Our curriculum offers a balance of individual, small group, and large group activities with an emphasis on learning centers and child self-selection. The classrooms are planned to stimulate aspects of development by acknowledging each child’s individual development, age-related development, and cultural background. Your child will learn by doing, imitating, observing, exploring, examining, experimenting, and questioning in activities and experiences planned according to his or her interests and home experiences. Language and literacy experiences, storytelling and story sharing, creative dramatics, and music are integrated throughout the program as well as numbers, science, and outdoor activities. We also focus on social emotional learning with an emphasis placed upon sharing, belonging to a group, and forming friendships with other children and adults.

For the 3-year-old preschool program, your child must be three by September 15th. For the 4-year-old preschool program, your child must be four by September 15th.

All children are eligible for preschool regardless of needs, abilities, or special circumstances. This includes children who are still learning to use the bathroom independently.

The preschool registration window is open between February 1st and February 15th for the following school year. Registration will still be available after February 15th, but we cannot guarantee a spot for your child if registered after the February 15th deadline. The 4-year-old program typically is able to place all students who register online before the deadline. However, if we have more registrations than anticipated, we will create a waiting list that will allow us to fill the spots when available. Please note for the 3-year-old program only, limited spots are available and a random selection will be used for placement.

Heritage Elementary and Kids Korner in Dallas Center will be the locations for the 4-year-old preschool program. Heritage Elementary will be the only location for the 3-year-old preschool program.

Grimes students will be placed at Heritage Elementary. Dallas Center students will be placed at Kids Korner in Dallas Center. Once the building and section decisions are finalized, families will be contacted by email, letter, or phone regarding their assigned location and section.

Resident students of the Dallas Center-Grimes School District and siblings of current open-enrolled students will be considered first for enrollment into the preschool program. If there is room available when school starts, we may fill the openings with out-of-district students. Please call the preschool office at (515) 300-9627 in the meantime to be put on a waiting list, but please do not register online.

4 days per week – Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 

Morning Class (AM) meets from 8:15-11:15 AM (3-year-olds and 4-year-olds) 

Afternoon Class (PM) meets from 12:15-3:15 PM (4-year-olds) 

The preschool calendar runs on the same schedule as the Dallas Center-Grimes Community School district calendar regarding vacation days, early outs, and snow days. However, preschoolers will start school one week later than K-12 students. Home visits by the preschool teachers will be conducted during the week prior to the first day. Teachers will contact you to set up a time and/or there will be a sign-up sheet at the open house prior to school starting.

Since we always have more interest for the morning sections, and we need to balance the classes, we are not able to guarantee section preferences. However, you can select your preference from the drop-down menu during online registration. Students attending the major daycare centers in Grimes will automatically be placed in the afternoon section.

Please refer to the Registration Webpage and follow the process for either an existing family or a new family to the district.

There is a registration kiosk available at the administration office located at 2405 W 1st St, Grimes. Please come between the hours of 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM or by appointment. You may also visit the Grimes Public Library, as they have public computers available with internet access.

Yes! Please refer to the Registration Web Page and follow the process for an existing family. Just be sure to add your preschool-aged child to the list of students you’re registering for the upcoming school year.

Existing families with Parent Portal accounts will need a digital copy of your child’s immunization record. New families to the district will need the paperwork listed above, as well as a digital copy showing proof of residency (example: a scanned copy of a utility bill, a purchase agreement or a lease agreement with your name and address listed).

The current cost for the 3-year-old program is $325/month. However, this amount could be subject to change. At this time, the Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program funds our district’s 4-year-old program, and there is no cost to register for preschool. We are unable to fully guarantee this funding for next year.

Due to increasing enrollment within our district, you may not find out until mid-July. You will receive an email, letter, or a phone call once the decisions have been made.

The 4-year-old program typically is able to place all students who register online before the deadline. However, if we have more registrations than anticipated, we will create a waiting list that will allow us to fill the spots when available. The 3-year-old program is filled using a random drawing only, so your child is not guaranteed a spot.

Your preschooler will not be visible in your Parent Portal until the school year begins on July 1st. You will not be able to pay monthly tuition fees (3-year-old-program) until this time either.

If you have additional questions, please contact Stephanie Birmingham at the preschool office by phone at (515) 300-9627 or by email at stephanie.birmingham@dcgschools.com.