Preschool

Chinn Aquatics & Fitness Center

13025 Chinn Park Dr., Woodbridge, VA
(703) 792-8600
Contact Buffy Foster

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Sharron Baucom Dale City Recreation Center

14300 Minnieville Rd., Dale City, VA
(703) 792-8677
Contact Mary Bockes

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Gro Preschool at James S. Long Regional Park

James S. Long Regional Park
4603 James Madison Hwy.
Haymarket, VA
(703) 792-8320
Contact Jane England

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Our State Licensed Nature Preschool at GRO will provide a supportive, safe learning experience to encourage discovery, question asking, and experimentation. Using both indoor and outdoor classrooms, our nature preschool will be filled with sensory experiences, natural objects, artifacts, trail activities and art materials so that students will have the opportunity to utilize all five senses.

Our curriculum will be enhanced by the nature experience, but will also be geared to developing cognitive growth, motor skills and problem solving through hands on learning.

All preschool staff are highly trained and meet or exceed state licensing requirements pertaining to education, experience, safety certifications as well as background checks. Our facilities and programs are inspected by State Licensing twice per year.

Q: What items are required for successful registration?
A: For your registration to be considered complete 
and for your child to participate, in addition to 
enrolling in the program you will need to:

• Create an account with ePACT (invitation to system sent via email following enrollment)
• Complete your child’s registration form in ePACT
• Complete and upload immunization and physical records to ePACT. The records should have been completed no earlier than a year prior to the start of school, and both documents should be signed by your child’s physician. If you are religiously exempt from immunization, then you must provide the proper form, signed by a notary.
  Provide allergy and medication forms for your 
  preschooler, as applicable.
• Provide the original copy of your child’s birth certificate, passport, or VA State ID to the site you are attending for staff validation of this information in person with an original document.
• Pay required program fees.
• Continue to make changes, as requested/needed, to your family’s account.

Q: What curriculum does your preschool follow?
A: Prince William County Department of Parks & Recreation aims to provide the best overall Preschool program possible. The Preschool program is designed to provide exciting group experiences for children ages 3 to 5 in a positive and safe environment. We believe that play is a child’s primary vehicle to learning and that young children respond well to small group and individual activities. Therefore, our play-oriented activities offer choices and freedom of expression. Letters, numbers, colors, and shapes are incorporated with daily creative art, music, and movement.

Q: What are the enrollment requirements for my child?
A: Children enrolled in a Prince William County Department of Parks & Recreation Preschool must:

• Meet the minimum program age by September 30.
• Be potty trained. Potty training is not required, but it is encouraged for our 2-year old class.
• Prior to enrollment, it is necessary for your child to meet the following participation skills:
  • Ability to participate in an environment with an age-specific staff to child ratio.
  • Ability to make the transition from leaving parent within one month.
  • Ability to participate for the duration of the class.
  • Ability to follow simple/single instructions.
  • Ability to eat and dress independently.
  • Ability to respect others and their property.

Q: What should I bring/send to preschool with my child?

A: 

• Please pack a spare set of clothes and shoes to keep at school.
• Make sure your child is dressed in comfortable, easy to care for clothing that is appropriate for the prevailing weather.
• A small reusable water bottle
• Please label all belongings brought to school. 
• Lost items will be kept in the classroom for a short time.
• Children are to wear closed-toe shoes every day.
• Please do not bring personally owned toys to school unless it is requested from your teacher. This can cause conflict in the classroom and teachers cannot be responsible for items that may be lost or broken.

Q: Are parents allowed to stay and observe preschool?
A: Often parents or guardian’s presence during preschool can be distracting for some children as well as staff. For this reason, we do not allow parents/guardians to stay.

Q: Can we switch from one preschool program/location to another?
A: Yes, if space is available. If you have registered for a preschool at one location and wish to change locations, you can transfer your money paid for the school month prior to the start of class. If deciding to cancel from the program, a two-week notice is required to receive a refund of your money, minus a $50 cancellation fee. Registration fees are transferable, but not refundable.

Q: What do you do for inclement weather?
A:  DPR Preschools operate independently of Prince William County School closure decisions. Decisions will be made internally based on actual weather conditions or expected forecast for closures, late openings, or early closings. The Department will make every effort to communicate a decision by 8pm the night before for closings or late openings.

