March/April 2021
Registration for the 2021-22 school year is now open! To apply, children must be age four on or before August 31 and live in Mecklenburg County. Space is limited, so we encourage families to apply today!

Our classrooms are conveniently located at 40 childcare centers across the county. Families can select their preferred locations when they apply. Priority will be given to families who earn at or below 400% of the federal poverty level.

For decades, research has shown that pre-kindergarten makes a difference in school readiness, not just in the short-term to get children ready to succeed in school, but in the long-term as children grow up, become employed, and contribute to the strength of the economy. Now entering its fourth year, MECK Pre-K has already helped thousands of children to prepare for kindergarten and future success in life.
Is Your Child Too Young For This Year?
If your child won't be four on or before August 31, you can sign up to be notified when registration is open for the 2022-2023 school year. Join our 2022-2023 mailing list.
Registration Event
April 7
Families interested in applying for the 2021-2022 school year are invited to this event. MECK Pre-K Staff will be available to assist with the registration process and answer questions. Please sign up in advance by clicking here or on the button below. Face masks are required. 

Here are some specific things you can do at this event:
  • Get help completing a new or existing MECK Pre-K application.
  • Use our computers to apply online. (Paper applications will also be available.)
  • Turn in completed applications or required documents.
  • Have copies made of required documents.

To ensure that your application is complete, please bring your documents. You can download this one-page summary of the documents you will need.  For more information on the MECK Pre-K registration process, including applications and required documents, click here.

When: Wednesday, April 7, 10am-2pm

Where: Valerie C. Woodard Center, Building A, Suite 1000
3205 Freedom Drive, Charlotte, NC 28208

When you register for the event, you will also be entered into a raffle to win $25 Walmart gift cards.
"All About MECK Pre-K" Webinars
Join us on the MECK Pre-K Facebook Page for a complete walkthrough of the registration process. Ask questions and get answers. If your child will be four years old on or before August 31, tune in! Learn everything about MECK Pre-K!

When: Tuesday, April 13 at 6:30 pm
Click "Leer En Español" above for details on a Spanish-language session.

Where: Live at facebook.com/MECKPre-K

Two More Opportunities to Participate: If you can't join us on April 13, mark your calendar for one of these other dates!

Tuesday, May 11 at 6:30pm
Tuesday, June 8 at 6:30pm
Celebrating Young Children
April 10–16 is known as the Week of the Young Child™, an annual celebration of early learning, young children, their teachers, families, and communities. Here are some fun suggestions for how you can celebrate with your family and friends!

  • Music Monday: Sing, dance, celebrate, and learn. Through music, children develop math, language, and literacy skills – All while having fun and being active!
  • Tasty Tuesday: This fun, food-themed day is about more than just cheese and crackers. Cooking together connects math with literacy skills, science, and more.
  • Work Together Wednesday: When children build together, they experience teamwork and develop their social and early literacy skills. Even if you do it over FaceTime! Grab some materials and create! 
  • Artsy Thursday: Children develop creativity, social skills and fine motor skills with open-ended art projects where they can make choices, use their imaginations, and create with their hands. Use any materials—from crayons to paint, clay to crafts!
  • Family Friday: Sharing family stories. Engaging and celebrating families is at the heart of supporting our youngest learners. NAEYC applauds family members’ role as young children’s first and most important teachers.
Scenes From
MECK Pre-K Classrooms
This year, MECK Pre-K students have been busy learning, growing and having fun while developing important skills for lifelong learning.
Making this wreath out of cut out paper handprints teaches students motor skills, problem solving and an appreciation of nature!
For Women's History Month, students learned about significant female figures. Pictured above, a student dressed up as Vice President Kamala Harris.
Our students learn life skills such as days of the week, telling time, and weather, while also developing letter and number literacy.
Safety Reminders
MECK Pre-K continues to follow safety measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including daily health screenings, increased cleaning frequency, hand washing and mandatory mask wearing.

For full details on these measures, and the latest childcare safety guidance from the state, visit our COVID-19 Page.
Help Spread the Word
About MECK Pre-K!

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with our handle @MECKPreK and subscribe to our new YouTube Channel and share our posts! You can also talk about MECK Pre-K on social media using this Social Media Primer in English and Spanish.
Important Community Updates
Kindergarten Registration
We strongly encourage all of our MECK Pre-K families to begin thinking about Kindergarten Registration for the fall. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has provided the following resource page for families to learn more about registering for the 2021-2022 school year.
Ready4K Free Texting Service
Smart Start of Mecklenburg County and Read Charlotte are excited to announce a partnership which provides a free texting service to more families with children ages 0- 5 in Mecklenburg County.

Each week, participants receive three messages with fun facts and tips on ways to help their child learn and grow. Ready4K tips are a great addition to your daily routine, like getting dressed, bath time, or preparing a meal. Messages are always age and developmentally appropriate. While there is absolutely no cost for enrolling in Ready4K, data & message, rates may apply.

Sign-Up Today! Text SSMC to 70138
MECK Pre-K at CPCC Event
MECK Pre-K Executive Director Trinisha Dean will participate in a panel discussion on the importance of reading aloud to children.

The event, entitled "Read All About It" will take place on Tuesday, April 20, 2021 at 4 pm on Webex. This event is open to Central Piedmont students only. Click here for event details.
Child Abuse Prevention Month
National Child Abuse Prevention Month recognizes the importance of families and communities working together to prevent child abuse and neglect and promotes the social and emotional well-being of children and families.

This April, the theme for National Child Abuse Prevention Month is Thriving Children and Families: Prevention With Purpose. Click here for more information.
Autism Awareness Month
Each April we celebrate World Autism Month, beginning with United Nations-sanctioned World Autism Awareness Day on April 2. A key factor in the long-term prognosis of both a child and their family is recognizing a delay and acting on it as soon as possible. The sooner a child begins to receive help, the sooner the child can begin to thrive.

Guiding Parents to Services is a funded program of Smart Start of Mecklenburg County, which works with families of young children who have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, or have families with concerns about ASD. Our Autism Family Resource Guide is available in print and online, and outlines what is typical development versus areas of concern, steps towards getting services, diagnostic information, as well as other local resources.
We mobilize resources, forge partnerships, and support families to improve early childhood health, education and development - all to help ensure children are prepared for kindergarten.

Our four areas of focus are early care and education quality and accessibility, family support, health and early literacy for children ages birth to five.
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