Centennial Community Education

The Centennial School District provides high-quality part-day and full-day preschool experiences. Classrooms are located at each of the elementary schools in the Centennial School District as well as the Early Childhood Center. (Part-day classes are only offered at the Early Childhood Center.) Centennial Preschool is held in classrooms with a 1 to 10 staff-to-student ratio, taught by licensed teachers using Creative Curriculum for Preschool and assessment tools approved by the State of Minnesota. Our preschool program has earned a 4-Star Parent Aware rating. Centennial Preschool emphasizes: Kindergarten Readiness The goal of Centennial Preschool is to help children enter kindergarten with the skills and behaviors necessary to be successful learners. Being ready for kindergarten includes both academic skills such as literacy, math, science, and art, and social/emotional skills such as listening, following directions, sharing, and problem solving. Play-Based Learning Centennial Preschool weaves a learning through play philosophy into each class. Since students learn by doing, we focus on the process of creating rather than the product created. Learning happens when children are given space, materials, and time to play. Students engage in teacher-selected activities that are designed to grow their imagination, large-muscle, fine-motor, social-emotional, and thinking skills. Parental Involvement Part-day classes include a weekly parent attendance day, while full-day classes offer monthly opportunities for parent engagement. Centennial Preschool places an emphasis on parental involvement because research has shown that early childhood programs that involve parents and children learning together are more effective than programs that focus only on the child.

Gearing Up for Kindergarten is a free program specifically designed for children who would otherwise be entering kindergarten with no preschool experience. Students and a parent/caregiver attend together. Classes take place at the Early Childhood Center at Rice Lake Elementary on Thursday evenings, March 26 - May 14 from 6:30-8:00pm. Registration opens February 15. Class placement will begin March 1, but registration will remain open until the class fills. Have questions? Please call us at 763-792-6120.

Kids Club is childcare provided by ISD #12 - Community Education. Kids Club offers two separate childcare sessions: one session is for care provided during the school year; the other session is care provided during summer months.