There are a lot of great things about living in Florida. There is the beautiful sunshine that greets us most mornings, the proximity to the ocean, and fresh orange juice. Another great thing about living in our beautiful state is the availability of the free Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) program for children.
The goal of the free VPK program is to provide all 4-year-olds in Florida with a high quality program that produces students that are eager and ready to enter kindergarten. The free program aims to prepare children intellectually, emotionally, physically and socially, for starting school.
Providence Children’s Academy is a proud provider of the free VPK program in Broward County. We are pleased and proud to offer your 4-year-old qualified and excellent instructors and manageable class sizes that ensure your child receives the attention that he or she deserves.
The VPK program, which runs during the regular school semester period, offers 540 instructional hours of an age-appropriate curriculum to your growing 4-year-old, placing a strong emphasis on early literacy. Our goal at the Providence Children’s Academy is to help give your child the skills that he or she needs to become a good reader and a successful student, once they enter school.
Qualifications of the Free VPK program:
Your child must be 4-years-old (not 5 or older), on September 1 of the program year. In order to prove your child’s age, you will be required to submit one of the following:
- An original or certified copy of the your child’s birth record
- An original or certified copy of the child’s certificate of baptism or other religious record of the birth
- An insurance policy on the child’s life, which has been in effect for the last two years
- A passport or certificate of the child’s arrival in the U.S.
- An immunization record signed by public health officials or a physician
- Florida SHOTS documentation
- A valid military dependent identification card
In addition, in order to attend the free VPK program at the Providence Children’s Academy, you will also be required to show documentation that proves your child resides in Broward County. You will be required to submit one of the following to show such proof:
- Government-issued document (such as a Florida driver’s license)
- Military order showing that the child’s parent is a service member in the U.S. Armed Forces and is assigned to duty in Florida
- Signed and dated rent receipt or lease agreement, which shows full address
- Recent utility bill, which shows full address
- Recent land line telephone bill, which shows full address
- Recent pay stub, which shows full address
We strongly encourage you to take advantage of this wonderful state program. It is one of the best things you can do for your child. Research shows that the most important growth and development for your child’s brain occurs between birth and age 5.
The VPK program aims to help children learn to take direction and be attentive in order to become successful students. Research also shows that children who participate in the VPK program develop better language skills, better social skills, and have fewer behavioral issues once they reach school.
Let us help prepare your child for school. Register your 4-year-old for the free 2015-16 VPK program today!