The Gates Chili UPK program is designed to offer 4-year-olds daily instruction that increases awareness and competence in five domains derived from the New York State Prekindergarten Standards: 

1. Physical Development and Health 
2. Approaches to Learning 
3. Social and Emotional Development 
4. Communication, Language and Literacy 
5. Cognition and Knowledge of the World (includes Math) 
 
We accomplish this in a caring, active, play-based learning environment that is rich with adult-child interactions. Our daily instruction provides natural opportunities for students to learn readiness skills, exercise their curiosity and imaginations, and strengthen their ability to work well with others. 

There are 18 students, one teacher, and one teaching assistant in each classroom.

Yes, all UPK teachers are NYS certified.

Your student must reside within the Gates Chili Central School District. Your student must turn 4 on or before Dec. 1 of the year in which they start prekindergarten to be eligible for the 2025-26 school year. A student who is eligible to attend kindergarten is not eligible for the UPK program.

All UPK classes are in session five days per week, Monday through Friday. The UPK program follows the Gates Chili Central School District calendar. When Gates Chili elementary students are off from school, there is no UPK.  

No. This is a New York State grant-funded education program. There is no cost for the five-hour program. Any additional childcare hours or costs for students placed at Imagination Childcare Academy are arranged directly with Imagination Childcare at parent/guardian's expense.  

Seven classrooms (126 openings) will be located at Imagination Childcare Academy, 230 Coldwater Road. This is the only community-based location affiliated with the Gates Chili Central School District.

In addition, Gates Chili is proud to partner with Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES to host a half-day integrated UPK program at Neil Armstrong Elementary School. 

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.  

Gates Chili is proud to be partnering with Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES to offer Half-Day Integrated Prekindergarten at Neil Armstrong Elementary School. There will be 12 openings (6 morning spots and 6 afternoon spots).

Half-Day Integrated Prekindergarten classes: 

• Have class sizes limited to 12 students total (6 students with disabilities and 6 nondisabled peers)
• Provide children with disabilities a classroom setting that is integrated with nondisabled peers.  
• Provide a wonderful opportunity for children to learn and play together in a language-rich environment. 
• Are led by a certified special education teacher who has training in preschool education.  
• Are supported by a paraprofessional in the classroom to enhance learning opportunities. 
• Will focus on the skills students need to be prepared for kindergarten.
• Requires parent/guardian transportation.
• Classes are in session five days per week, Monday through Friday. 
• The morning session will run from 8:30-11:00 a.m. The afternoon session will run from 12:00-2:30 p.m. 

Complete the online application available at gateschili.org/UPK no later than Friday March 8, 2024 at 3 p.m. Hard copies of applications are available upon request.  

There will be 126 full-day UPK openings during the 2025-26 school year.  

The lottery will take place on Wednesday, march 13 at 9:30 a.m.

Gates Chili will fill the openings through a lottery process. Once all openings are filled, students will be placed on a waiting list. If a vacancy occurs, families will be contacted in the order their names appear on the waiting list. 

Families with multiple students eligible to attend UPK must fill out an application for each eligible student. During the lottery process, if one student is selected, the other eligible students in the home will be awarded the next available seat(s).

All families who have applied will receive an email with lottery results on March 9, 2023.

No. The district has examined the possibility of providing transportation; however, this is not an option due to the high cost. Parents/guardians are responsible for transportation to and from the program. Timely drop-off and pick-up are required.