Building Blocks Preschool 2026–2027 School Year

Regular Hours of Operation

School Day: 7:45 a.m. – 3:15 p.m.

Before and after school care will be offered at many campuses through a separate VIK registration.
VIK registration will open in May 2026.

About Us

Gilbert Public Schools is proud to offer Building Blocks Preschool, a full-day preschool program providing your 3, 4, or young 5 year-old with firsthand experiences of what it means to be a student.

Our uniquely designed curriculum, based on the Arizona Early Learning Standards, helps create a foundation for your young learner to build upon as they begin their educational journey.

Building Blocks Multi-age Program for 3, 4 & 5 year olds

Students in the Building Blocks Preschool program engage with specially designed, curriculum-based activities. During circle time, children are introduced to foundational concepts such as letters, sounds, numbers, colors, shapes, and Oral Language Development activities.  Older aged students continue to master letters, numbers, colors, and shapes, while also learning to write their names, addresses, and phone numbers, and developing early reading readiness skills.

In small group settings, students participate in six learning centers each day. The daily schedule also includes lunch, rest time, and exploratory play. The day begins and ends with structured play activities designed to foster socialization, cooperative learning and build friendships.  Upon completion of the Building Blocks program, students have the foundation, experiences, and enthusiasm for learning needed to enter kindergarten with confidence and success.

Children must be 3 years old by August 31, 2026 to register (attendance may not begin until their third birthday) and must be completely independent in toileting.

Toilet Training Requirements

To be considered completely independent in toileting, a child must be able to do all of the following:

• Communicate the need to use the toilet, including demonstrating control if they must wait for a turn or are away from the bathroom.
• Independently pull down and pull up their underwear and pants (including managing clothing with belts, buttons, and zippers if worn to school).
• Independently clean themselves after using the toilet.
• Get on and off the toilet unassisted.
• Wash and dry their hands without help.

Disposable training pants (i.e., Pull-Ups) are not permitted, per Arizona Department of Health Services (AZDHS) licensing regulations.

Meals and Snacks

Family-style snacks will be provided to all students. Building Blocks students will eat lunch in the school cafeteria.

Although lunch is not included, students are enrolled in the school lunch program and may purchase a hot lunch if desired.

Licensing and Staff

All Building Blocks programs are licensed by the Arizona Department of Health Services (AZDHS).
Program staff participate in a minimum of 24 hours of professional development each school year.

Building Blocks Curriculum

We believe academics and social development are intertwined, and that curriculum is a living, growing element of preschool.

Our commitment to each school’s design and philosophy is essential to student success. We recognize that every child is unique and focus on using each student’s strengths to build upon developing areas. Learning occurs through both academic instruction and exploratory play, using a flexible schedule that allows teachers to tailor experiences to individual needs.

The Arizona Early Learning Standards provide the framework for our curriculum, which is reviewed annually to ensure best practices.  We utilize Fundations and Learning Without Tears research based curriculum.  Our Child Educators are trained on LETRS EC.  The Building Blocks curriculum lays the strong foundation for our students that aligns closely with kindergarten standards and is developed collaboratively with feedback from the kindergarten teachers.

Students participate in:

• Four small guided learning centers
• Three large group centers
• Multiple reads of literature
• Intentional Oral Language Development activities
• Weekly theme-based lessons
• Built-in “Brain Breaks” for movement and focus, both inside and outside the classroom

Students also enjoy PE, Library, Music, Art, and other school-wide activities.
Building Blocks proudly encourages school involvement through fun runs, assemblies, school pictures, spirit weeks, and other exciting campus events.

Tuition and Scheduling

The Building Blocks Program is a monthly tuition program. Tuition varies from month to month and is based on the number of school days in each month.

Available schedules:

• (5 Days) Monday–Friday
• (3 Days): Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
• (2 Days): Tuesday and Thursday

Parents must commit to a schedule and maintain it throughout the school year.

Families may extend their child’s day (6:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m.) for an additional fee through the VIK Before and After School Program.

Monthly Tuition & Fees (2026–2027 School Year)

Tuition will remain the same as the prior school year. However, it will be billed at the daily rate rather than the monthly rate. This change will allow for lower payments during months with breaks, but months with no breaks being a higher payment for that month. Payment is due for all school days with the contract period. Credit is not given for sick days or vacation days as the child’s placement in the class is still held.

Registration Fee: $50.00

School Day (7:45 a.m. – 3:15 p.m.)

• Tuesday/Thursday: $ 63.33 per day, billed monthly
• Monday/Wednesday/Friday: $ 57.14 per day, billed monthly
• Monday–Friday: $ 45.83 per day, billed monthly

Families may extend their child’s day (6:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.) for an additional fee through the VIK Before and After School Program.

GPS Employee Rates available (employment verification required).

Registration Details

For the 2026–2027 School Year, the following payments are due at the time of registration:

• $50 Registration Fee
• $100 Security Deposit

For registrations prior to or on July 9, 2026, a $50 registration fee and $100 security deposit will be collected at the time of registration with the remaining tuition balance due by July 15, 2026. Both registration fee and security deposit are non-refundable.

For registration on or after July 10, 2026, the non-refundable registration fee is due at the time of registration approval. The first month’s tuition will be invoiced and due within 5 days.

Both Eleyo and Infinite Campus registrations must be completed by July 15, 2026 to ensure a start on the first day of school.Registration must also be finalized at the campus prior to the child’s start date.

Preschool Parent Handbook 2026-2027 School Year

Important Notice for Building Blocks Families Needing VIK Care

If your child is enrolled in Building Blocks and you would also like to enroll them in VIK Before and/or After School Care, a separate VIK registration is required.

To ensure a smooth enrollment process and secure your child’s spot:

• Visit the VIK Registration Page for full details and registration links.
• VIK registration requires approval and is not automatically included with Building Blocks enrollment.
• Families enrolled in both programs may be eligible for discounted VIK rates and a waived registration fee.

Important Dates (2026–2027 School Year)

For questions or assistance, please contact:

communityedbusinessdept@gilbertschools.net

(480) 892-9089, ext. 1