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Programs

The Great Beginnings pre-K program launched during the 2024-25 school year.

Separate from our Great Beginnings Early Education Center programs, the pre-K program will serve up to 240 students at Prairie View Elementary, 501 SE Todd George Parkway. It includes tuition-based and free programs.

Eligibility:

  • Must turn 4 by July 31, 2026.
  • Must live in the Lee's Summit R-7 School District boundaries
  • Must provide transportation to and from program

Get Started:

  • Review program information, including income criteria for free pre-K, on this webpage.
  • All prospective students must go through DIAL screening at Great Beginnings so they may be appropriately placed in an LSR7 Early Childhood program.
  • Enrollment will be determined by lottery and families notified of selection status by May.
  • Selected students must provide proof-of-age and proof-of-residency during annual enrollment in July/August. 

Please note: This program is an addition to the district and will not remove or move any programming currently offered at the existing GBEEC sites.

Free vs. Tuition-Based Programs

Free Program

  • Full-Day
  • Located at Prairie View Elementary
  • Free; must meet 2026-27 Free & Reduced Lunch Guidelines (Released July 1, 2026 by USDA)

Tuition-Based

  • Full-day ($200/week)
  • Located at Prairie View Elementary
  • No household income requirement

Free & Reduced Lunch Guidelines

FAQs

Curriculum

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Our core instruction follows the Project Construct framework, which is linked directly to state and national early childhood learning standards. Classrooms are intentionally designed for hands-on, play-based learning. The primary aim of Project Construct is to help teachers foster the development of each child as an independent learner. Children are encouraged to make choices, collaborate, problem-solve, and regulate their behavior independently.

  • Daily Components: Circle time, storytime, center/play time, small groups, projects, journal/tabletop tasks, meals, outdoor play, and rest.
  • Supplemental Learning: Targeted foundational instruction in literacy, phonics, and mathematics.

Conscious Discipline

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We utilize the Conscious Discipline framework to support social-emotional development and build a cohesive "School Family." Through intentional routines and structures, we emphasize safety and connection. Teachers guide children through moments of distress by helping them find calm, identify feelings, develop positive self-talk, and learn lifelong resilience and problem-solving skills. 

Free & Reduced Guidelines

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Visit the Free & Reduced Guidelines page to see if your family qualifies for added services.

Community Programs

Parents as Teachers (PAT)

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Any resident family with children aged prenatal to pre-kindergarten can participate in in the Parents as Teachers program. Click here to learn more about Parents as Teachers.

Early Head Start

A pair of blue baby shoes and a blue flower toy rest on a white background, with colorful wooden blocks scattered above them.

Early Head Start serves neonatal to 3 years old children of families who meet eligibility based on federal income guidelines.

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