Montrose County School District RE-1J
We are currently accepting new preschool students for the 2024-2025 school year!
Please complete our Interested Families form.
Alpine Start Outdoor Preschool
Our preschool model is rooted in Colorado Early Learning and Development Guidelines, learning will take place through self-directed, imaginative play and nature immersion.
Research shows that experiential outdoor learning helps to build strong, language-rich relationships where children develop agency, independence, and personal responsibility. Through structured, yet flexible routines, children will learn to safely take risks in predictable environments, while better learning to cope, adapt, and interpret emotions. With an emphasis on play, a child-driven flow, increased social interaction, and exposure to sensory experiences, children will build a solid cognitive and socio-emotional foundation for a lifetime of learning with joy, curiosity, and wonder.
UNIVERSAL PRESCHOOL: If your student will attend kindergarten in the 2025-2026 school year (in other words, this is their last year of preschool), you qualify to receive funding for 15 hours per week through Colorado's Universal Preschool Program (UPK). Some three years olds may qualify as well. Additional hours may be awarded for other qualifying factors. Please visit the Universal Preschool Family Information page and register for UPK. If we are your first choice, please select MCSD Early Childhood Center: Early Childhood Center on the application.
Alpine Start at Outer Range is a tuition-based program. You can view our tuition schedule by clicking here.