The teachers at Franklin Community Preschool are certified Early Childhood Educators and trained in Community Care First Aid. Experienced, enthusiastic and nurturing, all of our teachers also regularly attend workshops that enable them to employ a variety of approaches for working with preschool-aged children.
Teacher
Teacher
Franklin Preschool is committed to delivering quality play-based preschool education by providing a nurturing, safe and fun learning environment for the families of our local community.
Family and community: non-profit, parent-led organization that is collaborative and responsive to the needs of our local community
Play-based learning: follow a ‘responsive curriculum’ that concentrates on the individual’s areas of interests, strengths and needs
Diversity and inclusivity: commitment to support, foster and encourage the inclusion and equal treatment of all diverse groups within our community
Encourage: recognize the unique abilities of each child and encourage their curiosity of the world around them
Nurture: provide a happy and calm environment to play, learn and grow together
Develop: prepare children for kindergarten and beyond by developing key skills, such as socializing and working independently
The classroom is full of items and toys that are designed to spark the children’s natural curiosity and to assist them to learn about the world through play and interacting with their peers. In addition to learning about colours, days of the week, basic alphabet and numeracy concepts, the children are taught important life lessons about sharing, compassion, empathy, and their own emotions.
Each session includes Circle Time, which is a large group activity led by a teacher that may include: music and movement, songs, puppetry, books, games and social stories.
We incorporate many topics throughout the year and cover issues and ideas that are suggested by the children. By following their interest, we keep the Circle Time focused on their needs and what is currently a topic of discussion or concern in their minds.
During Free Play, children explore independently or as part of a small group, at self-selected activities. This creates opportunities for the children to flourish in social, emotional, intellectual, physical, and creative ways.
The teachers help guide and support the children’s development through facilitated play and encourage positive peer relationships through verbal modelling, turn taking and positive feedback.
To enhance the children’s education, the preschool brings in guest speakers and performers, and organizes field trips to such locales as Maplewood Farm, Pumpkin Patch, Stanley Park, Fire hall. Parents are strongly encouraged to join the class on fieldtrip days.
Our program includes spending time outdoors every day for at least 30 minutes, so we ask that your child be dressed according to the weather.
There are so many fun activities to do outside, including riding tricycles, bikes, scooters, playing with chalk and bubbles. The preschoolers also work with their teachers to create special scavenger hunts for our neighborhood nature walks.
At Franklin Preschool, we are lucky to have three dedicated teachers who care about all the students and work hard to create an inviting, warm, inspiring atmosphere for learning. One of the things that stood out for us when choosing this preschool for our daughter was the Emergent Curriculum. As a social worker and an expressive artist/group facilitator, I appreciate the way the teachers meet the students where they are and let their imaginations be the guides for what is learned in the classroom. This seems like a gift to give our children — that they are heard and honorred and allowed the freedom to explore ideas that excite them, without limitations. I also appreciate that the kids get out in the fresh air on Nature walks and learn from outside the classroom walls whenever possible. The teachers seem attuned to and caring about all the children, and work hard to keep us informed through check-ins, newsletters, and events. Thanks for making Franklin Preschool a positive experience for so many families! Jill B
Our daughter is a high energy and high spirited child, and going in and looking for a preschool we knew she wouldn’t be best served with a rigid form of learning, so we were happy to see that Franklin teaches through play and natural materials.
Her experience has been great. The teachers are fantastic. She’s made plenty of friends and she thoroughly enjoys going to school everyday.Erfan & Aliza
PLEASE NOTE THERE IS A $70 NON-REFUNDABLE REGISTRATION FEE FOR NEW AND RETURNING FAMILIES FOLLOWED BY A $100/YEAR MATERIALS FEE.
Fees must be paid in advance to the preschool by post dated cheques made payable to ‘Franklin Preschool Society’. You may either provide ten monthly cheques, two cheques (one for each term, Sept-Dec and June and Jan-May) or one cheque for the full year’s tuition. Cheques are made payable for the first day of the month.
