Universal Pre-K

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

• Approaches to Learning
• Physical Development and Health
• Social and Emotional Development
• Communication, Language and Literacy
• Cognition and Knowledge of the World (Math, Science, Social Studies, Arts, Technology)

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 children to learn readiness skills, exercise their curiosity and imaginations, and strengthen their ability to work well with others.

There can be up to 18 students per classroom with one teacher and one paraprofessional.

Yes, all UPK teachers are certified.

Your child must reside within the Rush-Henrietta Central School District and must be 4 years old on or before December 1, 2026 to be eligible for the 2026-2027 school year. A child who is eligible to attend kindergarten is not eligible for the UPK program.

UPK classes are in session five days per week, Monday through Friday. Attendance is required all five days. The UPK program follows the Rush-Henrietta Central School District calendar, unless otherwise noted at a community-based UPK site.

UPK offers a full day program that is six hours a day and a half day program that is two and a half hours a day. The start times of a UPK program are determined by each UPK site.

No. UPK is a New York State grant-funded education program. There is no cost for the program. Any additional child care hours/costs for students are the parent’s responsibility and arranged directly with the child care facility.

During the 2026-2027 school year, Rush-Henrietta will have UPK classrooms in several locations. In addition to district-based classes at Fyle and Winslow elementary schools, community-based locations are: Augustin Children’s Center, Care-A-Lot Child Care, Inc., Expressive Beginnings, Pinnacle Early Learning Center, Pride & Joy, Richard M. Guon Child Care Center at MCC, Rush Nursery School, and the Town of Henrietta Recreation Center.

No. Parents/caregivers are responsible for transportation to and from the program. Timely drop off and pick up are required, as supervision is not available before or after the program.

Application information is mailed in early January for the next school year, and applications are accepted beginning in mid-January. Please contact the UPK office, located at the Good Shepherd building, 3288 East Henrietta Road, Henrietta NY 14467, either in person, via email, or telephone (585-359-7913) for more information. 

Rush-Henrietta holds a random lottery if there are more applicants than spots available.  Applications received by midnight on the last day of the application period will be eligible for the lottery. Once all the openings are filled, the remaining 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.

Each student is assigned a number when their application is received. Numbers are randomized through an electronic lottery. Families will be notified via email if their child was selected or is on a waiting list. Twins and multiples will be placed together at the same location. 

More information regarding the lottery may be found on this page.

Once your child has been selected for a UPK placement, you will receive an email containing the remainder of the registration paperwork and will be asked to schedule an intake meeting. Once registration is complete, your child will receive a placement. The remaining families will receive an email stating that they are on the waitlist.