Message from the Health Office

Healthy Eating for Picky Eaters

As anyone who has a picky eater in their household knows, preparing food and eating healthy is often a struggle.

Click HERE to read more.

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Greetings from the Health Office

Hi everyone! Welcome to all of our students and parents. I just wanted to give everyone a quick reminder about a few important things pertaining to your child/ren's health...

Please remember to notify me if your child has any health issues that may affect them in school, such as food allergies and/or asthma. Although medical records have been handed in and reviewed, there may be things that are not noted by your physicians that we should be aware of. Please contact me either via phone or email to notify me. All medications that are to be given in school are to be stored in the health office and kept with the required documentation. It is important that all emergency medications are kept on hand at all times so please contact me if necessary.

Keep in mind that all children who have any stomach symptoms (vomiting or diarrhea) and/or a fever are not to return to school until all symptoms are gone for a minimum of 24 hours. Returning to school before all symptoms have subsided often leads to a relapse as well as spreading the virus to other students. If they have any symptoms at night they should be kept home from school the following day. If your child will be out please be sure to call the front desk or the health office to inform us. If there are any questions as to whether a doctor's note is needed before returning to school feel free to contact me to clarify.

Also, each class spends some time outdoors just about everyday so please make sure that your children have weather appropriate clothing (i.e. raingear, coats, snow boots, hats, gloves). Sneakers or shoes with supportive soles are the safest choice for footwear. Unless weather conditions pose some sort of a health or safety risk to the children they will go outside so it is very important to make sure they are dressed properly.

Lastly, don't forget to keep up with the daily head and skin inspections. Routinely checking your children is the best way to be proactive against certain scalp conditions such as head lice or ringworm. There is a lot of misinformation about head lice that is outdated and based on myth and past practices; please check the information from science-based "best practice" sources, such as the information linked on the website of the Montclair Public Schools website. Click HERE to read more.

If you have any questions at all please do not hesitate to call or email me. I look forward to a happy and healthy school year for everyone.

Thank you,

Nurse Dana
973-509-4500 ext. 19
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Montclair Mini-Mounties @ MCPK

Click HERE to for information about the Montclair Mini Mounties program on the district website. Registration for the 2026-2027 school year will open in January 2026.

  How and when can you register for the Mini Mounties program?

The Montclair School District will open the application for the 2026-2027 Mini Mounties program on January 9th. All new families interested in the Mini Mounties program must apply through the Montclair School District. Eligible students will be placed in available spots in the order they are received. If there are more applicants than open spots, students will be placed on the waiting lists for all ranked locations.  

When will I find out if I got a spot in the Mini Mounties Program? 

Families who submit their applications by the deadline will be notified of their placement status on January 23rd.  If you receive a placement at MCPK, we will contact you about filling out the MCPK enrollment form in January.

What are your Mini-Mounties at MCPK class sizes and ratios? 

All public pre-k classrooms have a maximum of 15 children with two full time MCPK staff members. Classrooms are mixed-age (3-4 or 4-5). Children will remain with their class and their teaching team throughout the school day both inside and outside on the playground.  

When does the Mini-Mounties at MCPK school day begin and end? 

Our full-day school program is 6 hours (8:30 am - 2:30 pm) with morning and afternoon Extended Care available from 7:00am-6:00 pm for an additional charge. Mini-Mounties families will be able to enroll in MCPK’s Extended Care program for an additional cost with the option of our sliding scale tuition for families that qualify.  All students enrolled in MCPK's Extended Care program must be fully potty trained.

Click HERE for the Extended Care Tuition Scale.

Morning Care : 7:00am - 8:30 am (available 5 days a week) 

Full-Day School Program: 8:30am - 2:30pm (5 days)  

Afternoon Extended Care: 2:30pm - 6:00pm (available for 2, 3 or 5 days) 

What is the school year calendar for the Mini-Mounties at MCPK? 

All Public Pre-K classrooms will follow the Montclair Public School calendar including start and end dates, vacations, professional development days for staff, abbreviated days and school  closures for weather. Students who are enrolled in the Extended Care program will be able to  stay for Aftercare on abbreviated days.  

