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Preschool/Early Childhood
We will begin accepting applications for the 25-26 on February 1st!
ABOUT
The Portsmouth School District's Four Star Bright Stars rated preschool program is located at Melville School.
Our classrooms provide high-quality early childhood education for children with and without disabilities to have the opportunity to learn and grow together in a stimulating and nurturing environment. Research shows that children with disabilities benefit from being instructed by non-disabled peers, and with this in mind, Portsmouth invites community partners to participate in our program. Each classroom is staffed by one dual-certified teacher and at least one paraprofessional. We received four out of five stars from Brightstars, RI's tiered quality rating and improvement system. Our classrooms use the Creative Curriculum and instruction is aligned with the RI Early Learning and Development Standards. For more information about RIELDS, click here.
OFFERINGS AND SESSION TIMES
For community partners, we plan to have the following offerings for the 2025-2026 School Year:
Four mornings per week: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 9:00 to 11:15 AM
Four afternoons per week: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 12:30 to 2:50 PM
Please note: The preschool program follows the Portsmouth School Department calendar. There is no pre-school on Wednesdays. Also, offerings and session times are subject to change
ELIGIBILITY
Our preschool is open to children aged three through five living in Portsmouth, RI. To be eligible, children must:
Be age three on or before September 1 and not be Kindergarten eligible.
Must be fully potty trained.
Meet all requirements for registration with the Portsmouth School Department.
Participate in our Child Outreach Screening process before being considered for our program. Please visit our child outreach webpage to schedule your child’s screening appointment.
TUITION
The yearly tuition for the 2025-2026 SY is $2,185.00. A non-refundable $350.00 deposit is required to reserve your child's spot, which is deducted from the yearly tuition. Tuition is paid in two equal installments (cash or check), due August and January. Tuition is pro-rated for children who enroll after the official first day of the program, but not for early withdrawal from the program.
TRANSPORTATION
Bus transportation is not provided for community partners.
CONTACT INFORMATION
For information about Portsmouth Preschool and early childhood special education programs, please contact:
Brooke Degidio
Early Childhood/ Child Outreach Coordinator
401-683-1650 x5043
For children eligible under IDEA
We provide a full range of special education and related services:
Specialized Instruction
Speech-Language Therapy
Physical Therapy
Occupational Therapy
Services are provided in one of our preschool classrooms or through regular appointments, on a walk-in basis, according to each child's individual needs.