FAQs

Q: What are the class times & school fees?

A: The fees for our classes are broken down as follows:

Monthly tuition:

*As of January 2022, our rates have changed due to the new federal-provincial child care agreement. Visit our Registration Page for details on our fees.

Registration fee:

Field trip fee:

For further information on the above noted fees please see the registration page, then look for the registration package.

Q: What is the Affordability Grant Program and Child Care Subsidy Program?

A: In 2022, the Province of Alberta started providing subsidies for childcare and preschool programs. There are two main subsidies of interest:


1) the Affordability Grant

2) the Child Care Subsidy


The affordability grant is registered for through the preschool and applied automatically towards tuition (no action for registered families required, all families qualify for this).  This $75/month government grant is already accounted for in our tuition rates.


However, the child care subsidy is household specific and must be applied for by each individual household. A child care subsidy of up to $125 per month, per child, towards preschool tuition is available for households with a gross annual income of under $180,000.00. If eligible, parents must pay the regular preschool tuition and then will later be refunded by either cheque or e-transfer (their choice) once the subsidy has been paid to the preschool by the government, which happens monthly. For those waiting on application approvals, they will be reimbursed once approved by the Alberta Government and the government payments is made. 


Please contact chair@discoverypreschoolyyc.com with any questions. TO APPLY and for eligibility requirements or further information visit "Child Care Digital Service (alberta.ca)"  or call 1-877-644-9992.


Q: How can I pay for the school fees?

A: The school fees can be paid for either via cheques or by e-transfer.  To learn more please see the registration page, then look for the registration package.

Q: Do you offer full-time preschool?

A: We do not offer full-time preschool.

Q: What does the typical daily schedule look like?

A: The standard day usually progresses as below:


Q: What are the class sizes?

A: All classes will have a maximum class size between 12-18 students.

Q: What is the volunteering commitment (and pre-requisite) inside and outside the classroom?

A: The classroom volunteer commitment works out to approximately once per month (or once every couple of months with a full capacity class). This volunteer can be a parent, grandparent, or caregiver. Outside the classroom, parents are required to have a parent job which is generally a 1-2 hour commitment per month. Job sign up is at the start of the school year and the jobs themselves range from making play-doh to coordinating field trips.

NOTE: All volunteers are required to have a valid police check handed into the school. Information on how to acquire this is given once your child is registered. It is free of charge with the Discovery Preschool form and can be requested either online or at the Westwinds Calgary Police Services location (please see Registration Package for more information).

Q: When can I register my child?

A: Your child must turn 3 years old by December 31st to register for the morning 3 year old class. Children turning 3 years old between August 31 – December 31st can be placed on a hold list until they turn 3. Before their 3rd birthday they can still attend class but must be accompanied by an adult for child-to-adult ratio purposes.

Your child must turn 4 years old by December 31st to register for the morning 4 year old class.

To learn more, please see the Registration page.

Q: What is the Reggio Emilia approach?

A: The Reggio Emilia philosophy is an emphasis on project based learning built upon the interests of the students. Topics for study are captured from the talk and play of the children and the teachers use their observations to formulate the direction of the curriculum.

To learn more about the Reggio Emilia approach, please see the Reggio Emilia page.

Q: What is the policy on feedback from parents to teachers?

A: We welcome feedback at Discovery Preschool. If you are having an issue please email the teachers directly at teacher@discoverypreschoolyyc.com to set up an appropriate time to discuss.

Q: How do I get regular updates on what my child is doing in class?

A: Seesaw. Our teachers post regular updates of class exercises in the Seesaw app which can be downloaded for free. Teachers will also email out a weekly update including reminders for the upcoming week.

Learn more about Seesaw here: https://web.seesaw.me/

Q: What does the school use Mabel’s Labels for?

A: Fundraising and keeping track of our belongings! We ask everything that comes to school to be labeled, and Discovery Preschool has partnered with Mabel’s Labels. If interested parents can order labels online and a portion of those profits will go towards the school.

Information is on our Fundraising page. 

Q: What is Kids Development Services (KDS)?

A: At Discovery Preschool, we wholeheartedly believe in supporting the potential of all children. Because of this value, we’ve chosen to collaborate with Kids Development Services (KDS), an organization which focuses its work around identifying the learning needs of children. KDS uses a multidisciplinary approach to assess and develop educational goals, typically around areas related to fine and gross motor development, and speech and language development. Involvement with this program is completely voluntary.

Click here to learn more. 

Q. What is the preschool's response to the COVID-19 pandemic?

A: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Discovery Preschool adheres to all AHS guidelines for child care providers, and closely monitors the Calgary Board of Education and Separate School Board for guidelines and best practices. Discovery Preschool has implemented the following actions:


***Effective April 1, 2022, the following previously mandatory actions are no longer required.***


***Effective April 1, 2022 the Classroom Access Policy has been removed.***

Classroom Access Policy: Beginning January 1, 2022, all adults entering the Discovery Preschool classroom (or teaching environment if outside the classroom) will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. In order to access the classroom as a teacher, substitute teacher, parent volunteer, contracted service worker, (or any adult over the age of 18), valid proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 is required (with the second dose being at least two weeks prior.)

Two doses of a two-dose series are required — it must be at least 2 weeks since the second dose to be considered valid. We will no longer accept proof of a negative COVID-19 test in lieu of full vaccination as of January 1, 2022.

If you have any questions regarding the policy, please email registrar@discoverypreschoolyyc.com

*Please note, we are a volunteer-run school, when sending an email to the registrar please expect a reply within two business days.