LISBON — The Lisbon school district will add an additional teacher to its prekindergarten program this fall, increasing max enrollment by more than a third.

Currently, there are 56 kindergarten students in the district. This fall, as many as 80 students will be able to participate.

After the district’s lottery selection left 17 students without a spot, school administrators requested additional funding from the state to expand the program.

The state approved the request, providing funds to hire an extra teacher and add a third classroom.

Every student on Lisbon’s waiting list will now be able to enroll in prekindergarten this fall.

Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Julie Nichols spoke to the importance of expanding the prekindergarten program Tuesday.

“I want them to start developing their social emotional learning and connections to their peers, so that when they go into kindergarten and it’s really more about academics, they have a lot of the understanding already under their belt of ‘what is school?’ and ‘it’s ok to be away from mom and dad,'” she said.

“They really develop their first feeling about school in preschool, and so the more students that can be in that structure, and that our public school system knows what they’re receiving for support and care, just allows us to better serve them in their transition to kindergarten.”

The Lisbon school district has two morning and afternoon session for prekindergarten. Transportation is provided in the morning, midday and the afternoon.

Parents interested in enrolling their child in the prekindergarten program should contact Lisbon Community School.