Opp City Schools is looking for upcoming 4-year-olds for the third year in its “Learning Everyday at Pre-School” program.

Assistant Superintendent Emily Edgar said Wednesday that this is the third school year the program would receive application.

“We are averaging 18 students in our class,” she said. “We wish we could have six classes.”

Edgar said support for the program is growing and that the program has had a 20 percent increase on its waiting list.

“We have more kids who are waiting to get into the classroom,” she said.

Not only do students gain valuable knowledge to prepare them for kindergarten, they also get acclimated to the culture at Opp Elementary School, Edgar said.

“It has been very beneficial to our students and our system,” she said. “These students are feeding into our kindergarten. They are in the building and are acclimated to the building and included as part of the school environment.”

Edgar said they have had great success with parental involvement.

OCS received a $120,000 grant for the program and employs a teacher and teacher’s aide.

The program is five-days-a-week and operates six-and-a-half hours a day.

To be considered for the program, the following criteria must be met:

• Student must be 4 years old on or before Sept. 1, 2015;

• Students must reside within the Opp City School district lines;

• All eligible applicants will be place in a public lottery drawing;

• The first 18 names drawn will establish the class; and

• All other names will be placed on a waiting list.

Registration forms may be picked up and returned to Opp Elementary School.

For more information, call Edgar at 493-3173 or email her at eedgar@oppboe.com.