Announcements:
1. Apply for an ACSD Preschool Program: ACSD runs two school-based preschool programs (Middlebury & Shoreham). Enrollment is now open for the 2026-2027 school year. Read the 2026-2027 Preschool Interest Letter. Use this form to appy:
Fill out the Preschool Interest Survey
2. Apply for publicly funded prekindergarten: All Vermont 3-5 year olds can receive public funding for 10 hours/week for 35 weeks/year of prekindergarten at prequalified programs. Use this form to apply:
Addison County Publicly Funded PreKindergarten
For more information about Universal Preschool in our area, please visit the Addison County Preschool Page.
Our early education programs include school-based PreK programming and partnerships with community programs to provide public education funding for all 3-5 year-old children. School district staff also provide special education services to preschoolers with disabilities.
We believe early education is vital for ensuring the future success of our students. Research on child brain development shows that investments in the early years are key for building future success. Communities that make investments in early childhood see the payoff in later years academically and socially.
All of our programs are founded in the understanding that play is how young children learn. Play with people, objects, and classroom and community experiences can be intentionally designed by a teacher to achieve learning goals. Experiences through play foster language and literacy skills, social skills with adults and peers, problem-solving, curiosity, persistence, early numeracy skills, and creativity. All programs use the Vermont Early Learning Standards (VELS) as a framework for their curriculum and regularly assess children's progress toward early learning goals. Parents are active participants in their child's learning, and are invited to participate in conferences at least twice yearly.
Universal Prekindergarten
Act 166 of 2014 provides for universal access to publicly funded prekindergarten education. All public and private prekindergarten education programs, including Head Start and public school-operated programs, must meet specific requirements to operate a PreK program in Vermont. The Agency of Education, in collaboration with the Agency of Human Services, created administrative rules to guide Act 166 implementation.
For more information regarding Universal Pre-School, click the links to the left and visit the Vermont's Agency of Education webpages.
Contact Us
If you have questions about publicly funded PreK, please contact:
Ashley Bessette, Addison County Universal PreK Coordinator
abessette@acsdvt.org
If you have specific questions about the Mary Hogan Preschool Program, please contact:
Kimberly Forbes, Mary Hogan Preschool Program Director
kforbes@acsdvt.org
If you have specific questions about the Bridport Preschool Program, please contact:
Heather Adams, Bridport Preschool Teacher
hadams@acsdvt.org