Preschool at Daniel Webster
The school administration at Daniel Webster has been working with PREFund since 2006 to gain permission from the SFUSD and support from the Board of Education to open a preschool on campus. With this critical support and encouragement, PREFund then sought a preschool partner to run the program. With its longstanding expertise in child development programs, PREFund is partnering with Mission Neighborhood Centers (MNC) to administer Potrero Kids at Daniel Webster (PKDW), an MNC preschool.
Download Application for Preschool Here.
Q. Who is MNC?
A. MNC – Mission Neighborhood Center is an organization that has been managing childcare programs for the past 40 years. Former San Francisco Mayor Art Agnos connected our group with MNC as they were interested in serving the Potrero Hill community by running a private preschool for our residents.
Teachers interested in working for MNC and/or PKDW should click here for job descriptions and application.
About MNC
Q. How is the school connected with Daniel Webster?
A. The preschool will be a private preschool that the SFUSD will provide discounted lease space on the Daniel Webster campus. We have finalized the lease agreement and budget for the construction. This is a new model for SFUSD and has the support and encouragement from the District, Board of Education and Daniel Webster’s administration to make this service a reality.
Q. Where will the preschool program be housed?
A. The preschool program will be housed in the bungalows on Daniel Webster’s campus. The bungalows will have a separate entrance from the Daniel Webster K-5 students and are being specifically modified to accommodate a preschool program and meet licensing requirements.
Preschool Architectural Drawings
Q. What kind of preschool program will this be?
A. The program will be based on the creative curriculum and will have a bi-lingual Spanish/English focus. The program will be available for children that are at least 2 years, 9 months through pre-K ages. We will have spots for 36 children. 25% of the slots will be reserved for low-income children who attend tuition-free.
Q. Will the preschool program run year-round and full days?
A. The preschool program will cater to working families by operating year round. The program will be full time, M-F, 8:00am – 6:00pm. There will be some part-time (3 day and 2 day spots), depending on availability.
Q. Who will have priority?
A. The application process will be fair and equitable. Acceptance for enrollment will be determined from your child’s age (2 years 9 months minimum), desired start date, date of application, as well as accepted standards for gender and age balance. A preference will also be given to Potrero Hill residents.
Q. What if my child is not 2 years, 9 months by the time the school opens?
A. The program will have a rolling enrollment process. This means that as soon as your child is 2 years, 9 months, they may join the program as long as there is space available. This is a great advantage for this program.
Q. What is the application process?
A. Fill out an application and mail with a $25 non-refundable application fee.
Download Preschool Application Here.
Q. What is the tuition?
A. The tuition is currently set at $1150 per month for full-time and includes a paid lunch option. There are limited part-time slots available for a decreased tuition. There is no tuition break for opting out of the food program as we believe an organic, healthy food option served family style is key to helping students grow socially and experience new foods. The tuition is comparable to most private preschools and in some cases, less expensive and covers the 25% requirement of scholarship students. And because of this mix of scholarships and paid tuition students, our program will qualify for the First Five-Preschool for All program. This means that there will be a tuition break once your child turns 4 years old, if we are able to secure funds.
Q. When will the school open?
A. Considering construction and funding, we are currently anticipating a September 2, 2008 opening date. All applicants will be given plenty of notice as soon as the date is confirmed.
Q. Who will be eligible for scholarships?
A. Scholarships will be available for low-income families. MNC will be processing all of the scholarship applications. To qualify, you must be a SFCEL recipient and note on your application that you are currently a recipient or have applied to the program. Details to apply for the program can be found on the Preschool Application page of this website.
Q. Does my child need to speak Spanish to enter the program?
A. No, the program will be of a bi-lingual focus and will concentrate on making English speakers bi-lingual for both Spanish and English.