Preschool

Full Day, Full Year,
Full Classroom Experience

PROCEED has been providing a preschool experience for young children since 1972, so we know how important it is for your child to walk out of the classroom confident in his or her social skills and with good, lifelong academic habits. Whether in one of the brand new classrooms on 1122 East Grand Street (Early Childhood Development Center I) or in the blue, red, green, or yellow classroom at 1126 Dickinson Street (Early Childhood Development Center II) your child will benefit from lively, interactive play and age-appropriate school activities that introduce concepts from a Bilingual/Bicultural perspective. 

In our preschools, days are filled with curiosity and creativity as children are read to; play make-believe; work on arts and crafts projects; learn the alphabet and other basic concepts; enjoy the on-site playground; and participate in countless games with their peers. The preschools implement the High Scope Setting and the Scholastic Early Childhood Program learning models. The High Scope Setting model allows children to choose which activities they participate in throughout the day. By planning their own day, children are encouraged to ask and answer questions they are interested in, manage obstacles that they encounter, and include classmates and teachers in their activities. The classrooms are set up with different play and learning stations so that children can easily access activity materials and clean them up afterwards. In accordance with the Scholastic Early Childhood Program model, the preschools are set up with activity stations, such as a circle time stations, a story time station, a learning center, and so forth. 

Because the student to teacher and teacher assistant ratio is 15:2, we are able to understand and meet the educational and developmental needs of each, individual child. Passionate, well-qualified, handpicked teachers encourage social interaction and physical play and provide the emotional support necessary for your child to feel at home. 

All teachers have a bachelor’s degree and are certified to teach from preschool to third grade (P-3 certification); teacher assistants have a Child Development Associate (CDA) certificate. There is one teacher and one assistant teacher per classroom, as well as a floating aid and family workers. These and the other staff members work together to provide a full day, full year program.

PROCEED is committed to the Abbott promise of providing all families with free, quality education for preschoolers. To facilitate this, PROCEED’s preschool schedule has been specially crafted so that parents of all social and economic backgrounds have a safe, intellectually stimulating, and socially satisfying place to leave their 3-4 year-olds while they are away from home.

There are 180 school days, each 10 hours long, with 6 hours of class time and 2 hours of before care and 2 hours of after care available, as necessary. In addition to the regular full day preschool program, both centers offer a summer program for 3-4 year-olds that live in Elizabeth. This program operates from June to August and also provides preschool services for up to 10 hours, Monday-Friday. A healthy breakfast, lunch, and a snack are always provided for both the academic and the summer programs.  

We are currently contracted with the Elizabeth Board of Education. Therefore, the only qualification to participate in the preschool program is proof of Elizabeth residency.  

To enroll, you must have your child registered with the Early Childhood Department at the Elizabeth Board of Education. Registration dates for preschool students are published in all of the local newspapers each year and are also featured on the local cable network’s Community Bulletin Board. You may also call the Office of Early Childhood Education for registration dates and times at (908) 436-5353.

Your must bring the following documentation during their preschool registration period: 

  • Original Birth Certificate or Passport
  • Immunization record
  • Proof of City of Elizabeth Residency (lease, property tax paper, mortgage statement, etc.)
  • 2 additional utility bills with name & address (gas, electric, cell, cable, etc.)
  • Parent/Guardian Picture Identification


We firmly believe that what your child learns in the classroom or on the playground will benefit him or her well beyond preschool, and we are committed to getting your child’s social and academic experience off to a good start.       

For more information about PROCEED’s preschool services or to come in for a visit, please contact Directors Xiomara Lara (908) 351-7727, ext. 227 or Maribel Hernandez (908) 351-7727, ext. 315. We can’t wait to show you how much fun preschool is!