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What Is Florida's VPK Program All About?
Florida's Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) program helps eligible four-year-olds prepare for kindergarten by strengthening early academic, language, social-emotional, and developmental skills. At the Mandel JCC in Boynton Beach, we build on those goals by giving children opportunities to ask questions, investigate ideas, collaborate, solve problems, and put their growing skills into practice through hands-on early learning experiences.
Boynton Beach VPK at a Glance
AGE
Four-year-olds eligible for VPK
PROGRAM HOURS
Monday–Friday 9:00 am–3:00 pm
LOCATION
Edward & Thelma Glantz Early Childhood Learning Center Boynton Beach, FL
EXTENDED DAY
Before-school care: 7:45–9:00 am | After-school care: 3:00–6:00 pm
How Four-Year-Olds Learn Through Our Boynton Beach VPK Program
Four-year-olds are ready to do more than discover something new. They're ready to ask why it happens, test what they think, share ideas with friends, and find out what happens when they try something differently.
Our VPK program embraces this stage by giving children meaningful opportunities to investigate questions over time, make observations, collaborate with classmates, test possible solutions, and communicate what they're thinking. As children become more independent, they also take greater responsibility for classroom routines, decisions, relationships, and their own work.
Early reading, writing, math, science, creative expression, movement, and social-emotional development are woven into these experiences throughout the day. Children aren't simply introduced to new concepts. They're encouraged to use them, connect them, and discover what they can do with what they know.
We offer a VPK experience designed to prepare children for kindergarten while encouraging them to remain active, curious, and engaged in the world around them.
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What Children Learn in Our Boynton Beach VPK Program
The Boynton Beach VPK program focuses on early reading and writing, number sense, measurement, classification, pattern recognition, problem-solving, sustained attention, independence, cooperation, negotiation, and emotional regulation.
Early Literacy & Communication
Throughout the VPK year, conversations, books, storytelling, drawing, and early writing help children expand vocabulary, strengthen comprehension, communicate ideas, and understand how spoken and written language carry meaning.
Early Math & Science
Children count, measure, classify, compare, recognize patterns, make predictions, and observe changes as they use early math and science concepts to investigate the world around them.
Independence & Responsibility
As children prepare for kindergarten, classroom routines and age-appropriate responsibilities help them make choices, manage belongings, complete tasks, and take greater ownership of their day.
Investigation & Problem-Solving
Children learn to observe closely, ask questions, test possibilities, reconsider an idea, and try another approach when something doesn't work the first time.
Collaboration & Social-Emotional Skills
Working alongside classmates helps children practice sharing ideas, listening to different perspectives, cooperating, negotiating, regulating emotions, and contributing to a group.
Fine & Gross Motor Development
Drawing, writing, building, manipulating materials, creative experiences, movement, and outdoor play help children strengthen coordination, control, and the physical skills they use throughout their day.
Wondering if our VPK program is the right fit for your child?
Come meet our educators, experience the classroom environment, and see how children learn through projects, purposeful play, and hands-on discovery.
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Kindergarten Readiness That Helps Children Thrive
Alongside letters, numbers, and academic concepts, children need the confidence to try something new, communicate what they're thinking, manage emotions, follow routines, work with others, and keep going when something feels challenging.
At the Barbara & Jack Kay Early Childhood Learning Center, we foster these abilities through everyday experiences. A child might stay focused on a project, explain an idea to a friend, reconsider an approach that didn't work, listen to someone else's perspective, or experience the satisfaction of solving a problem independently.
We help children become:
- Thoughtful communicators who express their ideas and listen to others
- Resourceful problem-solvers who test possibilities and are willing to try again
- Collaborative classmates who share, negotiate, cooperate, and contribute
- Independent children who take greater responsibility for routines and tasks
- Engaged thinkers who observe, question, reflect, and make connections
Kindergarten readiness grows through these everyday experiences, helping children develop academically, socially, and emotionally as they prepare for the transition from preschool to elementary school.
Come See Our VPK Program In Action
Visit our Boynton Beach campus, meet our educators, and see how projects, play, friendships, and discovery come together throughout the VPK day.
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Project-Based Learning That Starts With Their Ideas
At four, one interesting question can spark something much bigger. Our child-centered approach combines project-based experiences, purposeful play, hands-on exploration, and meaningful relationships with teachers. Educators pay attention to what children notice, ask, and wonder about, then create opportunities for them to investigate those ideas more deeply through meaningful early learning experiences.
Children might make a prediction, build a model, compare materials, draw what they observe, test a possible solution, talk through an idea with classmates, or return to a project over several days. Teachers introduce thoughtful questions, materials, and new possibilities that encourage children to look again, make connections, and extend their thinking.
Through these experiences, early literacy, math, science, creative expression, and social-emotional development become connected parts of the child's day. Children aren't simply practicing information; they're discovering how to use what they know to understand something new.
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VPK Enrichment, Outdoor Learning, & More
Extension Opportunities
Being part of the Edward & Thelma Glantz Early Childhood Learning Center gives VPK students opportunities to discover new interests throughout the classroom, campus, and larger Mandel JCC community.
Enrichment
Art, music, dance and movement, science, sensory activities, creative play, physical activity, and other age-appropriate enrichment experiences give children new ways to create, experiment, and discover what interests them.
Outdoor & Active Experiences
Outdoor learning spaces, the community garden, splash pad, movement, and weekly swim experiences give children opportunities to explore, move, collaborate, and build physical confidence beyond the classroom.
Community & Connection
School traditions, celebrations, friendships, family experiences, and connections throughout the Mandel JCC help children develop a sense of belonging and understand what it means to be part of a larger community.
