Brainerd Public Schools

Learn something new, connect with others in the community, stimulate your creativity or improve your health. Adult Enrichment offers a variety of fee-based classes and activities designed for adults of every age.

The Brainerd Public School system regularly offers early childhood screening clinics during the school year for all children between the ages of 3 and 5 years. The state of Minnesota recommends this at age 3 and requires this for kindergarten entrance. Early Childhood Screening is a quick and simple check of how your child is learning and growing. The screening includes a developmental assessment, social emotional questionnaire, vision and hearing tests, height and weight measurement and an immunization and health history review. The purpose of the FREE screening is to identify children who may need additional time and experiences to be ready for school. The sooner we get started, the more likely your child will begin school with the necessary skills to succeed. Here’s what screening does for you: Helps you find out how your child is doing and answers parenting questions Connects you to community services Registers your child for kindergarten Appointments are available throughout the school year. Three reasons to screen at age 3: 1.Screening can assist your child to be ready for school. 2.Any health or developmental concerns can be found earlier and help can be provided sooner. 3.Because screening is free, it's easy and it's good for your child =================================================================== REQUIRED FORMS for screening **You also need to provide copies of your child's Birth Certificate and current Immunization Record Forms can be emailed to: jennifer.lindholm@isd181.org =================================================================== Want to help your child know what to expect during their Hearing & Vision Screening? View our Social Story!

Little Warriors Childcare for the 2025-2026 School Year! 2025-2026 Preschool Information Packet Step-by-Step Registration Guide Little Warrior Childcare information can be found on page 4 of the packet. Brainerd Public Schools Community Education is proud to offer Little Warriors Childcare, a collaboration between CHILD CARE and SCHOOL READINESS PRESCHOOL. Children will spend part of their day in Little Warriors Childcare and the other part in a School Readiness classroom. Little Warriors Child Care provides: *Convenience for families *Childcare is available for 3 years old to Pre-Kindergarten who are potty-trained *Flexible drop off and pick up times *Aligned curriculum so children receive enhanced learning around social, emotional, and academic development during the daily schedule. *Well-trained childcare staff that bring skills and knowledge that enhance each program. *Once a child has completed their final year of preschool, they would then be eligible to attend Fun & Friends School Age Care the summer before Kindergarten through 8th grade. Little Warriors Childcare services families and children at Nisswa Elementary School, Riverside Elementary (new site for 2025-2026 school year) and the Warrior Early Learning Center. Hours of Operation: 7:00 AM to 5:30 PM ●Half Day Childcare for students attending 1/2 day preschool: Child care on scheduled class days between 7:00 AM–5:30 PM when your child is enrolled in a half day M–Th, M/W or T/Th School Readiness class. Part of the day the child would be in their school readiness classroom and the other part would be in childcare. District Food Service available. Cost: $30/day (4 day/week min. for M-Th, 2 day/week min. for M/W or T/Th) ● M–Th Full Day Childcare for students attending Full Day preschool: Before/after childcare for your child on scheduled class days between 7:00 AM–8:00 AM and 2:45 PM–5:30 PM when enrolled in a Full Day M/W or T/Th School Readiness class. Cost: $20/day (2 day/week min.) ● Non School Day: Provides child care for your child between 7:00 AM–5:30 PM on days their School Readiness class is not in session (with Monday–Friday options). Excludes major holidays. District Food Service available. Cost: $45/day County Child Care Assistance and Pathway I scholarships accepted. Child must be independently toilet trained by first day of attendance. Summer child care for summer 2026 yet to be determined. A two week notice is required for cancellation once child care service has begun. Priority given to 4 & 5 year olds without district busing options.