Q: Do I have to sign up for the entire preschool year or can I choose specific months?
A: Committing to a full preschool year is required. Participants are registered for the entire year, so if your child cannot attend one month of school, we still expect payment monthly to retain your child’s spot in the program.

Q: What is my child has allergies, food intolerances, cultural/religious food preferences?
A: All allergies, intolerances, and religious preferences should be noted on the appropriate section directly on your child’s ePACT account.

If your child has asthma, or a diagnosed food allergy then the appropriate Action Plan (Asthma and/or Allergy) must be completed by a parent/guardian and/or physician.

If your child requires prescription and/or nonprescription medication, a Medication Authorization form must be completed by a parent/guardian and/or physician. A qualified Prince William County Department of Parks & Recreation staff will administer all age-appropriate medication in accordance with the labeled 
instructions and the Medication Administration Training (MAT). Over The Counter Medication (OTC) that will need to be administered for less than 10 days requires parent/ guardian authorization on the Medication.

Q: What if my child has a disability?
A: Prince William County Department of Parks & Recreation offers inclusion-based programming. Please find more information on our Inclusion page or contact Veronica Laughman, ADA Coordinator: [email protected]. Submission of the 
Inclusion request form a minimum of 21 days prior to the start of the program is required.

Q: What is your payment/refund policy?
A: Payments are due at the first of each month, beginning August 1. A $50 late fee will apply. Refunds will be issued, minus the registration ($50) and cancellation fees ($50) for all cancellations received at least two weeks prior to the start of the preschool month. We do not offer prorated fees or discounts for partial attendance.

☐ ePACT Registration Form
☐ Child information filled out completely to include the following:
☐ Name
☐ Nickname (if applicable)
☐ Gender
☐ Birthdate
☐ While not required, a photo of the child is strongly encouraged

☐ Parent/Guardian Information filled out completely to include the following:
☐ Name
☐ Home address
☐ Phone
☐ Employer
☐ Work (employer) phone number (For the purpose of contacting the employer of a parent/guardian cannot be reached directly. Please enter N/A if there is no option for the employer to be reached).
☐ If there is only one parent/guardian for the child, a second parent/guardian must be created with the same listed as N/A and the address/phone number of the single parent/guardian.

☐ Child's Physician
☐ Name (if the child has a primary doctor, please list his/her name rather than the name of the practice/office)
☐ Address

☐ Emergency Contacts (minimum of 2 and CANNOT be parents or legal guardians)
☐ Name
☐ Address
☐ Phone Number
☐ Relationship to Child

☐ Pick-up/No Pick-up List
☐ Individuals other than parent/guardian and emergency contacts who are authorized to pick up the child
☐ Appropriate legal paperwork is required to be on file when the custodial parent requests child not be released to the other parent.

☐ Allergies/Medications (if applicable)
☐ List allergies/intolerances to, and religious preferences for food, medications, or any other substances
☐ List actions to take in an allergy emergency
☐ Medications must be labeled with child's name in original packaging.

☐ Health Records
☐ Child's Physical - uploaded to ePACT
☐ Must include physician's signature and be completed within 1 year of the school start date
☐ Virginia School Entrance Form (can be used to replace physical and immunization records) - uploaded to ePACT
☐ Page 1 completed with parent name, signature, and proper checkbox selected
☐ Physician's signature on pages 2 and 4 and must be completed within one year of the school date
☐ Allergy Action Plan Form - uploaded to ePACT (if applicable)
☐ Must be completed for ALL allergies (food, bees, pet dander, etc.)
☐Signature of parent and physician required for all epi pens and medication
☐ Asthma Action Plan Form - uploaded to ePACT (if applicable)
☐ Medication Authorization Forms - uploaded to ePACT (if applicable)
☐ Applies to prescription and non-prescription medications
☐ Must be signed by parent/guardian
☐ If medication is required to be administered for longer than 10 business days, form must contain a physician's signature
☐ All medication must be labeled correctly and in the original container

☐ Age Verification
☐ Provide center with an original (copies/uploads not accepted) age verification document in-person
☐ Acceptable documents are birth certificate, passport or Virginia state ID card

Payments
☐ Enrolled in optional ACH payment plan (credit card or bank draft) OR
☐ First month balance paid in full by August 1, 2026

*** All above items must be completed prior to your child's first day of preschool attendance. ***