Connections Preschool

2022-2023 School Year (beginning September 2022)

The 2022-2023 school year is currently in the planning stages. Click here to enter your name and email address if you would like to receive an email message when further information is available in late February 2022.

2021-2022 School Year

Connections Preschool is no longer accepting applications for the current school year. Please look ahead to the 2022-2023 school year.

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Questions? Email us at connectionspreschool@district196.org

Connections Preschool gives children an opportunity to interact with other children in fun, engaging activities while learning important skills. The curriculum supports young children in developing skills in the following areas: creativity and the arts, language and literacy, mathematical and scientific thinking, physical and motor, and social and emotional. Children in Connections Preschool assume increasing personal responsibility and independence as they grow and develop. Program requirements and information:

Families must live in District 196 boundaries
Children must meet age requirements as of September 1, 2022 for 3 and 4 year olds (November 1, 2022 for Preschool Discovery)
Concurrent enrollment in Connections Preschool and other state and/or district-funded programs cannot be accommodated (e.g. Head Start or Family School)
Connections Preschool is a collaboration with our district's Early Childhood Special Education program
Tuition assistance and scholarships are available for families with identified needs

View the current (2021-2022) brochure to learn more about Connections Preschool.

Information and Resources

Information and Resources

Program Beliefs

Early childhood is a remarkable time of psychological, physical, social and academic development.
Learning is a social process where children grow through play, exploration and inquiry.
Families are a child's first and most influential teachers.
Each child has unique strengths.
Children thrive in a safe environment where their needs are met through mutual respect, nurturing and consistency.
Strong family, school and community partnerships help ensure a child's success in school.

Meet Our Teachers

Parenting Resources

District 196 Information

Early Childhood Screening - Silver Bell Learning Center, 2120 Silver Bell Rd., Eagan, MN. Call 651-423-7899.

Early Childhood Special Education - For information on evaluations and early intervention, call 952-388-1900.

Kindergarten and Magnet Schools - General information for incoming kindergarten families. Or go directly to kindergarten enrollment to start the pre-enrollment process.

New Baby - Do you have a new baby? Are you new to town? If so, please contact Student Information Services at 651-423-7640 with your family’s updated information so you receive important program information and updates.

School Attendance Locator

Activity Ideas

Favorite Links

Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University
Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning at Vanderbilt University
Common Sense Media
Conscious Discipline
The Ellyn Satter Institute - Models for Feeding Dynamics and Eating Competence
Head Start (CAP of Scott, Carver & Dakota Counties) - accepting applications for 2021-2022 school year
Healthy Children (American Academy of Pediatrics)
Help Me Grow Minnesota
Kids in the House
Mary Sheedy Kurcinka, Ed.D.
Mom Enough
Pacer Center - Champions for Children with Disabilities
ParentAware - Tools and information to find quality childcare and early education
Parenting Counts
PBS Parent Resources
Positive Discipline
Simplicity Parenting
Zero to Three

Parent Aware 4-Star Rating

Connections Preschool is a 4-Star Parent Aware Rated Preschool based on demonstrated use of practices that best prepare children for kindergarten.
Parent Aware is the State of Minnesota's Early Childhood Quality Program Indicator. Star ratings help families identify programs using the practices that best prepare a child for kindergarten.
Learn more at www.parentaware.org

parent aware with tagline a rating tool for selecting high quality child care and early education

ECFS Advisory Council

The ECFS (Early Childhood Family Services) Advisory Council supports Early Childhood programming within District 196. This programming includes Early Childhood Family Education, Connections Preschool and Family School. The Advisory Council is a highly valued resource for District 196 ECFS and assists in the development, planning and monitoring of Early Childhood Family Education programs.

New members are always welcome!

To learn more and submit your application, visit their website.

Contact Connections Preschool

Administrative Office:
Dakota Valley Learning Center (DVLC)
office 952-388-1977
email connectionspreschool@district196.org
address 4679 144th St. W., Apple Valley, MN 55124

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