- Locally Owned & Operated since 2013
Preschool Program Information Package
We truly appreciate your interest in our program.
Please review each section carefully as there is a lot of important information being covered.
Going through this package will give you the knowledge required to search and find the right Early Learning Program for your child whether you choose us or somewhere else!
Detailed Program Overview
Sharon, our Program Director, runs through our programming, daily routines, and more… The video is about 20 minutes in length.
What Parents Say about our Program
Enhanced Communicable Disease Protocols
Review our policies and procedures that are in place to mitigate the risk for spreading all types of communicable diseases including COVID which include:
Air Cleaners to enhance indoor air quality, temperature checks, health screening and temperature checks for students and staff, enhanced cleaning and sanitization protocols, and more.
Class Schedule & Eligibility
Prep Program:
Child turns 3 by December 31st of the School Year and toilet trained*
Scholars Program:
Child turns 4 by December 31st of the School Year and toilet trained*
Discovery Program:
A Parent and child attend the preschool program together and are led by a certified Early Learning Educator.
Perfect for 2 & 3 year old students who:
are not yet toilet trained or
may experience strong separation anxiety attending a solo class or
are too young for the other programs
*see the Toilet Training section for expectations regarding toilet training (Pull-ups are permitted).
Fee Guide
Grant, Subsidy, & Tax Deduction Info
Affordability Grant
- $75/month grant already included in pricing on the fee guide below
- no approval process, automatic qualification
Subsidy
- Your family may be eligible for an additional $125/month if household income is less than $180K
- Check eligibility here
- Apply up to 30 days before your start date
Tax Deduction
- Our fees can be used as Child Care Tax Deduction on your CRA tax return. Check eligibility and learn more here.
Fees
Swipe right on the pricing table to view the Registration/Supply Fee
| Program | Schedule | Tuition Fee after grant | Registration/Supply Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery (Parented Class) | Sat. or Sun. AM/PM | $125/mo. (subsidy not applicable) | $50 one-time annual fee |
| Scholars I | Sat. AM/PM | $110/mo. ($0 with subsidy) | $175 one-time annual fee |
| Scholars II / Prep II | Tues/Thurs. AM/PM | $190/mo. ($65 with subsidy) | $225 one-time annual fee |
| Scholars III | Mon/Wed/Fri. AM/PM | $290/mo. ($165 with subsidy) | $275 one-time annual fee |
| Scholars V | Mon–Fri. AM/PM | $520/mo. ($395 with subsidy) | $295 one-time annual fee |
| Summer Program | Mon–Fri. AM/PM Weekly Sessions | See Summer Program page | $25 Due Upon Registration |
Our fees can be paid with Credit Card, Email Money Transfer, or Pre-Authorized Debits.
Types of Charges:
- Registration/Supply Fee:
- One-Time annual fee due at the time of registration request.
- Covers the cost of registration, supplies & materials, field trips etc.
- Non refundable once a spot has been secured for your child
- Fully refundable if availability cannot be confirmed for your child
- If your location/schedule preferences are not available, you will be added to the Standby Waitlist for the requested schedules
- You can remove yourself from the Standby Waitlist at anytime and your registration fee will be refunded minus a 5% processing fee.
- If a spot is offered to you and it is not accepted, the Registration/Supply Fee becomes non-refundable
- we incentivize you to notify us as soon as possible if you no longer wish to be on the waitlist so we can keep the waitlist accurate when reporting it to others
- Sibling Discount
- We will apply a 25% Discount on the Registration Fees in the form of a bill credit if two or more siblings are enrolled in the program at the same time
- Tuition Deposit
- A Tuition Deposit in the amount of one (1) month of tuition will be charged (before subsidies and grants) to secure your child’s spot in the program
- The Tuition Deposit will be held by The Program and returned to you in full at the end of the school year
- The Tuition Deposit is fully refundable, minus a 5% processing fee, if you cancel your registration for any reason in accordance with our our withdrawal policy
- If the withdrawal request is not received in accordance with the withdrawal policy, the Tuition Deposit is forfeited and becomes non-refundable
- Monthly Tuition Fee:
- Due on the 1st of every month
- Non-refundable
- Monthly Tuition Calculation
- Please note tuition is calculated as an annual amount and divided into 10 equal payments for your convenience. Therefore, the monthly amount does not change according to number of instructional days in any given month
- At the time of Registration, a Tuition Deposit in the amount of one month of Tuition before subsidies and grants will be due.