If you choose to withdraw your child during the school year, we ask that you provide at least one calendar month’s notice; otherwise we regret that we will be unable to return that month’s fee. Because it is difficult to find parents willing to enrol their children starting in May and June, the latest we will grant refunds for withdrawals is for notice given on March 31st stating you will be withdrawing on April 30th. Notice given later than March 31st will result in the preschool keeping your May and June fees.
There is a $20 charge for any NSF cheques. After two NSF cheques, this will result in us kindly asking for cash, certified cheques or bank drafts for the remainder of the school year.
Franklin Preschool is offering drop-in classes for enrolled students and new students. There will be a $20 registration fee for new families followed by a $35 drop-in fee per class. Payment is due on the day of drop-in. Registration package is still required for drop-in classes.
Subsidy
Government subsidies are available for full or a portion of preschool fees for families with lower incomes. These are granted based on parent income information. If you require assistance paying preschool fees, please speak to a teacher about applying for government subsidy.
Please note that for the months of December and March, due to the preschool being closed for two weeks for Winter break and one week for Spring break, the parent is responsible to cover the portion of the subsidy amount during the weeks when the preschool is closed. Please speak to a teacher for more information.
Franklin Preschool offers drop-in classes for enrolled students and new students. There will be a $20 registration fee for new families followed by a $35 drop-in fee per class. Payment is due on the day of drop-in. A registration package is still required for drop-in classes.
We encourage all new families interested in registering to contact the preschool to book a tour with our Supervisor, who will be happy to explain the preschool program and answer any questions that you may have.
Returning families receive first priority over new families for registration in the upcoming school year.
It is a first come first serve basis for all families during your registration window. In order to secure your space the registration, material and first month’s fees must be paid and a post-dated cheque for the last month’s school fees must be submitted at the time of registration.
Returning Families
Registration for returning families opens on the 1st January for the upcoming school term in September of the same year.
Returning families must email the Supervisor stating which class you wish to be enrolled in and to ensure that the registration and material fees are paid, as well as submit cheques for September and June (post-dated) tuition fees.
New Families
Registration for new families opens on the 1st February for the upcoming school term in September of the same year.
Prospective families are requested to complete a registration form along with the payment of the registration fee.
Families accepted must then also pay the Materials Fee and first month fee, as well as submit a post-dated cheque for June’s tuition fee in order to secure your spot.
Waitlist
Franklin Preschool maintains a waitlist for spaces in the program. Waitlists operate on a first come first serve basis. Priority is given to siblings of children currently enrolled in the program, returning families, and children of preschool age. We reserve the right to have one to three spaces for each morning class designated for children who require extra support.
New families must complete a Registration Form and submit with their registration fee, materials fee and first/last month’s fees.
Once accepted into the centre, please complete all of the below documents prior to your child’s first day of preschool.
In 2009, Franklin Preschool established itself as a non-profit society and since then the school has been managed by a Board of Directors that is made up of volunteer parents.
The Board works closely with the teachers to ensure that the Preschool operates smoothly and helps to resolve any issues that may arise over the year.
The Board, which is the License Holder of the Preschool, is also responsible for making governing decisions, ensuring financial stability and making sure that it acts in accordance with the mission, values and by-laws of the Preschool and the Society.
All families automatically become a member of the Society when they enroll at the Preschool and are also encouraged to sit on the Board, take part in Society activities, attend open meetings and voice their opinions about the running of the Preschool.
Phone: 604.291.9310
Fax: 604.713.4711
Address: 250 South Skeena Street, Vancouver, BC V5K 4N8
eMail us directly at franklinpreschool@gmail.com
Franklin Community Preschool is located in the portable classroom on the grounds of Sir John Franklin Elementary School, located at 250 South Skeena Street in Vancouver. The closest cross streets to the preschool are Pandora Street and Kootenay Street. The school is in a quiet residential neighborhood north of Hastings, and between the PNE and Boundary Road.
If you have questions or comments, we encourage you to contact us. Keep in mind that teachers do not always answer the phone during class hours, but if it’s an emergency, phone twice and we will be alerted by the second set of rings.
Located in East Vancouver on the border of North Burnaby, Franklin Preschool services the surrounding neighborhoods of the Vancouver and Burnaby Heights. We are at the edge of East Vancouver at Pandora and Skeena on the border of North Burnaby.