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Universal PreKindergarten (UPK) Program

Universal PreKindergarten (UPK)

Galway Central School District is pleased to continue offering its Universal PreKindergarten (UPK) program for the 2025-26 school year at no cost to families residing in the Galway Central School District. Taught by NYS certified teachers, Galway’s UPK program provides a developmentally appropriate learning environment that prepares children for kindergarten.

Children who turn four-years old on or before December 1, 2025 and are legal residents of the Galway Central School District are eligible to apply. A total of 54 placements are anticipated for the upcoming school year, with a lottery system to determine enrollment in the event that the number of applicants exceeds available seats.

Program Highlights

  • Full-Day Schedule: 8 a.m.-2:22 p.m and students can be dropped off as early as 7:15 a.m. for supervised early morning arrival
  • Transportation: Provided for 4-year olds only
  • Meals: Free breakfast and lunch through the school cafeteria
  • Activities: students participate in music, art, library, and physical education
  • Calendar: follows the district’s 180-day school year, Monday through Friday

Important Dates and Information

The lottery for the 2025-26 school year is now closed.

Space is still available, please call the main office if you are interested in enrolling your child.

  • The lottery drawing was not needed as of the publicized date of Monday, April 7, 2025
  • Families who completed the UPK Lottery Entry Form were notified by email by April 7, 2025, at which time UPK registration opened on FamilyID
  • Families must complete the enrollment process on FamilyID by April 30, 2025

For more information, please contact Joseph Henry Elementary School Principal Nicole Luft at 518-882-1033 x 4240.

 

 

  • Parents of eligible children are asked to complete a UPK Lottery Entry Form
  • Lottery entries that are submitted on time will be assigned a number in the order in which they are received (this enables the district to know how many entries have been submitted, the assigned number is insignificant)
  • If there are more than 54 entries, the numbers corresponding to each applicant will be entered into a blind drawing
  • The District will complete the random drawing on a specific date that is publicized
  • Selected families will be notified by email by a specific date, at which time UPK registration will open on FamilyID
  • Students who are not selected due to space limitations will be placed on a waiting list 
  • Selected families must complete the enrollment process on FamilyID by a specific date that is publicized
  • If selected students are not enrolled by the deadline, that spot will become available and the district will begin contacting families whose children are on the waiting list
  • Lottery entries received after the deadline will be considered only if there are spaces available in the UPK program
  • If no spaces are available, late submissions will be added to the waiting list
  • Neither the district nor administrators nor faculty/staff are able to reserve seats or adjust lottery results to accommodate a specific child

*Please note: the lottery will only be held if there are over 54 lottery entries.

    • Parents of eligible children are asked to complete a UPK Lottery Entry Form
    • Lottery entries that are submitted on time will be assigned a number in the order in which they are received (this enables the district to know how many entries have been submitted, the assigned number is insignificant)
    • If there are more than 54 entries, the numbers corresponding to each applicant will be entered into a blind drawing
    • The District will complete the random drawing on a specific date that is publicized
    • Selected families will be notified by email by a specific date, at which time UPK registration will open on FamilyID
    • Students who are not selected due to space limitations will be placed on a waiting list 
    • Selected families must complete the enrollment process on FamilyID by a specific date that is publicized
    • If selected students are not enrolled by the deadline, that spot will become available and the district will begin contacting families whose children are on the waiting list
    • Lottery entries received after the deadline will be considered only if there are spaces available in the UPK program
    • If no spaces are available, late submissions will be added to the waiting list
    • Neither the district nor administrators nor faculty/staff are able to reserve seats or adjust lottery results to accommodate a specific child

    *Please note: the lottery will only be held if there are over 54 lottery entries.