Kindergarten Registration Begins in January for Kirkwood Students

January is Kindergarten Registration Month in the Kirkwood School District. Here's everything you need to know to get your youngster ready for the 2013-2014 school year.

Article submitted by Kirkwood School District.  Calling all 2026 graduates.  There is no better time than the present to establish your child’s future with a Kirkwood education. January is Kindergarten Registration Month in the Kirkwood School District (KSD). The KSD will conduct its annual kindergarten registration for all children who are eligible to attend kindergarten in August 2013. In accordance with Senate Bill No. 572, a child must be five years old before the first day of August to attend kindergarten. In order for parents/guardians to officially register their child for kindergarten, the following documents are necessary: state-issued birth certificate, social security number, and proof of residency. Proof of residency may be …

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Kirkwood Students Begin School Year in New Learning Environments

All Keysor, North Glendale and Robinson elementary school students were able to attend their home school for the first time since the 1992-1993 school year.

The following article was submitted by the Kirkwood School District. Tuesday marked the first day of school for students in the Kirkwood School District. Many students began their day in new learning environments, including kindergarteners at Keysor, North Glendale and Robinson Elementary schools.  Thanks to Kirkwood School District voters that approved Proposition 1 in November 2010, kindergarten classroom additions were built at Keysor, North Glendale and Robinson. The additions allowed all Keysor, North Glendale and Robinson children to attend kindergarten in their home school for the first time since the 1992-93 school year. Because of space limitations, Keysor kindergartners began attending Westchester Elementary School for their …

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Major Construction at North Glendale Wraps Up With Celebration

Construction projects like a new gymnasium, cafeteria and additional classrooms allow North Glendale kindergarten students to attend their home school for the first time in over 15 years.

6 Tips for Moms on the First Day of Kindergarten

Worried about sending your little one to kindergarten? We've got you covered.

For what seems like forever, you’ve been wiping your little one’s bottom, nose and messes. Now, all of a sudden, they are big enough to go to kindergarten! How did time go so quickly? If you’re worried about sending your child to school for the first time, we’ve got a few tips to keep the transition easy—for you and your little one. Here’s what you need to know: 1. Have a countdown. Get a calendar or hang a poster on the wall counting down to the first day of school. Every morning, mark another day off the countdown with your kindergartener-to-be. This makes school feel like exciting, like waiting for a birthday or Christmas. 2. Pick out an outfit together. Go shopping for a complete first-day-of-school look, including shoes, socks and …

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Parents Say Kindergarten Home Visits Help

A call for feedback about home visits from kindergarten teachers before the start of school sparked positive testimony from parents.

According to some parents of rising kindergarten students in the Kirkwood School District, home visits from kindergarten teachers have made a positive impact on their children as they prepare for school life. After running an article about teachers at Robinson Elementary School visiting students at home during the summer, I asked readers to share their experiences with the visits on Kirkwood Patch Facebook. Here are some of the responses: Readers also informed me that not just Robinson teachers visit students at home before school. Two readers noted that they recently received visits from teachers at North Glendale Elementary School.  READ PREVIOUS STORY: Join the conversation on Kirkwood Patch Facebook. 

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Teacher Home Visits Ease Transition to Kindergarten

Robinson kindergarten teachers visit every every student before the start of school to build connections and reduce nerves.

Kindergarten teachers at Robinson Elementary School have spent the past month visiting students who will enter their classrooms in August. Armed only with Candy Land and a bag of animal crackers, the teachers build connections with students before the start of school to ease with the transition to kindergarten. The visits started last year and have met with success. "It is by far the best thing we have done to make connections with kids before school starts," Robinson Elementary School Principal Jennifer Sisul said. The visits are not meant to screen or intimidate students, or serve as an orientation, according to Sisul. "The purpose is to meet a nervous little kid, on his or her own turf," Sisul said. Parents and students shared positive …

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Kirkwood Board of Education Approves Full-Day, Tuition-Free Kindergarten

District superintendent says both full-time and half-time programs will be offered and staffed according to enrollment.

On Tuesday night, the Kirkwood Board of Education voted unanimously in favor of offering full-time, tuition-free kindergarten in spite of concerns voiced by some residents at the meeting. Dr. Tom Williams, superintendent of schools, said starting in the 2012-2013 academic year both full-day, tuition-free kindergarten and half-day, paid kindergarten will be offered for parents. “This is going to have major impact in the school district,” said Williams before the board moved to approve the matter. “I think it is going to be a very positive impact. It’s something that I think we’ve waited for for many years.” Before the vote, however, some parents and residents addressed the board with questions and concerns about the program. “Kids these …

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Kirkwood School Board Discusses Kindergarten Rates at Tonight's Meeting

The Kirkwood School Board meets at 7 p.m. at the district’s administrative center.

At tonight's meeting, the Kirkwood school board will set the kindergarten tuition rates for the upcoming year. According to the agenda for today's meeting, the recommended action is to set the full-day kindergarten tuition free, beginning in the 2012-2013 academic year.  The board held an open forum with residents on Nov. 9 to discuss the possibility of a tuition-free, full-day kindergarten. The matter was discussed with residents, teachers and members of the Kirkwood Board of Education.  (Read previous story: Residents Flock to Kindergarten Forum) At the forum, Kirkwood School District Superintendent Tom Williams said the passing of Proposition 1 last year makes it a possibility for every child in the district to enroll in kindergarten …

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Residents Flock to Kindergarten Forum

Residents, faculty and staff of the Kirkwood School District attended a community forum to discuss implementing tuition-free, full-day kindergarten.

More than 200 people packed the North Kirkwood Middle School cafeteria Wednesday evening. They came with questions and comments on a single issue: the price of kindergarten in Kirkwood. Dr. Tom Williams, superintendent of the Kirkwood School District, told the crowd that Proposition 1, which passed last fall, will provide the space for every child in the district to enroll in full-day Kindergarten. "Before, we couldn't even talk about it because we didn't have the space to offer it to every student," community relations director Ginger Fletcher said. "But with Prop 1, which was a one-time expense, we now have the space, so now we want to figure out a process." The school board generally sets rates for kindergarten in December, which is …

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