Early Childhood
& Family Education
Preschool Registration
- Registration opens May 1st for the following year
- Students may be waitlisted (First come, First served)
- Students from neighboring districts may apply after October 1st
Our Preschool Classes
Don't forget your school supplies!
Early Childhood Family Education
Early Childhood Family Education is designed for parents and their children ages birth to age 5. ECFE recognizes the home as the child’s first learning environment and parents as their children’s primary and most influential teachers. The mission of ECFE is to work alongside parents to promoting curiosity, creativity, and risk taking in young children through social/emotional, academic and educational opportunities in a supportive and encouraging environment.
Parent-Aware Rated
The Pine River Backus Early Childhood preschool program is a 4-Star Rated program.
The State of Minnesota recognizes us for using practices that best prepare children for kindergarten. Check out parentaware.org for more information.
We provide Pathway II scholarships for qualifying families.
Preschool Screening
A quick and simple procedure to make sure your child is reaching all health and developmental milestones, the screening consists of a height and weight check, vision and hearing screening, developmental screening, social emotional parent report, and a health and immunization review.
This screening is required by the State of Minnesota for entrance in both Kindergarten and School Readiness / Kids Together Classes. PRB provides the screening free of charge.
If you have a child 3-5 call, please fill out the online form or call/email Molly Hoffarth to set up your screening appointment today: 218-587-8323. Here are the dates for the 2022-2023 school year:
- September 26, 2022
- October 24, 2022
- November 21, 2022
- January 9, 2023
- March 13, 2023
Early Childhood
Special Education
Early Childhood Special Education is a program that provides Early Intervention and Preschool Special Education to young children, ages birth to pre-kindergarten, who show developmental delays in the general areas of Speech and Language, Large and Fine Motor Skills, Social and Emotional Behavior, Cognitive, and/or Adaptive Skills, or have vision or hearing loss.
After a child receives a formal evaluation to identify specific needs, trained ECSE teachers and specialists will work with the parents and their child to develop his/her greatest potential. These services are provided through the school district at no cost to the family.
From birth to age three, these Special Education services are delivered to the child primarily in his/her home or child care center. From age three to pre-kindergarten, children receive these services at the Pine River-Backus Early Childhood Center or Backus Head Start Center.
What to do if you have concerns
about your child's development:
Seek out a teacher, or someone you have developed a rapport with in our program. Share your concerns and what you are seeing. They can help direct you to the next step.
Visit the Help Me Grow website to learn more about making a referral for your child.
Talk to one of our staff:
Rhonda Sawyer
Early Childhood Special Education Teacher rsawyer@prbschools.org218-587-8354
Rachel Wheeler
Early Intervention Teacher rwheeler@prbschools.org 218-587-8305
Pyramid Model
Implementation
The District’s Pyramid Model initiative for Early Childhood is a model that promotes young children’s healthy social and emotional development.
Our Early Learning program, which includes School Readiness, Kids Together, ECFE, ECSE, and BI-County Cap Head Start, was selected through a grant process to receive professional development and ongoing training to assist them in using key practices that support and teach social and emotional development and behavior skills.
contact us
- 218-587-8323
- Molly Hoffarth | mhoffarth@prbschools.org
- Aimee Wilson | awilson@prbschools.org
- Caryn Johson | cjohnson@prbschools.org
- Rachel Wheeler | rwheeler@prbschools.org
- Rhonda Sawyer | rsawyer@prbschools.org
- Jen Parry | jparry@prbschools.org