Open applications for Pre-K 619 Program

Handbook outlines tuition, eligibility, procedures, and behavior expectations

9:10 a.m. April 13, 2026

Open applications for Pre-K 619 program

DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor

Moore County Schools is accepting applications for its Pre-K 619 Program for the 2026-27 school year, with the parent handbook spelling out who qualifies, how peer-model slots will be filled, what families will pay, and what the district expects from the start.

The program, based at Lynchburg Elementary School, serves 3- and 4-year-olds in an integrated classroom that includes children with Individualized Education Programs, or IEPs, alongside peer models. The Pre-K 619 Program is a state-licensed preschool designed to help children build the social, emotional, and academic foundation needed for kindergarten.

For many families, the biggest practical takeaway may be the peer-model structure.

Peer-model openings are first offered to children of Moore County School System employees as a child-care benefit. If spots remain, additional peer models will be selected through a lottery from children who registered for preschool but did not qualify for the Volunteer Preschool Program. Tuition for peer models is set at $300 per month, due by the first of each month, though families may also pay by semester.

There are firm standards for those peer-model slots. Children must be fully potty-trained, speak clearly enough to be easily understood, and score in the average range on developmental screening. Children considered for those openings should be able to separate from parents, follow routines, play appropriately with other children, answer simple questions during instruction, and demonstrate age-appropriate communication and motor skills.

Families seeking to enroll a child must provide registration materials, immunization records, a birth certificate or approved alternative, a Social Security number or approved alternative, and two current proofs of residency within the school district. While Tennessee’s compulsory attendance law does not begin until age 6, regular attendance still matters in helping children succeed in the program.

The daily routine is straightforward. Drop-off begins at 7:45 a.m. at the back of the school near the cafeteria, where a teacher or paraprofessional will meet the child at the car. Pick-up is at 2:30 p.m. at the same location. Students who qualify for transportation because of medical needs will receive additional information from the school.

Meal prices for the 2026-27 school year are $1.50 per day for breakfast and $3 per day for lunch for children who eat at school. Families may also send meals from home, and free- or reduced-price meal applications are available through the Moore County Schools website.

The handbook also lays out behavior expectations and discipline procedures.

Moore County Schools says the program uses Positive Behavior Supports and does not use corporal punishment, with expulsion described as a last resort. However, a child may be removed if the placement proves inappropriate or if a documented pattern of serious behavior problems develops after the initial adjustment period. Examples include hitting, biting, pushing, screaming, non-compliance, and refusal to participate or interact with peers.

Parents may schedule classroom visits, though a confidentiality form is required, and all adults authorized to pick up a child must be listed on the child’s contact card. If you're not listed, you won't be able to pick up the child unless the school has been notified in advance.

Ashley Gass is the 619 Preschool teacher, and Jacqueline Cates is the supervisor of special programs. Registration forms may be returned to Gass or Cates at the LES office or by email, according to the district. For families considering the program, one thing is clear: This is not a casual sign-up; it is an early-learning program with clear standards, costs, and expectations.