2025-2026
Play School Registration
Click the links above to download registration forms. Contact us at newpaltzplayschool@gmail.com with any questions.
2024-2025 Calendar
SEPTEMBER
9 - First Day of School
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OCTOBER
3 - No School (Rosh Hashanah)
14 - No School (Columbus Day)
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NOVEMBER
5 - No School
11 - No School (Veteran's Day)
15 - No School
27-29 - No School (Thanksgiving Break)
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DECEMBER
School closes at the end of classes on 12/20 for Winter Recess
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JANUARY
School reopens on Thursday Jan. 2nd
20 - No School (Martin Luther King Jr. Day)
29 - No School (Lunar New Year)
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FEBRUARY
17 - No School (President's Day)
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APRIL
11-21 - No School - Spring Break
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MAY
9 - No School
23-27 - No School (Memorial Day Weekend)
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JUNE
6 - Last Day of School
Preschool Vaccination Requirements
Children attending pre-K in New York State must receive all required doses of vaccines on the recommended schedule. For a list of required vaccines, see the school immunization information found on the NYS Dept. of Health website.
Our Roots
Founded in 1968 by Helen Karsten, Play School has been open to children in our community for over 50 years!
After all these years, we still hold true to our founding principle: learning through play!
Our Programs
We offer half-day programs for 2, 3 and 4 year-old children. Our classrooms are open from September to June, as well as during our 4-week summer session.
Two-Year-Old Class
The 2's class is so much fun! Our young artists use materials like finger paints and paint-sticks to make their masterpieces. Playtime is a mix of big gross motor toys like cars and blocks, as well as our kitchen with its tea-set and pretend food! After snack we have book-looking time, followed by circle-time with songs and games. Then outside we go to the playground!
Three-Year-Old Class
The 3's build on their 2-year-old experience with even craftier crafts, show-and-tell, classroom jobs, and after plenty of practice with the magic rope, Library Fridays! Visiting the Elting Memorial Library for a short story-time and a new book to bring home each week is a special opportunity that our 3's just love!
Four-Year-Old Class
Our 4's are the top of the school! They build on their previous years' learning with new experiences: morning meeting, learning centers, letter-learning, pre-writing and pre-reading activities to prepare for Kindergarten! Of course there's still plenty of time for playing dress-up, constructing block towers, and lots of crafting!
Donations
As a non-profit preschool, we are always carefully balancing our tight budget--we have hard-working staff to pay, classrooms to maintain, and supplies to purchase.  Play School is so grateful for the generosity of our supporters, who help us keep our doors open!
Curriculum & Goals
-To provide young children the opportunity of interacting with teachers, materials, and children of similar age
-To develop, during informal play experiences, self-confidence & indepedence
-To aid children in the growth of social & multi-cultural awareness, physical acuity & mental activity
-To help children develop a good self-concept
-To assist children in making the transition from home and parent to school and teacher
-To offer an inclusive, anti-bias, multi-cultural, welcoming environment
-To bring children together in a "play" environment, rather than an academically inclined atmosphere
-To make children aware of community services & help them to develop community mindedness
-To develop language skills
-To develop an awareness of art, music & nature
-To learn respect for the rights of others & how to handle feelings towards oneself & others
-To encourage the development of good manners.
