Universal Prekindergarten at Gates Chili CSD

  • Thank you for your interest in the Gates Chili Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) program. Applications for the 2025-26 school year have closed.

    Applicants for the 2025-26 school year received placement notification on Monday, March 10 at 5 p.m. If you submitted an application and did not receive a placement email, please contact Sara Mucino, Director of Elementary Education.

    An opportunity to sign up for the wait list will be available on this site on Wednesday, March 19 at 3 p.m.

Lottery Process

  • Feb. 10: Lottery application available online 
    March 7: Lottery applications due by 3 p.m.
    March 11: Lottery applicants will receive lottery numbers via email 
    March 12: 
    Lottery takes place at 9 a.m.; all applicants will receive an email with lottery results
    March 19: Applicants who were accepted must accept their placement by 12 p.m. or the available slot will be assigned to the next student on the wait list
    March 19: The link to the wait list form will be available on this webpage at 3 p.m.
    March 19 and later: Wait list applicants will be contacted if a spot opens up

     

  • UPK Waitlist for 2025-26 (Sept. 2025)
  • Frequently asked questions
  • Imagination Childcare Academy
  • Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES Preschool Program
  • UPK Waitlist for 2024-25 (Sept. 2024)

Program Locations

  • Gates Chili Central School District hosts Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) at the following locations only:

     

    Imagination Childcare Academy

    During the 2025-26 school year, seven classrooms will be located at Imagination Childcare Academy, 230 Coldwater Road. Consolidating classrooms at one location helps to ensure that the program can be fully supported through grant funding, while also addressing space constraints in our elementary buildings. The New York State-certified teachers at Imagination take pride in providing a high-quality learning experience for our prekindergarten students.

    The school day begins at 9:30 a.m. and runs through 2:30 p.m. daily, Monday through Friday, in accordance with the Gates Chili School District calendar.  

     

    Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES

    Gates Chili will continue to partner with Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES to offer Half-Day Integrated Prekindergarten at Neil Armstrong Elementary School. During the 2025-26 school year, there will be 12 openings in this program (6 morning spots and 6 afternoon spots).

    The morning session will run from 8:30-11 a.m. and our afternoon session will run from 12-2:30 p.m.

     

Transportation

  • Parents/guardians must provide transportation to and from school each day. This program is dependent on NYS grant funding and will not be offered if New York State’s 2025-26 Budget does not include it. 

     

students sitting on a rug
students working at a table
student on slide