Schenectady City School District explains UPK eligibility, May 1 lottery and classroom supports at family information night

Good evening everyone, um, welcome to our UPK family information night, Jessica Valente said as she opened the event for families. Valente, the district’s assistant director for early literacy and PreK programming, laid out eligibility requirements, the online registration process and what families should expect after the May 1 lottery.

Valente said children must be district residents and meet standard age cutoffs to be eligible: for the district’s four‑year‑old PreK classes, “they must be four on or before December 1st of the year in which they are enrolled,” and the same December‑1 cutoff applies for three‑year‑old seats. Registration is handled through an online portal (a QR code was provided at the event), and all required documents must be uploaded or dropped off and verified for a child to be entered into the lottery.

The district runs a computerized randomized lottery on May 1 to assign seats by families’ ranked site preferences; if a chosen site is full, the system moves to the family’s next ranking. Valente told families they can indicate if they have twins or multiple eligible children on the application and staff will follow up to link those applications if the family requests it. She also noted extended registration help nights at the district office (listed on the handout) for families needing assistance with uploads or documentation.

Valente described classroom arrangements: PreK sections are located in all 11 elementary schools and the district partners with five community‑based organizations that host some PreK classrooms; the district’s four‑year‑old classrooms follow the same daily start and end times as K–5 and do not offer district‑run before/after care, although partner sites may provide such care for a fee. After placement, awarded children will complete a developmental screening the presentation identified as “Speed Dial 4,” a screening the district said New York State requires for students entering school to help identify supports.

To illustrate a typical day, the event showed a brief classroom video: breakfast followed by a morning meeting, specials such as gym, art, music and library, play‑based learning centers and a structured learning block, with snack and rest time built into the schedule. Valente said the district uses play‑based, developmentally appropriate units and is conducting an RFP to review curriculum options while maintaining that foundation.

On supports, Valente said speech and language providers will push into PreK classrooms and that dedicated UPK social workers rotate through classrooms to support teachers and students. The district also uses the Second Step social‑emotional learning program. Families with developmental concerns were advised to consult their pediatrician and to contact district resources: Mary Beth Delaney, chair of the preschool special education committee, and Jessica Allen, director of special education, were listed as onsite contacts and had information tables available.

Leah Akenlaya, the district’s director of innovation, equity and engagement, described the role of parent liaisons and community schools as connectors between families and school‑based supports, and announced a family opportunity center near Hamilton that will host parent workshops and other programs.

Valente closed by inviting families to visit the registration, transportation, nursing and special education tables in the lobby for help and to use the feedback QR code on the handout. The district encouraged families to complete online registration and submit required documents before the lottery deadline to ensure entry into the May 1 draw.