Will my child in the Mini-Mounties program be eligible for transportation to and from MCPK? 

Public Pre-K students who live more than 2 miles from their Pre-K location qualify to be bused to school. You will be notified by the MPS Transportation Department if you are eligible for  busing. Busing is optional.  

Does my child have to be toilet-trained to attend the Mini-Mounties program at MCPK? No. Students in our public classrooms are not required to be potty trained in order to attend  MCPK. We recommend that families attempt to potty train children at home prior to the start of  school if the child has shown signs that they are ready. MCPK Teachers, paraprofessionals and support staff will assist children with toileting and reinforce the potty training method being used  at home.  All students enrolled in MCPK's Extended Care program must be fully potty trained.

Who qualifies for the Mini-Mounties Public Pre-K program? 

All Montclair residents who are 3 years old by 10/1. Students who qualify for Kindergarten (5 by  10/1) are not eligible for Public Pre-K. Families who qualify for free and reduced lunch will be prioritized in the application process, but all Montclair families are eligible for free pre-k.  

What is the age requirement to enroll my child in the Mini-Mounties Public Pre-K Program? 

All students must be three years old by 10/1. Students who qualify for Kindergarten (5 by  10/1) are not eligible for Public Pre-K. 

What documents are required for enrollment in the Mini-Mounties Public Pre-K  program? 

Incoming students must submit the following to complete enrollment: 

● proof of Montclair residency  

● a copy of the child’s birth certificate or equivalent proof of birth 

● NJ universal health record 

● proof of immunizations 

What are the vaccination requirements for my child? 

State law requires that all children be up-to-date on their immunizations before they attend  school, following the recommended schedule approved by the American Academy of Pediatrics  (AAP). In addition, children must receive a flu vaccine between October 1st and December 15th.  

What are the teacher qualifications in the Mini-Mounties Public Pre-K classrooms? 

Public Pre-K lead teachers are required to be certified by the State of New Jersey in Early Childhood Education (P-3 Certification) or Elementary Education. 

Do the Mini Mounties classrooms at MCPK participate in a lunch program?

Parents/caregivers can provide lunch each day for their child or they can participate in the Mini Mounties School Lunch Program through the Montclair Public Schools (MPS). Families who qualify for free and reduced school lunch will fill out the form with the Montclair School District and lunch will be delivered daily. Families who choose to pay for school lunch delivery will create an account with MPS’s school lunch program and select the lunch items of their choice to be delivered. 

What curriculum will the Public Pre-K Classrooms follow at MCPK? All Mini-Mounties classrooms will follow Tools of the Mind (TOM), a research-based early  childhood model based on the developmental theories of Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky.  The program combines teacher professional development with a comprehensive innovative  curriculum that helps young children to develop the cognitive, social-emotional, self-regulatory,  and foundational academic skills they need to succeed in school and beyond. To see more  information about this play-based curriculum, please visit our website.  

Will Mini-Mountie students and families participate in the same programming and have  access to the same resources as other MCPK Classrooms? 

All classrooms at MCPK will receive Related Arts programs throughout the year including Physical Education, Visual Arts, Music and Gardening. All classrooms will also participate in our  Curriculum Enrichment/Anti-Bias Education program provided by One Love Cultured Kids. All classrooms will follow a similar flow of the day including daily outside time, center time, lunch and rest. Every family at MCPK will be part of our parents association and will be included in all  school and community events, fundraisers and celebrations.

Tuition Payment

Link to tuition payment page

Extended Care Info

The MCPK Extended Care program consists of Morning Care (7:00 am - 8:20 am) and After Care (2:30 pm - 6:00 pm).  Children in both the Mini Mounties and Tuition Classrooms must sign-up for Extended Care.  Students in our Extended Care program must be fully potty trained.  

Please note that children who have a difficult time adjusting to the rules and routines of the school day may not be a good fit for our less structured After Care program. If your child has a challenging day(s), we will contact parents/caregivers to discuss a plan for After Care. Schedules at MCPK are flexible and can be adjusted to meet the needs of children and families. 

BEFORE/MORNING CARE