For questions regarding preschool, please contact Sommer Rosa, Director of Special Education/Preschool at 859.815.2009 or sommer.rosa@fortthomas.kyschools.us.
Eligibility
The Fort Thomas Independent School District has board policies for the location, identification, and placement of three (3) year old students with disabilities, and four (4) year old students with disabilities or at-risk factors who reside within the jurisdiction of the district. Policies address each requirement in the administration regulations concerning Preschool Education for Four-Year-Old Children (704 KAR 3:410) and Preschool Education for Children with Disabilities (707 KAR 1:150).
The Fort Thomas Independent Schools Preschool Program does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, or handicapping condition. Children are eligible for enrollment in the preschool program if they are:
- Residents of the Fort Thomas Independent School District
- At least three (3) or four (4) years old on the date of enrollment
- Disabled, as defined by the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) and the Fort Thomas Independent School District Policies and Procedures Manual for Exceptional Children
- Or, if they are four (4) years old on or before August 1st of the current school year and meet federal guidelines for income eligibility criteria (160% of the poverty level) at enrollment. Once determined eligible, these students remain eligible throughout the school year regardless of any changes in financial status.
It should also be noted that the preschool program offers a limited number of tuition-based slots to children who are not eligible to participate in the program free of charge (i.e., disability or financial status). The tuition cost for the 2021-22 school year is $265 per month.
Preschool Screenings
The preschool program maintains an active recruitment process to ensure the timely identification, evaluation, and enrollment of eligible children. There are two developmental screenings scheduled at the beginning and end of each school year (August and May). Additional screenings are scheduled periodically throughout the year. Information about screenings is distributed throughout the community via flyers, school marquees, and the district website.
Calendar and Hours of Operation
The preschool program is currently housed at Johnson Elementary and is in session four days per week, Monday through Thursday. Children attend either morning sessions (8:15am-11:15am) or afternoon sessions (12:00pm-3:00pm). Children do not attend preschool on Fridays. The preschool program operates on the same calendar as Fort Thomas Independent Schools, though the preschool start and end dates are adjusted. The preschool start date for 2021-22 is August 23, 2021. The end date is May 12, 2022.