- The tuition deposit will be held on file and applied to your final invoice. Any subsidies or grants received in the final month will also be sent back to you. The tuition deposit is fully refundable as per our Withdrawal Policy
- Other Fees that may be charged:
- NSF or Late Payment ($50)
- Late Pick-up ($1/minute for the 1st incident, $3/minute for the 2nd incident, $5/minute thereafter)
- Field Trip Transportation (Varies by school year, budget about $20-$30 per school year)
Withdrawal Policy
JumpStart Junior Kindergarten is a 10-month program from September-June. We request a commitment from parents for the entire 10- month term as our program works just like the public-school system and not like a daycare or playschool where kids are just cycled in and out year round, but we do understand that some circumstances may require you to withdraw early.
If you wish to withdraw from the program, at least one FULL month’s notice using the Withdrawal Request Form in the Parent Portal is required to be eligible for a Tuition Deposit refund minus a 5% processing fee. *see exception below
Withdrawal Policy Exception: Please make special note: if withdrawal request received on or after January 15th, you automatically forfeit your Tuition Deposit whether or not the required notice is given
Locations - 3
Search Location
Explore our classrooms with a Classroom Tour
Toilet Training
Although we require children to be toilet trained prior to starting with us, we understand there may be an accident from time to time, particularly for our 3 year olds. Our staff will encourage independence, but will assist your child with toilet time if needed. This is true especially during the first month or so as they transition into the classroom environment. After this initial time period, most children are independent (you would be surprised how independent children become without their parents around). If a child is just not quite ready for independent toileting, we would recommend a pull-up to avoid accidents all together. We ask that you ensure your child wears clothing that is easy for them to get in and out of. A few minutes at home practicing with buttons, zippers and snaps is helpful.
There are different levels of readiness, but it all starts with the child being able to communicate when they must go to the washroom (Educators will be constantly reminding students as well).
If a child has an accident while class is in session, the parent will be notified and be required to come themselves or send someone on their behalf to the classroom as soon as possible to help the child and take them home or change them. Repeated accidents may result in fees and/or a family being asked to temporarily withdraw their child until toilet training is completed.
Program FAQs
Yes. Currently, subsidy is available only at our Commercial Locations. Please check the Government of Alberta site to see if you are eligible:
Yes, all our child care centres qualify for a tax deduction if you are eligible:
Your child will be prepared for entrance exams that are required for special programs like the Cogito Program @ Edmonton Public Schools, or Chartered schools like Aurora
Our results speak louder than words! Click here to view Parent Reviews.
Click here to view a classroom Virtual Tour.
In-person tours available, just submit a request @ www.jumpstartlearning.ca/register.
Selecting any of the options will let you book a tour.
Program Eligibility is based on your child's age:
| Child Age | Program |
|---|---|
| 1 | Not eligible for the Jumpstart Program |
| 2/3 | Jumpstart Discovery Program* |
| 3/4 | Jumpstart Prep Program* (Preschool) |
| 4/5 | Jumpstart Scholars Program* (Junior K) |
| 5/6 | Jumpstart Kinder Program and/or Public Kindergarten* (public Kindergarten is optional in Alberta) |
| 6+ | Jumpstart Afterschool Learning Program |
Your child can start in September and will be placed in the appropriate program based on age, see below.
The Regular Program Year is from September - June (we do allow students to join later in the program year based on availability)
The Summer Program is from July-August
Discovery Program
This is a Parented Class. If your child is not yet eligible for the solo Prep Program or has severe separation anxiety
Prep Program
If your child turns 3 by December 31st of the Program Year
Scholars/Kinder Program
If your child turns 4 by December 31st of the Program Year
Afterschool Learning Program
If your child is in Grades 1-3, they would be eligible for our Afterschool Learning Program that enhances Math and Literacy Skills.
Let us know if you have any questions.
We are experts in providing your child with an age-appropriate structured early learning education.
Our staffing includes teachers who have a different set of skills and training than your typical daycare staff.
Also, our programming would not be sustainable in a full-day format for students in this age group. Full-day programs that are more play-focused like in daycares would be more suitable in a full-day format.
However, we do work with daycares and dayhomes in the area to provide transportation to and from our centre. This way, you do not have to worry about getting your child to and from our centre.
View our Locations page for information about nearby facilities that offer full-time care. Transportation to and from our facility can be arranged from these facilities.
