that prepares young children to be active, independent learners who will have a lifelong connection to the natural world.
We believe children are natural learners, eager to explore and create. The teaching staff promotes early learning by:
Before the start of the school year, parents will be required to complete a Student Information Record and forms related to walking field trips, photos and videos. Additionally, a health appraisal and current immunization record must be provided before preschool begins. Parents will also be asked to present an original birth certificate to verify the child’s date of birth. This verification can be completed before the first day of preschool. All forms will be emailed in an enrollment packet over the summer and must be turned in before the first day of preschool.
Tuition free preschool is available for qualifying 4-year-olds in our 4-day a week sessions through Michigan’s Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP).
Guidelines for qualifying are based on family size and income. Below are the guidelines for the 2023/24 school year. Income guidelines for the 2024/25 school year are pending.
Family Size
Family Income
2
$78,880
3
$99,440
4
$120,000
5
$140,560
6
$161,120
Scholarships for sessions other than Michigan’s Great Start Readiness Program are available for families who qualify through Ready for School, a local non-profit partner, and our own ODC Preschools’ Scholarship Fund. These are partial scholarships and are granted based on household income.
Proof of income (W-2 or Tax Form 1040) is required as a part of the application for assistance. Attach the required documents to paper applications or upload a copy of the required document when completing the online application form. (Please black out social security numbers for ALL family members on the tax returns.)
NOTE: Application for tuition assistance is NOT a preschool registration. To register your child for a preschool class, you must complete our online registration process.
Usually, students spend about half of their class time outdoors. Outdoor time includes a daily hike. Teaching staff will consider the weather and adjusts the amount of time accordingly. As a rule, though, the children spend a significant amount of time outdoors everyday, in all weather. Appropriate dress is important; the preschoolers come to school dressed to be outdoors.
Nature based learning can be a messy! For this reason, it is important that your child come dressed for outdoor play. This includes:
Fall and Spring: Rubber boots, coat, rain suit or jacket and pants
Winter: Snow pants, winter coat, waterproof mittens, scarf, wool socks, hat, boots
Many parents order rain gear from www.oakiwear.com
We have a number of rain suits and boots that can be borrowed (yearlong checkout).
Registration for the upcoming year begins in January. The registration is online. The date and time when registration begins will be posted on our website. We will also email this information to parents who have added their name to our contact list. You can add your name to our contact list on our registration page.
We only accept registrations for the upcoming year. However, we maintain a list of parents who are interested in enrolling in future years and notify them of upcoming registration dates. You can add your name to this list on our registration page.
No, although our programs are located within the boundaries of several public school systems, the ODC Discovery Preschools are programs of the ODC Network. All children from throughout the community are eligible to register regardless of home public school district.
Special education services (for example, speech and language therapy) are provided through the school district where your family resides. Our teaching staff will help facilitate communication with the appropriate special education personnel.
A completed registration form (online) and a non-refundable $50 processing fee is due at the time of online registration.
Before the start of the school year, parents will be required to provide and/or complete:
Tuition free preschool is available for qualifying 4-year-olds in our 4-day a week sessions through Michigan’s Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP). Guidelines for qualifying are based on family size and household income.
Scholarships for sessions other than Michigan’s Great Start Readiness Program are available for families who qualify through Ready for School, a local non-profit partner, and our own ODC Preschools’ Scholarship Fund. These are partial scholarships and are granted based on household income.
No, parents are not required to help at the preschool. However, we have a very active volunteer program. Once parents (or other family members) have completed a volunteer profile and a background check has been completed, they are qualified to volunteer in the preschool classroom.
We will schedule public open house times when families are invited to meet our teaching staff and visit the classroom. Open Houses usually occur in the late fall. Dates will be posted on our Facebook page.
Yes, snacks are provided each day. Typical snacks include items like fresh fruit and vegetables, pretzels or graham crackers, yogurt, or cereal bars. Milk or water is also served daily.
Absolutely! Our curriculum is active, engaging and appropriate for the growing brain of a preschooler. Each week you will receive a newsletter explaining the learning activities and their connection to preschool learning and school readiness. We use a research-based curriculum, Creative Curriculum, within a framework of nature-based learning. Each child is assessed through observation of behaviors and skills that form the basis for development of a successful learner.
