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Flight School

The little eagles Flight School logo, featuring a cartoon-drawn baby eagle wearing flight goggles atop its head. There are clouds in the background and the eagle is perched on the words "Flight School"Welcome to Little Eagles Flight School! This program invites eligible 4-year-old preschool students for a full day of quality early learning either at Joplin Early Childhood, or in a neighborhood elementary school.

Flight School offers the following benefits:

  • A FREE full day of preschool during normal elementary school hours
  • Bus service available to residents of the school's attendance zone
  • Breakfast and lunch served every day
  • Eligible students will qualify for Free/Reduced lunch prices

For the 2026-27 academic year, Flight School classes will be offered at Jefferson, Irving, McKinley, Royal Heights, and Soaring Heights elementary schools, and at Joplin Early Childhood. Interested families can begin the Enrollment Interest process when all preschool registration opens each February. Classes will fill quickly, so timely forms are encouraged. For more information, please call Joplin Early Childhood at 417-625-5275.

How to seek enrollment in Little Eagles Flight School?

Due to very high demand and limited space, we cannot currently accommodate every interested family. Families will be asked to complete an Enrollment Interest Form in February, followed immediately by a required preschool screening.

Visit the Preschool Enrollment page for Details

What about current JEC students who want to join Flight School?

Families of current JEC students who want to join a full day Flight School class will still be required to complete the Enrollment Interest Form, but a preschool screening will not be required.

  • three preschool students sitting on a small couch wearing matching Flight School tshirts
  • A group of about 8 preschoolers swarm their teacher, who is smiling and laughing, for a group hug.
  • Two preschool students play with paper leaves and tree branches at a classroom station.
  • A classroom of preschoolers sit on a carpet to hear their teacher read a story.
  • A preschool student and a teacher sit before an art easel, painting.

News & Media

"The entirety of Jasper County is classified as what’s known as a ‘childcare desert’ because there are so few childcare centers that our families can afford. About half of our incoming kindergartners come to us with no early learning experience. We want to get more kids in the door so they can have access to our classrooms and teachers.”