Kindergarten

Welcome to Kindergarten!

“Children grow into the intellectual life around them.” - Lev Vygotsky

Walla Walla Public Schools has a full-day kindergarten program at all five district elementary schools.  The typical school day begins at 8:00 a.m. and ends at 2:40 p.m.  

Kindergarten curriculum includes reading, language arts, math, science and social studies.  Additionally, kindergarten students have access to music, physical education and library time.

Note: Students must turn five no later than August 31st of the year in which they enroll for kindergarten. Younger students, who turn five between September 1 and October 31, may be tested for early entrance or apply for Transitional Kindergarten, but there is no guarantee of placement. For more information, please contact the district Teaching and Learning Department: 526-6743.

Kindergarten Readiness Checklist: Starting school is an exciting time for children and families! Often parents wonder what a typical 5-year old should know and be able to do. This checklist will provide you with some of the skills a child ready to start kindergarten will be able to successfully complete. Remember, all children grow and learn at different rates. If you have concerns about your child's development and readiness for school, please contact your neighborhood school to ask more questions and get help.

Transitional Kindergarten

Transitional Kindergarten, also known as TK, is an early learning program, primarily for four-year-olds, designed to help close the opportunity gap that we see among students entering kindergarten. TK provides children who demonstrate a need, or their family cannot access a community program, the chance to engage in a high quality early learning experience. Eligible students must be four-years-old by August 31 to participate. Learn more at WWCCF.org - Transitional Kindergarten 

Kindergarten Enrollment

Please visit the Walla Walla Public Schools Enrollment page for forms and registration date information.

**2024-2025 School year enrollment for kindergartners opens April 10, 2024.**

Kindergarten & Early Learning Roundup

The Kindergarten and Early Learning Roundup targets parents who have children entering kindergarten and early learning programs like Transitional Kindergarten, Headstart and ECEAP in the fall. Parents receive information on school registration and expectations, busing, nutrition services, special education options, bilingual programs, highly capable programs, afterschool programs and more.  This is a free family friendly event. Contact Pam Clayton at 509.526.6781 for more information.

Kindergarten Learning Standards

The Washington State Learning Standards explain what children should be able to understand and do by the end of each grade. Below are the standards in Reading, Math and Writing for Kindergarten students: 

READING
Foundational Skills: (Basic Reading Skills)	Phonological awareness; Phonics and word recognition; Fluency
Key Ideas and Details: “What did the author say?”	Ask and answer questions about key details in a text Retell familiar stories Identify character, setting, and major events/topics in a story
Craft and Structure:               “How did the author say it?”	Ask and answer questions about unknown words in a text Recognize common types and features of a text Name author/illustrator of a story
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: “How do I evaluate what the author has told me?”	Describe how illustrations support the text Identify the reasons an author gives to support points in a text      Identify similarities and differences between characteristics

 

MATH
Counting/Cardinality:	Compare numbers/objects to 10; Count to tell number of objects 0-20 Know number names and the count sequence to 100; Write numbers 0-20
Operations/Algebraic Thinking:	Fluently add and subtract within 5                  Solve addition and subtraction problems within 10
Number/Operations In Base Ten:	Place value (numbers 11-19)
Measurement/Data:	Classify and sort objects Describe and compare measurable attributes
Geometry:	Identify and describe shapes

 

WRITING
Text Types/Purposes:	Support an OPINION; INFORM or EXPLAIN a topic; Develop a NARRATIVE
Production/Distribution of Writing:	Produce coherent writing; Revise writing Use digital tools in writing
Research to Build/Present Knowledge:	Participate in shared research and writing projects Recall or gather information to answer a question

More Information

The National PTA website has valuable information on family involvement in education.  Visit www.pta.org and select the "For Parents" tab.