First Discoveries
Academy

What is Summer VPK?

Summer VPK is part of the Voluntary PreKindergarten program in Florida.  Children may participate in either the school year or the summer VPK program.  VPK is funded through the State of Florida to ensure that Florida's children have a high-quality preschool experience prior to entering kindergarten.

 

Who is eligible for Summer VPK?

Every child who is five years old on or before September 1st, is eligible to participate in the VPK program.  Children may participate in either the school year program or the summer program, but not both.  (There are a limited number of exceptions, such as when a child disenrolls from the school year VPK program because of placement in the EELP program or due to military orders.  See www.elchc.org for more information.)  Children who might potentially be eligible for the summer VPK program include:  children who attended a private prekindergarten that didn't participate in VPK, children who attended EELP or Head Start, children who did not attend any preschool program, and children who recently moved to Florida.  For more eligibility information, please see www.elchc.org.  There are no income restrictions for the VPK program.

 

What is the schedule and cost of the Summer VPK program?

Each school sets its own schedule for Summer VPK.  For 2024, our Summer VPK program will be available between the hours of 7:30 am to 4:45 pm.  Your child's VPK voucher will cover the cost of tuition for the full day, but children are not required to attend that entire time.  

 

Your child can attend for a half-day schedule from 8 to 12:45 pm, or a full school day (8 am to 3 pm), or the extended day program (7:30 am to 4:45 pm).  Drop off time and pick up time are flexible for the summer VPK program, but children must arrive at school by 9:00 am.  We will be closed the week of July 3rd to 7th to observe Independence Day, and there is no school Thursday, July 20th and Friday, July 21st (for Teacher Professional Days).  

 

Are there any other costs for the summer program?

We will have special events this summer, including guest speakers that come on-site.  The cost of special events is $100 for the entire summer. If your child was referred by a Head Start program, or your family qualifies for free lunches, you can request scholarship assistance to help with the cost.  

 

Is extended care available?

Our VPK schedule this summer is 7:30 to 4:45, so there is no charge for this full day schedule.

 

Does my child have to attend every day?  Or attend for the full day?

We understand that families have many plans for the summertime, and our program is designed to be flexible to meet the needs of your family.  Some families need a summer camp that spans the entire summer, and others want a great summer camp experience for a few weeks.  Each family can design a summer camp schedule that meets their needs.  We are happy to discuss it during the tour!

 

Also, many of our summer VPK students attend for a half-day program rather than a full day program.  (See above for suggested schedules, or talk to us during your tour!)

 

Would my child benefit from Summer VPK at First Discoveries?

Yes!  Our Summer VPK is completely individualized, so it builds on each child's unique strengths and interests.  We understand that children do not all learn the same things, in the same way, at the same time.  Instead, we plan rich learning experiences that encourage each child to reach his / her potential.  Each child receives a pre-assessment to identify strengths and to set individual learning goals for each child.  We also encourage parents to identify specific learning goals for their children.

 

Are children with special needs welcome to enroll?

Yes, our individualized program is designed to meet the needs of all children, including children with developmental disabilities, children who are learning English as a Second Language, and children who need extra support or extra enrichment to reach their potential.  We work with therapists, including speech therapists and ABA therapists, and our teachers have participated in specialized training to support individual children in the classroom.  Our teachers understand that young children learn through active, hands-on experiences and we individualize our program to ensure that children are growing and learning every day!  Our staff will be happy to explain our inclusion program during your tour.

 

How do we enroll in Summer VPK at First Discoveries?

Enrollment begins by scheduling a tour of the school!  After your tour, we will schedule a play-date for your child and provide you with enrollment information.  You will also need to get a VPK certificate from the early learning coalition.  To get your certificate, you will need proof of your address and proof of your child's date of birth.