Little Thinkers Preschool

Thinkery’s new, STEAM-focused preschool for kids ages 3 and 4

Classes begin Tuesday, September 8.

Little Thinkers Preschool is Thinkery’s new research-focused, play-based, STEAM preschool, serving children ages 3 and 4. Little Thinkers Preschool will provide a unique learning environment, using Thinkery’s fun, hands-on educational approach and access to our interactive exhibits to support the development of your child’s school readiness skills.

Research shows that preschool play with dedicated, caring teachers builds strong relationships. Through continuous collaboration and a climate of mutual respect, Thinkery’s Little Thinkers Preschool will support social, emotional, cognitive and physical development for every attendee child.

Little Thinkers Preschool will increase our community’s high-quality childcare capacity. Our full-day preschool offering will be limited in size, to allow Thinkery’s early childhood educators to maximize their interaction with each student while also being mindful of social distancing guidelines and community health best practices.

Who is eligible to attend?

Little Thinkers Preschool is committed to nurturing a diverse and inclusive generation of young children who thrive through their experience of learning alongside others.

Our preschool is open to all Austin-area children ages 3 or 4 years old by the start of the school year. All prospective students must be potty trained (no diapers or pull-ups) and be up to date on vaccines and health screenings.

Hours of operation

Little Thinkers Preschool will run Monday – Friday from 8 am-3 pm, with extended care available until 5:30 pm. Children must be picked up no later than 5:30 pm each day.

The “lab school” environment

Curricula and assessment will be designed in collaboration with Thinkery Connect, Thinkery’s early learning research partnership with Dr. Cristine Legare of The University of Texas at Austin, a nationally recognized expert in child development and science education, and Dr. Amy Bryan, the Director of The Priscilla Pond Flawn Child and Family Laboratory (The UT Lab School).

This research partnership will ensure that each child benefits from best practices in play-based STEAM early learning to enhance kindergarten readiness.

The lab school model also means Thinkery can share our learnings with other schools and childcare providers to promote STEAM interest and school readiness throughout Central Texas.

Overview and Virtual Tour

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are not offering in-person tours of the Preschool at this time. We have created a downloadable overview and virtual tour for your review.

Take the tour

2020–21 School Year & Summer Schedule

First day of class will be on Tuesday, September 8, 2020.

Hours of Operation

Monday through Friday from 8 am – 3 pm, with optional extended care included until 5:30 pm. Extended care is included in the price of tuition.

Children must be picked up no later than 5:30 pm each day.

This school year runs from early September through May. A separate summer session for children runs from June through July.

Little Thinkers Preschool follows the Austin Independent School District calendar with regard to Thanksgiving, Winter, and Spring Break holidays. There are additional teacher preparation days in which the Preschool is closed for training or parent teacher conferences.

All families are given a school calendar at the beginning of each new school year, listing all the holidays for the year.

Admissions & Registration Information

Registration will begin on Friday, July 10 at 9 am through our online system.

The application and a $100 nonrefundable registration fee must be completed and submitted by Sunday, July 19 to be entered into the admissions lottery.

2020-21 Lottery Admissions Process

50% of spots will be reserved for current Thinkery Members, with spaces awarded via a lottery of all Member applications.

The remaining spots will be awarded via a separate, second lottery for all general public applicants and any Members not selected in the first lottery drawing.

Families not selected in either round of the lottery will be automatically added to the wait list on a first-come, first-served basis.

Families will be notified of their enrollment status the week of July 27. Families have 24 hours to accept by processing a $150 nonrefundable enrollment fee to confirm their child’s spot in the school.

For additional questions, please email us at preschool@thinkeryaustin.org

Tuition and Fees

Tuition

$1,195 per month*
Includes Thinkery Family Membership**

Registration Fees

$100 one-time fee
Nonrefundable

Enrollment Fee

$150 one-time fee
Nonrefundable

Supply Fee

$100 fee
Billed annually

* Once accepted and in order to be fully enrolled, all families must submit completed documentation and must pay enrollment fee, supply fee, first month’s tuition and last month’s deposit.

** Current Thinkery members will have 12 months added to their existing membership.

Financial Assistance

A select number of spaces will be held for need-based financial assistance applicants for the 2020-21 school year.

Please indicate your interest in financial assistance on the registration form.

