The Oxford School District is expanding its Pre-K program, adding four new classrooms in the 2020-21 school year at Bramlett Elementary School.

With the additions, OSD will be offering approximately 200 spots to children, an increase of nearly 80 spots from this school year. The additions come after more than 60 students were on a wait list for the Pre-K program at the beginning of the 2019-20 school year.

The new Central Elementary School opening next year played a role in making the new additions possible at Bramlett, according to Oxford school superintendent Brian Harvey.

“The citizens of Oxford made this possible when they voted in 2017 to fund a new elementary school,” Harvey said. “With Central Elementary School opening in August of 2020, all first graders will move to Central Elementary instead of being spread over two campuses. This opens up much-needed space for Pre-K at Bramlett.”

To qualify for the Pre-K program, students must be four years old on or before Sept. 1, 2020 and live inside the Oxford School District. Pre-K Registration will open online on March 2, 2020 at 8 a.m. and will close on March 6 at 4 p.m. Parents whose child is accepted will be notified by OSD on April 6.

Bramlett offers a free, full-day program where students are able to participate in a variety of activities designed to stimulate social, emotional, physical and cognitive growth through learning experiences designed to prepare them for Kindergarten and grades beyond.

Students with an identified need for a preschool program are placed first and remaining slots are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis as determined by the timestamp of the parents’ online application. Children of district employees are given wait list priority as an incentive for working in the district.

“Because our application process is online, we take extra steps to communicate about our Pre-K program in our community,” said OSD public information officer, Heather Lenard. “We cannot reach everyone with digital communication, so we invest in printed materials for community organizations like the Oxford Housing Authority, the Boys & Girls Club, and the LOU Collaborative. It is important that all residents have access to information on programs offered by our district.”

The OSD Registration Office offers computer assistance during registration. For complete details on how to register for the Pre-K program visit oxfordsd.org/PreK.