Begindergarten may be the right choice for your child if they are turning 5 years old between June and November of the new school year. Additionally, a recommendation may be made by a GSRP or preschool teacher who has observed readiness behaviors. The ESI-3 Parent Questionnaire is also a tool we use to help determine a student’s placement.

This is not a decision you need to make on your own. Reach out to us and we will provide the help you need to make the right choice for your child.

The Early Screening Inventory, Third Edition (ESI-3) is a short questionnaire that gives families a chance to share what their child can do at home. It focuses on areas like language, motor skills, and social development. Your answers help us get a fuller picture of your child’s strengths and needs, and support the best placement for their learning journey—whether that’s Kindergarten or Begindergarten. There are no “right” or “wrong” answers—just your honest observations!

Begindergarten offers a researched-based curriculum backed by developmental science. Our program strengthens self-regulation and thinking skills through:

• Working with clay = sensory learning
• Discovering in nature = emotional regulation
• Listening circle = language & empathy
• Building blocks = spatial reasoning
• Music & physical education = physical, social and emotional development

At the conclusion of the school year, work immediately began at the former Madison Elementary building in Filer Township in preparation for the relocation of the Manistee Early Childhood Center programming from Jefferson Elementary. As the summer has progressed, this work has met some challenges.

Although we would like to be reporting otherwise, we will continue the Manistee Early Childhood Center programming at Jefferson Elementary for the beginning of the 2025/26 school year. Because work at the new location is not yet complete, we believe meeting state licensing requirements for this new facility prior to the beginning of the school year will not be attainable. The Jefferson Elementary facility is currently compliant with licensing requirements; therefore, we can continue offering early childhood services at that building while final preparations are made at our new space.

The delay of this move will keep all preschool, begindergarten, and kindergarten students at the Jefferson Elementary building, as well as before and after care services until we are able to finalize the new space and arrange for the move of our classrooms. We are working closely with the construction superintendent to bring this project to completion and to confirm a date for the move. Additional details will be shared as they become available.

As always, we extend gratitude to our staff for their dedication to our early childhood programs and their support and flexibility as we transition to this new space and grow the services we offer to our community.

We are excited to share the new space with you once it is complete. Renovations are being made to classrooms, playgrounds, and other amenities to provide space scaled for our youngest learners. We feel this configuration will welcome our newest Mariners and their families to the MAPS district, serving as an easily accessible and very friendly start to their learning experience.