Affordable Child Care | Day Care Enrollment

2023-2024 Oconee Preschool Academy (OPA)
Georgia Pre-K Enrollment Guidelines

Thank you for your interest in the Pre-K program operated by Oconee Preschool Academy (OPA). All Pre-K classes are pending state budget/funding and approval of the OPA Pre-K Grant Agreement with Bright from the Start, Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL).

Children must be four (4) years of age on or before September 1, 2023, to apply for the OPA Pre-K program. Children who are five (5) years of age on or before September 1, 2023, may enroll in the OPA Pre-K program if they did not attend a Bright from the Start Georgia Pre-K Program as a four-year-old.

Parents are encouraged to consider the child’s date of birth, physical maturity, emotional maturity, and prior experiences when making the decision to enroll their child in the Pre-K program. Repeating a second year or attendance of a second year of a Georgia Pre-K program is not an option. Pre-K is not mandatory in the state of Georgia.

OPA has four Georgia Pre-K classes – 3 General Education Classes and 1 Pre-K Inclusion Class. Two classes are located at each of our Watkinsville campuses.

Our Registration is completed in the following timeline:

2023-2024 School Year

January 16 – 23 Currently enrolled, age eligible students register

January 30 – February 3 Priority Registration

Siblings of OPA families (Current & Former)
Oconee County School System employees

February 6 – 10 Public Lottery Registration Opens *see below for specific details

February 13 Lottery Drawing is completed, and notification of acceptance begins

OPA is pleased to partner with the Oconee County School System to offer an Inclusion Georgia Pre-K Classroom. With a reduced class size and support staff, children with a current Individualized Education Plan (IEP) are given priority registration based on available spots. Our inclusion classroom is comprised of 12 general education students and up to 6 students with IEPs. Enrollment in the Inclusion classroom is a team determination and ultimately is the discretion of OPA based on Pre-K guidelines and OPA policies.

Registration Information and Requirements

Birth Certificate – this must be a copy of the birth certificate that we can keep. Due to copyright issues, we may not make copies so please make sure you have a copy that can stay with us.
Proof of Georgia Residency – this must be a utility bill such as water or electric, lease/rental agreement or mortgage statement. Cell phone, medical or other types of bills are not accepted.
Social Security Card- must provide a copy.

Registration must be completed at the school of choice. You can choose to register for the Lottery Drawing at both OPA locations to increase your chance of acceptance. You may provide choice of preference for each location with an option to move locations up until July14, 2023 if space becomes available.

Lottery Application Information

Applications for the OPA 2023-2024 Georgia Pre-K Program Lottery will be accepted February 6 – February 10, 2023 from 8:30am – 5:30pm daily. Parents must bring in all required documents and fill out the application form. An application is not considered complete unless ALL required documents are received and filled out. Applications for the Lottery will not be considered after 5:30pm on February 10, 2023.

At the time of application, you will receive a Lottery Drawing number. Families with more than one child eligible for Pre-K will be given one number and siblings will be drawn together. Drawings will be completed using the Lottery number assigned.

The OPA Lottery Drawing will be completed on Monday, February 13^th at each location. Families will be notified via email beginning on Tuesday, February 14^th as to acceptance into the program or on waiting list. You will have a specified time frame to confirm registration to the OPA Pre-K program.

Families applying for the Pre-K program after 5:30pm on February 10^th will be placed on a wait list in order of application date. These families will be listed on the wait list after any applicable wait list names from Lottery Drawing.