Preschool grows in northwest Bronx

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Local institutions are offering 470 extra preschool spots in Riverdale and Kingsbridge to accommodate growing demand a year after the launch of universal pre-k.

For the borough as a whole, there will be 2,600 extra pre-k seats in the 2015-16 school year, according to Department of Education data.

The expansion came as first day enrollment in the city’s UPK program more than tripled this year, with 21,938 families applying for seats online on March 17. On the first day of enrollment last year, 6,500 people applied.

Some local institutions did not add seats, but expanded half-day programs to full-day offerings. At places like the Spuyten Duyvil Preschool on Kingsbridge Avenue, the expansion means instructors can accommodate fewer total students.

That preschool’s director, Judith Menken, said instead of offering half-day slots to two groups of 68 total children, she will offer full-day spots to one group of 36 students.

“I’m getting used to it — it’s a whole new retooling,” she said. “The process has been really hard.” 

Ms. Menken’s program already has a waiting list, she added. 

At the Marble Hill Nursery School on Broadway, meanwhile, the program will convert three half-day pre-k classes to two full-day classes, serving 40 total students instead of 60. 

While adjusting to the cut, Karen Worchel has a positive view of the overall process, including online applications. She said parents have had to adjust to new rules requiring them to do everything on the web.

“I think there was the expected anxiety. A lot of parents were concerned about the new process. But I think people seem to have been able to do the registration without much difficulty,” she said.

She did not have figures for applications to her program so far.

Others, like the Riverdale Neighborhood House (RNH) on Mosholu Avenue, will continue their pre-k programs without any change this year. 

RNH Executive Director Dan Eudene said his organization will continue to offer 72 full-day seats, with no plans to expand.

At RNH, there was some confusion over the application process, but families were able to navigate it in the end.

Universal pre-k, Department of Education, Jeff Klein, Spuyten Duyvil Preschool, Riverdale Neighborhood House, Dan Eudene, Judith Menken, Maya Rajamani
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