New offerings include free transportation and after-school care, 11:1 student-teacher ratio for 3- and 4-year-olds

HISD is expanding its full-day pre-kindergarten program at Woodson PK-5 Leadership Academy to provide more 3- and 4-year-old students in the Sunnyside community with the opportunity to attend a high-quality program that will build a strong foundation of learning and will support the transportation, after-school care, and health needs of the families it serves.

The school will be hosting three upcoming events to encourage parents to enroll, including a pre-K roundup day, neighborhood block walk, and a registration carnival with school supply giveaways for 3- and 4-year-olds, immunizations, and a food bank.

Students who attend Woodson for pre-K in the 2018-19 school year will benefit from multisensory, hands-on instruction from high-quality teachers, as well as:

• A teacher’s aide in every classroom for an 11:1 student-teacher ratio
• Optional bilingual classrooms
• Free transportation within 2 miles for pre-K students, with buses that include shoulder belts and an on-board attendant
• Free after-school care until 6 p.m.
• Free breakfast, lunch, and dinner
• New furniture and instructional materials in every classroom
• Support to address mental and physical health, food and housing needs, and more
• Parent education classes

Children must live within HISD boundaries but do not have to be zoned to Woodson to attend the pre-K program.

“We are thrilled to grow our program to better serve our community and help parents get their children academically ready for kindergarten and beyond,” said Woodson Principal Stephen Gittens. “We recently graduated two pre-K classes of students who showed tremendous progress throughout the year. Some of them are already reading. The pre-K experience at Woodson is invaluable.”

How to enroll

HISD is encouraging parents to enroll their child in Woodson’s new pre-K center with the various outreach activities listed below:

• Pre-K Registration Roundup: Monday, June 11 from 7:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. On-site assistance with enrollment forms will be provided. Bring the required documents listed below.
• Pre-K Neighborhood Block Walk: Monday, June 18. Woodson and HISD staff will walk the neighborhood surrounding Woodson to share program information and encourage parents to enroll.
• Woodson Pre-K Registration Carnival: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. June 28. Fun, games, free immunizations (bring child’s shot records), school supply giveaway for 3- and 4-year-olds, and food bank. Bring the required documents listed below.

Parents can also visit the school Monday-Thursday from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. for on-site assistance with enrollment forms.

Who can enroll

Free full-day pre-K is available to 3- and 4-year-olds based on any one of the following criteria:

• Unable to speak and understand English
• Economically disadvantaged (eligible to participate in the National School Lunch Program)
• Child of a member of the U.S. Armed Forces
• Has ever been in state foster care
• Homeless (no documents needed to enroll)

What to bring

Parents who want to enroll their child should bring with them the required documents to register:

• Parent income (check, award letter, child support, SSD)
• Proof of address (utility bill such as light, gas, water or lease)
• Child’s original birth certificate
• Child’s Social Security card
• Child’s immunization record
• Parent identification

A recent Rice University study found that HISD’s pre-K program significantly increases kindergarten readiness after as little as one year compared with students who do not attend pre-K. Research also shows that students who attend pre-K perform better in K-12 education, are more likely to graduate, and earn higher wages as adults.

For more information about pre-K at Woodson, call 713-732-3600.