Fun & Friends is a child care program for students in kindergarten through 8th grade. It has served the students of Brainerd Public Schools for over 30 years with age-appropriate, fun, recreational activities. Care is provided before school, after school, on non-school days, and over the summer. Sites include Nisswa Elementary, Baxter Elementary, Riverside Elementary, and Harrison Elementary (also servicing Garfield and Lowell). SCHOOL YEAR 24-25 school year registration has ended. All sites are full with a waitlist. SUMMER 2025 Fun & Friends will be located at three different locations this summer: Baxter Elementary, Nisswa Elementary, and Riverside Elementary. Families can choose to register for any location, regardless of which school their child attends, although we do suggest choosing the location your child attends school if it is available.Our expected daily attendance capacity is around 50 students at Nisswa Elementary and 100 students at both Baxter and Riverside Elementary. For our larger sites (Riverside & Baxter), we will break into two smaller groups and have a K-2 group and a 3rd and up group. More info about the schedule will be sent out at a later date. Summer Fun & Friends will operate from Wednesday, June 11 through Friday August 22. Programming is open Monday through Friday from 6:30 AM - 6:00 PM. A summer calendar is attached. Registration: Summer registration will open in two different phases starting at the end of February. Please note that you can sign up any time during your registration window. See the table below. Current families: all past due invoices must be paid in full before a registration is processed. If it is not paid in full by March 4, your registration will be waitlisted. Fun & Friends Summer 2025 Registration Registration Windows: Phases: Who’s Included: February 26-March 4Opens at 9:00 AM Early Registration: Phase 1 All families who have students currently attending the Fun & Friends program during the 24-25 school year. All families who had students attend Fun & Friends Summer 2024 (summer only registrations). Families on the 24-25 school year waitlist prior to January 1, 2025. We will reach out to these families directly. March 4 Little Warrior Child Care Registration All current Little Warrior families who have a student going into kindergarten can register on this date. *If they have an older sibling who is currently in Fun & Friends, you can register them both at the same time, starting February 26. Fun & Friends has 6 spots reserved at each location for Little Warrior students. All Little Warrior enrollments will be placed in a lottery to fill those spaces. March 5 - March 12Opens at 9:00 AM Public Registration: Open to everyone to complete enrollment. All public enrollments will be placed in a lottery. The number of spaces will be based on staffing availability.Families will be notified of their status by March 17. *Families must sign up during the correct stage for their application to be considered. Signing up before your registration window will result in a denied application. How to Register: Registration is done online (HERE). Choose the Fun & Friends location you would like to register for and click “Enroll Now.” *The site options will not show up on this link until registration opens. 3 Day Weekly Minimum: We know there is a high need for school age care in our area. To help prioritize families who are most in need of full time childcare, we are requiring a 3 day minimum a week for summer care. The exception to this rule would be the weeks we are open less than 5 days, which would be: June 11-13 June 16-20 (closed on Thursday, June 19 for Juneteenth Holiday) June 30- July 3 (closed Friday for the Fourth of July Holiday) During the weeks above, you can just choose the days you need without a 3 day minimum. Scheduling:Schedules are due every other Wednesday by 4:00 PM for the upcoming two weeks. Invoices will be sent on Thursdays and are due by the following Monday. Email reminders will be sent out every other week by Cassandra Hale, Fun & Friends secretary, with schedule’s due reminders. Invoices must be paid on time to keep your summer registration active. Rates The daily rate is $40/day and includes a breakfast snack, lunch, and afternoon snack. Please read below about drop-in day rates. The annual registration fee is $30/year per child. Drop-In Days:If you are requesting child care with less than 7 days notice, the daily rate will be $45/day. Please contact your Site Supervisor beforehand to make sure there is room for your child to attend as a drop-in. *Due to requiring a 3 day minimum, families will only be allowed to add a drop in for any extra days after reaching the 3 day minimum. An example would be if your child was scheduled to attend Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, but you would like to add a drop-in for Friday. Prolonged Absences: If a summer contract is accepted but does not have any scheduled attendance for 2+ weeks, the contract will be reviewed and may possibly be removed from the program. We understand that families have vacations, summer plans, custody arrangements, or other circumstances that may affect attendance. In those cases, please communicate with Cassandra and your Site Supervisor accordingly so that we know to keep your child’s contract active. Incoming Kindergartners: Per MN certified child care statutes, a child must be entering kindergarten within four months of their first day in school age care. Records will be reviewed with district enrollment personnel to confirm that a child will be attending kindergarten in the fall of 2025. If a child, even if they are 5 years old, will not be attending kindergarten in September 2025, they are ineligible to attend school age care. For more information or to view our handbook, please visit the Fun & Friends website, HERE.

Registration for the 2025-2026 School Year opens on Monday, March 31st at 7:30 am! 2025-2026 Preschool Information Packet Registration Step-by-Step Guide Brainerd Public Schools’ Preschool Programs: Preparing Your Child for a Bright Future! Brainerd Public Schools take pride in investing in our youngest learners and in preparing children and families for success in school. We have a variety of preschool options serving 2 ½- 5 year olds. Our preschool program prepares children to enter school by focusing learning around classroom routines and procedures, social and emotional development and academic development. A Four Star Parent Aware Rated Program! Our preschool programs have earned a four-star rating from Minnesota’s Parent Aware- the highest rating possible! The Parent Aware rating system helps parents find preschools and childcare programs focused on high quality early learning and kindergarten readiness. Our Staff: All of our classrooms are staffed by licensed Early Childhood teachers and include a qualified teaching assistant. Many on our classrooms also have a licensed Early Childhood Special Education teacher as part of the teaching team, making our staff to student ratio lower than the state recommended average. Our Curriculum: *Frog Street Pre-K is a research-based curriculum organized around 9 thematic units integrating literacy, math, science, social studies, social-emotional connections, STEAM, technology, assessment, and family engagement. *Pyramid Model innovations focuses on improving the social, emotional and behavioral outcomes of young children birth to 5. *Second Step helps young learners harness their energy and potential by teaching them self-regulation skills to help them listen, pay attention, manage their behavior and get along with others. *Handwriting Without Tears uses music, movement and manipulatives to help teach students correct grip, letter formation and placement. *Gross Motor play is built into our preschool schedule each day whether it be gym time, playground time or even yoga and dancing in the classroom. Students at our WELC location participate in a Motor Lab at least once a week designed by Physical & Occupations Therapists from the Paul Bunyan Co-op. If you register for Voluntary PreK or childcare at Warrior Early Learning Center for the 2024-2025 school year, know that you will be placed on a waitlist. Click here to schedule your child's early childhood screening.

Youth develop life-long interests, skills and knowledge through sports, performing and visual arts, academics, special interest clubs, outdoor educational experiences and many more programs. Youth develop and enhance their own creative and physical capacities while sharing individual talents, skills, knowledge and character with others.