Pre-Kindergarten Program
Muenster ISD PreKindergarten Family Engagement Plan (pdf) - Full accessible document below.
Muenster ISD believes that the education of all students should be a partnership between the school and the parent community. As parents are their child’s first teachers, they play an essential role in the success of students.
Eligibility Requirements for Free Pre-Kindergarten
The Muenster ISD Board of Trustees believes that the pre-kindergarten program gives four-year old students a valuable opportunity for a head start in their education.
To be eligible for enrollment in a free prekindergarten class, a child must be at least four years of age on or before September 1 of the current school year and meet at least one of the following eligibility requirements:
- unable to speak and comprehend the English language
- is educationally disadvantaged (eligible to participate in the national school lunch program... guidelines about NSLP eligibility can be found in sections 4 and 6 of the Texas Department of Agriculture’s Administrators Reference Manual)
- is homeless, as defined by 42 USC, §11434a, regardless of the residence of the child, of either parent of the child, or of the child's guardian or other person having lawful control of the child
- is the child of an active duty member of the armed forces of the United States, including the state military forces or a reserve component of the armed forces, who is ordered to active duty by proper authority
- is the child of a member of the armed forces of the United States, including the state military forces or a reserve component of the armed forces, who was injured or killed while serving on active duty
- is or has ever been in the conservatorship of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (foster care) following an adversary hearing held as provided by Family Code §262.201 or has been in foster care in another state or territory, but currently lives in Texas
- is the child of a person eligible for the Star of Texas Award as:
- a peace officer under Texas Government Code §3106.002
- a firefighter under Texas Government Code §3106.003
- an emergency medical first responder under Texas Government Code §3106.004
Pre-Kindergarten Tuition & Meal Prices and Information
2025-2026 Pre-K Tuition & Meal Prices (as of March 2025)
Muenster Elementary offers a Full-Day Pre-Kindergarten program. This program is free for those who qualify based on the eligibility requirements listed. For those who do not qualify for tuition assistance, see the tuition fees link above. Registration for PK opens in mid-spring (March/April) for the following school year. For questions about enrollment, please contact the Muenster Elementary Office, 940.759.2281 ext. 621. For more information about enrollment and registration go to: https://www.muensterisd.net/departments/registration
If a school district has 15 or more students that meet the eligibility criteria, the school district must offer a pre-kindergarten program.
The 77th Legislature passed Senate Bill 596, which allows a school district to offer a pre-kindergarten program for ineligible students on a tuition basis.
Based upon Senate Bill 596, the Muenster ISD Board establishes a tuition rate for each school year. The tuition for students is due on the first day of school for August and by the seventh of the month thereafter.
There will not be any refunds for absentees.
For more information, please contact our Elementary Principal, Debra Sicking (call 759-2281 ext 620 or email debra.sicking@muensterisd.org).
Since the school district receives funds based upon eligible students, all parents are asked to complete the National Breakfast/Lunch Free/Reduced program form at the time of registration.
My School Bucks is an online payment service that provides parents with the ability to securely pay for tuition and meals, monitor student cafeteria purchases, and receive email notifications for low account balances. Pre-K Tuition can also be paid in advance by check or cash. Please place payment in an envelope with his/her name on it, so it can be credited to the correct account.
MEAL INFO
Our lunch system is computerized. Please place payment in an envelope with his/her name on it, so it can be credited to the correct account. You will receive a notice (in a backpack) when he/she is out of money. If your child brings a lunch from home but wants a milk from the cafeteria, the cost is 65 cents.
Full Accessibility for Muenster ISD PreKindergarten Family Engagement Plan
Muenster ISD believes that the education of all students should be a partnership between the school and the parent community. As parents are their child’s first teachers, they play an essential role in the success of students. Definitions of Family and Family Engagement: Family includes adults and children significant in the child’s life who support the early learning and development of the child. Family engagement is the mutual responsibility of families, schools and communities. Family engagement builds relationships to support student learning and achievement and to support family well-being, family-student relationships and ongoing learning and development of children, families, and educators. Family engagement is fully integrated in the child’s educational experience and supports the whole child. It is culturally and linguistically responsive and continues through a child’s life. Components and Strategies of a Family
Engagement Plan: 1. Create a foundation for collaboration of mutual partners:
● We foster a collaborative exchange of information with our weekly newsletters.
● We encourage family participation in decision-making with our Site-Based Committee and PT0 organization.
● We utilize district communication with Blackboard Communications, classroom communication with Remind 101 and SeeSaw to communicate with parents about situations and events pertaining to the school.
● We use phone/email communication with the parents directly about the student’s progress throughout the year.
Engagement Plan 2. Embrace the individuality and uniqueness of families:
● We have lunch visitors, classroom holiday celebrations, and six week awards programs for parents to come up and observe the students actively participating in school functions.
● We use a variety of means to welcome and communicate (Meet The Teacher, Grandparent/Friends Day, Open House, and Class Parties).
● We have designed experiences for families that provide a variety of activities and observations with our parent-teacher conferences, field trips, & class parties.
Engagement Plan 3. Promote a culture of learning that is child-centered and family driven:
● We use positive parent practices such as positive parental contacts.
● We provide a welcoming environment that reflects on parent experiences, practices, and new strategies with our curriculum and class parties.
● We use positive contacts, notes, and emails to talk with our families about their children’s signals to help the family’s interpretation and responses.
● We work together to help children overcome behavioral challenges by having conferences, phone calls, and emails.
Engagement Plan 4. Establish and articulate expectations:
● We send home all informal and formal data collections to help us focus on using that data to promote continuous family engagement.
● We work together with families to imagine new learning opportunities for their community. ● We help parents and families understand the types of involvement that will help achieve the goals and objectives identified to meet the needs of the child and family.
Engagement Plan 5. Evaluate and improve family engagement efforts:
● We ensure that our family engagement activities and district/school teaching and learning goals are aligned by sending home family projects and activities that correlate with what we are learning about at school and by using those teachable moments when big, important events happen in our students’ lives.
● We instill the belief in educators/staff that family engagement is a core strategy to improve teaching and learning.