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All children are given a pre and post assessment to measure and track progress leading to success in Kindergarten. The VPK (Voluntary PreK Assessment) is given to 4 year olds at the beginning, middle, and end of the year. Students with developmental delays are given a pre and post assessment using the Battelle Developmental Inventory. The pre and post Speed DIAL is given to all other students to determine progress made in the program. In addition, Gilchrist County receives Kindergarten Readiness Rates to show how well our Pre-K Program has prepared our students for Kindergarten. Readiness Rates show the results of the Florida Kindergarten Readiness Screener (FLKERS) which is based on the VPK Standards for Four-Year-Olds.

Pre-K Special Needs is for children who are 3 or 4 years of age by September 1 AND qualify under state special needs guidelines. There is no cost for eligible students, and transportation is provided in alignment with district School Board policy. For more information about special need eligibility areas, please visit our Eligibility Areas page.

The Pre-K Parent Pay program is for children who are 3 or 4 years of age by September 1. The cost to parents is $16 per day for three year olds and $8 per day for  years olds that choose to remain in the program beyond the VPK funded morning hours. For information regarding special scholarships, please visit our United Way page. Extended day services may be provided based upon availability. Please contact the elementary school of your choice for information on cost and availability.

Gilchrist County Schools provide multiple opportunities for parents to enroll their child in an early learning program. We feel that early learning is such an important facet of a child's education, because it gives them a good start to their educational career. The programs listed above are available because we care about providing opportunities to as many families as possible. In Gilchrist County, we have blended our classrooms to include VPK students, School Readiness students, Pre-K Special Needs students, and students who are full parent pay. For more information about any of the above listed programs, please contact Mrs. Salley Martin at (352) 463-4407 or martins@mygcsd.org.

Gilchrist County Early Learning programs are staffed by Masters' and Bachelors' level certified teachers, National Child Development Associates, and Florida Equivalency Child Development Associates.

The curricula used in our programs include Opening the World of Learning (OWL), Second Step Character Development, and Waterford Early Literacy.

Related services provided include speech/language therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. These related services are provided to children who qualify based on state guidelines.

Our programs are accredited through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

Please visit our United Way page for information on scholarships that your family may be eligible for! For more information on United Way project or funding, please contact Salley Martin at (352) 463-4407.

If you are interested in applying for your child to attend pre-kindergarten, please complete this Interest Survey as soon as possible. If you need assistance or have questions, please contact Salley Martin at (352) 463-4407 or martins@mygcsd.org.

Spring Roundup is held each spring to identify children for possible placement in one of our programs. Screenings are held several times throughout the year, and you may call the school for information on upcoming dates. All screenings will be done at the Pre-K building located in Trenton next to the County Office. To schedule a screening appointment for your child, please contact:

Carolyn Thomas (BES)
(352) 463-3289

Casey Hassell (TES)
(352) 463-3227

All children are given a screening instrument to measure their developmental level. The VPK assessment is given at the beginning, middle, and end of the year to determine each child's readiness for Kindergarten.