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A Family-Centered Community at the Mandel JCC
Starting kindergarten is a big milestone for children and their families. Throughout the VPK year, our teachers partner with parents to understand each child's strengths, interests, needs, and progress. Ongoing communication and collaboration between home and school help families stay connected to what their child is experiencing while supporting children as they become more independent.
And that relationship doesn't have to end when preschool does. Families can continue growing with the Mandel JCC through camps, enrichment programs, youth activities and family events, arts and culture, and other opportunities to stay connected through each new stage of childhood.
Who Is Eligible for VPK in Florida?
VPK is available to eligible Florida children who are 4 years old on or before September 1 of the current school year. Eligibility is not based on family income, making the program available to qualifying families regardless of household income.
Children with birthdays during the state's designated postponement period may also have the option to delay VPK enrollment until the following year.
How Do I Apply for VPK?
Parents apply online through the state for a VPK Certificate of Eligibility. Once approved, families can use their certificate to enroll with a participating VPK provider, subject to the provider's availability and enrollment requirements.
How Many Hours of VPK Does Florida Provide?
Florida offers two primary VPK options. The school-year VPK program includes 540 instructional hours, while the summer VPK program includes 300 instructional hours before kindergarten.
The Edward & Thelma Glantz Early Childhood Learning Center's VPK program runs Monday–Friday from 9:00 am–3:00 pm. Contact our team for information about enrollment and extended-day options.
What If My Child Has Special Needs?
Florida also offers VPK Specialized Instructional Services (VPK SIS) for eligible children with special needs. Families interested in specialized services should contact their local Early Learning Coalition to learn about eligibility, approved providers, and available services. Families who need help navigating VPK eligibility or enrollment can also contact their local Early Learning Coalition for guidance.
How Do I Enroll at the Mandel JCC?
The Edward & Thelma Glantz Early Childhood Learning Center accepts the Florida VPK Voucher for eligible four-year-olds. After receiving your VPK Certificate of Eligibility, contact our Boynton Beach team to ask about current availability, registration requirements, extended-day options, and next steps.
How to Enroll in VPK in Boynton Beach
Florida's Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) program gives eligible children access to free prekindergarten education before they begin kindergarten. Boynton Beach and Palm Beach County parents can choose from participating VPK providers, including public schools and private early childhood centers.
Book a Tour at the Edward & Thelma Glantz Early Childhood Learning Center
The year before kindergarten brings bigger questions, growing independence, new friendships, and moments when children begin to realize just how much they're capable of doing. It's a year for trying ideas, working through challenges, sharing discoveries, and experiencing the pride that comes from figuring something out for themselves.
Schedule a tour of our Boynton Beach VPK program to explore what that experience could look like for your child.
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Children are generally eligible for Florida VPK if they are 4 years old on or before September 1 of the school year in which they enroll. Some children with birthdays later in the eligibility window may be able to postpone VPK until the following year. Parents should confirm their child's eligibility before enrollment.
Yes. Florida's Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program provides state-funded VPK for eligible four-year-olds, and eligibility is not based on family income. The Edward & Thelma Glantz Early Childhood Learning Center accepts the Florida VPK Voucher. Families should contact our team for information about any costs associated with registration, extended-day care, enrichment, or services beyond the state-funded VPK program.
Parents apply for VPK through the state and provide documentation confirming their child's age and Florida residency. Once eligibility is approved, families receive a VPK Certificate of Eligibility to enroll with a participating VPK provider.
Yes. Eligible families can choose among participating VPK providers, including private early childhood centers and school district VPK programs. Parents can compare educational approaches, schedules, location, extended child care options, and classroom environments when choosing a VPK provider for their family.
The VPK program at the Edward & Thelma Glantz Early Childhood Learning Center runs Monday–Friday from 9:00 am–3:00 pm. Before-school care from 7:45–9:00 am and after-school care from 3:00–6:00 pm are available for eligible programs.
Our VPK program combines project-based experiences, purposeful play, hands-on exploration, and meaningful relationships with teachers. Children investigate questions over time, collaborate with classmates, describe observations, test possible solutions, and represent their thinking through conversation, drawing, writing, construction, and classroom projects.
VPK children strengthen early reading, writing, comprehension, number sense, measurement, classification, pattern recognition, problem-solving, critical thinking, sustained attention, independence, cooperation, negotiation, and emotional regulation. These skills develop through meaningful experiences that encourage children to apply what they're discovering rather than simply memorize information.
Kindergarten preparation includes academic, social, emotional, and practical skills. Children practice communicating ideas, following routines, working independently and with classmates, solving problems, managing emotions, staying focused, and approaching new challenges with greater confidence. These abilities complement the early literacy and math skills children develop throughout the VPK year.
Absolutely! Families of all backgrounds are welcome at the Edward & Thelma Glantz Early Childhood Learning Center. Jewish values, traditions, holidays, and celebrations are woven into the school community within an inclusive environment where children and families can feel welcomed and connected.
What is the Mandel JCC?
The Mandel JCC is a community center that brings people together through education, recreation, Jewish culture, and shared experiences. Our Boynton Beach campus is home to the Edward & Thelma Glantz Early Childhood Learning Center, along with programs and activities for children, families, and adults. People of all backgrounds are welcome.
Enrollment availability varies by program and time of year, and the VPK classroom may have limited availability or a waitlist depending on demand. Families are encouraged to inquire early and contact the Early Childhood Learning Center team about current openings and enrollment timelines.
We invite you to visit the Edward & Thelma Glantz Early Childhood Learning Center and experience our VPK program in person. During your tour, you can explore the Boynton Beach campus and classrooms, meet our team, learn more about our project-based educational approach, and ask questions about scheduling, availability, extended care, and enrollment.