Important Notices

Children must be 3 or 4 years old by September 1 of the current school year
All children must be potty trained by the start of the school year (no diapers or pull-ups)
All children must be up to date on vaccines and health screenings by the start of the school year
Classes are Monday – Friday from 8 am to 3 pm, with optional extended care until 5:30pm. Children must be picked up no later than 5:30 pm each day.
Parents/caregivers must provide two daily snacks and lunch, bedding for nap mats and a reusable water bottle
Information is subject to change

Health and Safety Protocols

Thinkery is doing our part to keep our community healthy and safe from COVID-19. While there is no 100% effective way to prevent illnesses, we’ve planned a number of steps to make our preschool as clean and safe a learning environment as possible.

There are additional steps that YOU can take to help us keep Thinkery a clean, safe, and healthy environment.

Thinkery Procedures

Drop off/Pick up & Health Screening at Entry

All student drop off and pick up will take place outside of the museum.
No caregivers are permitted in the building.
Daily temperature checks and health screenings for all students and Thinkery staff.
Any student showing signs of illness will be separated and caregivers will be called for pick up.

Face Masks & Handwashing

All Thinkery staff will be required to wear face masks.
All students will be required to wear face masks to the extent possible.
Handwashing will be required many times throughout the day, including arrival to the classroom, after transitions, bathroom visits, and before/after eating.

Cleaning & Disinfecting Procedures

Increased disinfecting of classrooms, nap mats, equipment and surfaces, especially doorknobs, high-touch surfaces, exhibits, and restrooms.
Nap mat bedding laundered daily.
Nightly deep cleaning.
Weekly electrostatic disinfection.
HVAC system using fresh air circulation.
Each student will have their own set of non-consumables (scissors, tape, etc…).

Social Distancing Measures

Preschool groups will be held in separate classrooms.
Classrooms will not be combined or interact throughout the day.
Social distancing within groups implemented to the degree possible.
Exhibit time will be scheduled to minimize public interaction.
Prepared to reduced class sizes if mandated by State or Local health authorities.

What YOU can do

If your child is sick, please keep them at home.

We’ll be doing daily temperature checks and health screenings for all students, and any student showing signs of illness will be sent home. To save yourself an extra trip, it’s best to keep sick students at home.

Work with your child ahead of time to practice good hygiene

Help your child get familiar with important concepts like:

Frequent washing of hands with soap and water for at least 15-20 seconds each time
Avoid touching your eyes and face as much as possible.
Maintain physical distance from other students as much as possible.
Cover your mouth and nose if you have to sneeze or cough. If you’re not wearing a mask, remember to cough and sneeze into your elbow (the “vampire sneeze“) or into a tissue, not into your hand.

Read all of the caregiver information in your family handbook, and make sure your child’s paperwork if filled out and up to date.

Observe all written instructions and directions for curbside drop-off and pick up.

As always, Thinkery will continue to monitor developments and the most current guidance from State and Local health officials. Any additional changes or updates to our Health and Safety Protocols will be communicated promptly to our preschool families.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is there a deadline to apply?

Yes. All applications and a $100 nonrefundable registration fee must be submitted by Sunday, July 19, 2020 in order to be considered for the lottery admissions process. Applications received after this date or who are not selected will be placed on a waiting list in the order they were received.

I found out my application was accepted. Now what?

Once offered a spot, you will have 24 hours to accept or decline the offer by processing a $150 nonrefundable enrollment fee to confirm their child’s spot in the school.

After 24 hours, if payment is not received your spot will go to the next student on the waitlist.

I’ve been assigned to a “Wait list.” What does that mean?

This means that your child is placed on the waitlist for the Preschool. As students accept and decline a spot on the offered list, your child will move up. If your child moves up to the offered list, Thinkery will send you an acceptance message and you will have 24 hours to accept or decline the offer by processing a $150 nonrefundable enrollment fee to confirm their child’s spot in the Preschool.

What documents do I need to apply?

No documents are needed just to apply. However, if your child is selected for enrollment during the lottery process, you will need to provide the following:

Certified copy of the child’s birth certificate
Current Immunization Record
Social Security Card for the child (if available)
Photo ID of Parent or Guardian
Proof of Residency (Current Utility Bill, Lease Agreement)
Proof of Income (Tax Return, Current Paystubs, Letter of Employer, etc.), if applying for financial assistance

Do you have a policy about accepting siblings?

Yes. If a family is offered a spot and has more than one child that meets the criteria for enrollment, then all children within that family will be accepted into the program. (Note: “Sibling” means biological or legally adopted. Cousins, nieces, nephews, and unrelated children in home are not considered siblings.)

Do I need to be a Thinkery member to apply to Little Thinkers Preschool?

No. The tuition to the Preschool includes a yearlong Thinkery Family Membership. Current Thinkery members will have 12 months added to their memberships.