REGISTRATION CLOSED
Registration for the 2023/24 School Year is now closed.
Registration for 2024/2025 preschool year will be open for
1 week between January 18, 2024, 8 AM to January 25, 2024, 8 PM.
2023/2024
OPEN AVAILABILITY
Preschool Class Availability Sep 2023 - June 2024 :
ABOUT HIGHLANDS
EARLY LEARNING CENTRE
Highlands Early Learning Centre has been educating children in the community for over 50 years. We provide a unique, quality preschool experience for 2-5-year-olds. We work together with parents to support children through their early years, extending their emotional, social, academic and physical skills and abilities.
Our goal is to inspire curiosity, independence, and a life-long love of learning to help our children become contributing members of our community and the world.
VISION
To create an inclusive preschool community that honours the individuality of each child and exceptional teachers who instill a passion for learning.
PURPOSE
Highlands Early Learning Centre provides preschool children with an inclusive space to play and explore, laying a foundation for a lifetime of confidence, curiosity, and wonder.
EARLY LEARNING FRAMEWORK
The Ministry of Education, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Children and Family Development, have created the Early Learning Framework which Highlands teachers incorporate in their classrooms.
The Early Learning Framework states that “Play is vital to young children’s daily lives and promotes their healthy physical and intellectual development in ways that cannot be achieved by focusing on pre-academic skills.”
The Early Learning Framework supports the teachers to create rich early learning experiences and environments that support your children’s early learning and development. Current research suggests that there are windows of opportunity in children’s early development.
The Early Learning Framework describes four living inquiries:
​
-
Well-Being and belonging
-
Engagement with others, materials and the world
-
Communication and literacies
-
Identities, social responsibility, and diversity
​
“Living inquiries are rooted in the belief that children learn by doing (playing) when they are engaged in projects and inquiries that extend their interests.” ELF p 65
For more information on the new Early Learning Framework please CLICK HERE
PRIORITY REGISTRATION
STEP 1: OPEN REGISTRATION
Our open registration for the 2023/24 School year is from January 12th - 19th, 2023. During this time frame click on the button below. Fill out the registration application form with all your child’s information and your 1st and 2nd choice schedule.
STEP 2: APPLICATION FEE
There is a $75 application processing fee which does not guarantee placement, but rather covers the administrative costs of the application process.
We do our best to accommodate all families, but we have a limited number of spaces available in each class.
STEP 3: LOTTERY MEETING
Next, a lottery meeting is held by the Registrar, Executive Director and three or more Board Members. A tiered Lottery is held for placement order.
Our tiered categories are board/staff, returning students, alumni families, and new students. Registration is not first come first served.
STEP 4: PLACEMENT
Once the lottery has been held, we will place students 1 by 1 in classes according to their lottery number. If your first-choice schedule and second-choice schedule is full you will be placed on the waitlist for those classes, and you will be called or emailed and presented with the available options. If at that point all our classes are full you will be placed on the waitlist.
This is a lengthy procedure and can take up to six weeks. Please note we try our best to accommodate everyone’s preferred options, however we cannot guarantee a morning or afternoon placement. All returning students will be offered a spot. Alumni and new students will be dependant on availability.
STEP 5: OFFERS & WAITLIST
Once all our class spots are filled, we will email the Offer and waitlist letters.
These are typically received in late February or early March.
STEP 6: TEACHER SCHEDULE
The teachers schedules are confirmed at the end of this current school year, we cannot guarantee that teachers will teach the same classes as this current school year.