We also offer a Saturday program. This option is very popular with parents who are not able to arrange to pick up and drop off during the week.
In the case of just your child isolating at home and not the rest of the class, we will do our best to supply you with a home package along with lesson plans and activities for your child to complete at home.
You will also have direct access to the teacher through our classroom app.
If the entire class is mandated to isolate, we will switch to teacher-led virtual classes online to keep the students engaged and the learning going.
Our teacher-led virtual classes have been a huge hit with students and parents. Each Family receives a physical package that is to be used during the online classes. Classes are interactive and keep the students engaged.
Yes and No.
Parents beware, there is no Montessori 'standard' to follow. A program labelled as Montessori can mean your children just play with toys all day, but meet the vague criteria listed below. It is up to parents to ensure that the program aligns with their goals for their children as well as their child's needs.
To answer this question more specifically, it helps first to know who or what Montessori is:
Montessori education is an educational approach developed by Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori in 1897 based on her extensive research with "phrenasthenic" children and characterized by an emphasis on independence, freedom within limits, and respect for a child’s natural psychological, physical, and social development. Although a range of practices exist under the name "Montessori", the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) and the American Montessori Society (AMS) cite these elements as essential:
- Mixed age classrooms, with classrooms for children ages 2½ or 3 to 6 years old are by far the most common
- Student choice of activity from within a prescribed range of options
- Uninterrupted blocks of work time, ideally three hours
- A "discovery" model, where students learn concepts from working with materials, rather than by direct instruction
- Specialized educational materials developed by Montessori and her collaborators
- Freedom of movement within the classroom
- A trained Montessori teacher
The JumpStart Program contains elements of Montessori but excludes others. The Montessori approach is 120 years old and there have been many advancements in research and methodology in regards to early childhood education. The public education curriculum has also evolved over time. Our goal is to prepare your child for their formal education, giving them the skills and abilities needed for success.
Our program includes best practices of many other approaches coming from the latest and most up to date research from universities and private researchers around the world. A major difference is that our classes are structured and sizes are kept small with children of similar age and development. A class of 30 students with varying ages definitely does not produce the desired goal of our program.
There are many other researchers that have either built upon or developed other approaches that work just as well or even better than the Montessori approach. We strive to constantly update our program to include the best approaches that work.
Our program combines all this research and incorporates the actual Alberta Education Curriculum into a comprehensive, high quality educational experience. We don't restrict ourselves to any one of way of providing Early Childhood Education.
We require children to be 3 years old by December 31st for our Prep Program.
We require children to be 4 years old by December 31st for our Scholars Program.
We require children to be at least 3 years old at the time of attending our Summer Program.
Starting our program the year your child turns 3 will deliver the best results. This means starting off in either in our Prep Program followed by our Scholars Program.
Some may believe that a 3-year-old child is too young to learn, but this is actually an ideal time to start. What your child learns, depends greatly on how the material is presented to them. Your child's mind is like a sponge at this age and can soak up information at a very high rate. Our highly qualified and experienced staff use research-based approaches to deliver highly effective programming. As long as the content is being delivered in a fun and structured way, your child will learn a great deal. Children act much differently in a classroom setting than at home. They begin Kindergarten with confidence and skills which allow them to excel and stay ahead of the curve.
When children begin Kindergarten, they are often overwhelmed by their surroundings, the number of children in the classroom, school expectations and being away from their parents. By providing children with an opportunity to experience classroom like surroundings and expectations before they enter school, they are better able to adjust and are more confident in their learning abilities. They also learn how to socialize with their same-age peers making a much easier and more successful adjustment to Kindergarten or the 1st Grade.
We have a specific Junior Kindergarten curriculum which teaches children the main concepts taught in Kindergarten, therefore better preparing them for their first year of schooling. Our curriculum and assessments are structured, but the activities are always creative, fun, and hands-on. With small class sizes children will receive one-on-one instructional time and individualized programming to best meet their needs. Many preschools do not have a coherent and sequenced curriculum, but rather a set of beliefs on how children learn.
The Cogito Program is the fastest growing program in the Edmonton Public School system. It requires your child to pass an entrance exam before they are accepted into the program. Everything on the Kindergarten exam is part of the JumpStart curriculum. 100% of our students who applied for the program have been accepted.
Cogito is just another approach to learning, it may or may not be best suited for your child's individual learning style. We do not promote one program over another. Contact us to set up a consultation and we can provide you with more in-depth information.
