Falcon Facts April 4

Dear Parents, Students, Staff and Community Members:

Bahrain Elementary School is pleased to announce the implementation of Universal Prekindergarten for School Year 2024-2025. This initiative marks the our participation in the first phase of a comprehensive three-phase plan to enhance early childhood education within the DoDEA school system.  

School Enrollment

Bahrain Elementary will implement universal full-day PK beginning in school year (SY) 2024-25, expanding equity and access, and providing intervening services for all four-year-olds who meet with the current eligibility policies outlined in DoDEA Administrative Instruction 1344.01, Eligibility and Enrollment Requirements for DoDEA Schools (July 1, 2023). 

Students who currently have a disability and are eligible for educational and related services within their Individualized Education Plan (IEP) will enroll in the PK program and be supported in an inclusive environment to ensure a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE). 

DoDEA’s PK Program will embrace and implement the co-teaching methodology in which teachers are paired together to share responsibilities of planning, instructing, and assessing students to provide a continuum of services. 

Family-Style Dining

The full-day PK program will include lunch served family-style in the classroom. Family-style dining is a meal service which permits children to serve themselves and make choices in selecting foods and serving size. The use of small pitchers, a limited number of portions on service plates, and adult assistance enables children to successfully serve themselves. Family-style dining is a best practice and is encouraged by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). 

The DoDEA Student Information System (DSIS) will provide multiple notifications during the enrollment process about the mandatory participation in the Student Meal Program (SMP) as part of the enrollment conditions. 

For PK enrollment, sponsors are required to fill out the Free and Reduced Meal Application. This will determine the eligibility for free or reduced lunch. Unless students qualify for free or reduced-priced meals, sponsors are obligated to buy daily lunch at full cost. Home-sent meals and snacks are not permitted. 

Sponsors are required to establish the student’s SMP account with the identified installation SMP provider. 

Students benefit from family-style dining in a variety of ways. Family-style dining meets the PK standards by fostering social skills such as executive functioning, language development, nutrition and health education, and motor skill development all which supports the PK standards. 

Program Highlights

• Qualified Educators: Our prekindergarten program will be led by qualified and experienced early childhood educators.
• Tailored Curriculum: Age-appropriate curriculum designed to cater to individual needs.
• Play-Based Learning: Encouraging creativity and critical thinking through play-based activities.
• Family Collaboration: Collaborative partnerships with parents and families to enhance the learning experience.