Children need to be 3 years old and fully potty trained before beginning our program. If your child turns 3 during the school year (September-June), he/she may begin our program at that time provided a spot is available.
Our class sizes vary by location but are no more than 12 children per class.
This is a very important factor to look for when searching for a program for your child. Due to children at this age having a very short attention span, they are very easily distracted. Quality One-on-One time with ALL children, and not just those that are struggling, means that every child can reach their potential.
For example, having a classroom with 12 children with 1 teacher is much more effective than a classroom with 24 children and 2 teachers as there are fewer distractions in the classroom. This is one of our core philosophies.
Our standard is 2 staff for a class of 12 students but at some locations we have a class as small as 6 children with 2 staff
Our Tuition Fees vary by location and class frequency.
Tuition Fees range from $175-$575/month. There is also a one-time registration fee that covers all your supplies.
Please contact us for more specific pricing.
We recommend that you come in to meet with our teacher(s) to get a better sense of our program. We have a very unique program created by Sharon Minhas. She has earned her Masters in Education from the University of Alberta and has been with the Edmonton Public School District for over 10 years. She's excelled in many roles including as a Kindergarten Teacher, Grade 1 Teacher and now as an English Language Learning Consultant.
Sharon is one of those teachers where parents in the community wanted to place their children in her class. Her colleagues in the next grade level always knew which students came from her class. She has taken her unique teaching approach and combined it with the best research-based practices. Our Jr. Kindergarten program is the only Preschool program with a curriculum that aligns with the Alberta Curriculum and allows your child to stay ahead of the curve during those critical first years of formal schooling.
Parents are NOT required to volunteer. Other preschools require parents to volunteer in order achieve there teacher/child ratios. We have sufficient staff and do not require parents to fill this need.
We do offer opportunites for parents to volunteer if they choose to do so. These opportunites occur throughout the year and will be outlined in the monthy newsletters.
Bi-monthly progress reports will be sent home to parents indicating which skills have been mastered and which skills we continue to work on. The progress report is based on the current Kindergarten Curriculum. This allows parents to be updated on their child’s progress regularly as well as providing parents with suggestions on what to work on at home to help their child succeed. Portfolios will also be kept to document learning through photos, artwork, and examples of student work. These portfolios are yours to keep when your child graduates!
Parents are NOT required to sign up for volunteer hours or fundraising events. Many other preschools and early education programs do require this.
However, we do provide volunteering opportunities!
The difference in the Scholars program is just the frequency of days you attend. The more days the better, so Scholars V would be the most effective but the most popular is Scholars 3.
We like to give the analogy of going to the gym, the more frequently you go, the better the results, however, going 1-2 times per week is still very effective.
Our standard program is the Scholars III option and then we add or remove lesson plans/activities designed to reinforce concepts in the other formats.
It all depends on your schedule and financial commitment.
Please call or email us and we can discuss the best approach for your child in more detail.
No, we do not provide snacks. We ask that Parents supply a snack. We allocate 10-15 min per day for snacks. For snack guidelines, see our Parent Handbook here:
https://www.jumpstartlearning.ca/Parent%20Handbook.pdf
We do not offer outdoor playtime. Students do go outside for curriculum related purchases like a nature walk or science experiment. Our program is only part-time and we concentrate on our core competencies. The students have the rest of the day to develop their gross motor skills in other activities!
This program is perfect for these types of students and is very highly recommended.
Research has found that when children are first exposed to an English speaking classroom, they go through a silent phase where they just observe. This phase can last anywhere from a few days to a few months depending on their level of comfort. By enrolling your child in JumpStart, he/she will be exposed to a small intimate English-speaking classroom environment. This exposure will provide him/her with the opportunity to feel comfortable in a shorter amount of time. This will aid your child to learn key English words at a quicker pace, providing a smoother transition into the Kindergarten classroom and school environment. Please note that continuing to speak the native language at home is highly recommend as your child learns English at school. Research suggests maintaining your native language in the home as children have the ability to learn many languages fluently in the early years of their education.
Please call or email us and we can discuss the best approach for your child in more detail.
Need Full-Time Care and/or Transportation?
Transportation to and from daycares/dayhomes can be arranged.
Go to our specific location pages to see a list of facilities offering full-time care with transportation to and from our facility.
When contacting these facilities, be sure to let them know you were referred by Jumpstart Learning Centre