Welcome to Kindergarten Guide

Welcome to Kindergarten! We are thrilled your child will be joining us in the Beaverton School District. Kindergarten is a year of wonder, joy, friendship, and learning. We are excited to take this journey with you and your child!

Beaverton offers a tremendous kindergarten program. Our knowledgeable and child-centered teachers have created inclusive, welcoming, and vibrant learning communities that value the languages, lived experiences and unique contributions of each child. Our curriculum inspires children to think, question, and investigate their curiosities. Children are given big chunks of time to explore projects of interest through play. These experiences foster engagement, a sense of belonging, and a deep love of learning.

Learning takes place not just within the school, but also at home and throughout the community. Beaverton School District is wholeheartedly committed to partnering with families to create integrated learning communities in which teachers, parents, and administrators learn from one another in support of all children. We look forward to ensuring that your child’s kindergarten experience is positive, nourishing, and filled with joyful experiences!

You are your child’s first teacher and it is our goal to nurture a positive partnership between home and school. We value our families and are committed to learning about the different lived experiences of our students through this partnership. Following are some suggestions on how to stay connected to the school:

• You will have opportunities to talk to your child’s teacher during conferences, and you can reach out to them with questions throughout the year.

  
  

• Questions you may want to ask:

• How is my child doing socially? How do you support his/her/their social development in class?

• Can I see examples of my child’s work in math, reading, writing, and play that demonstrate where he/she/they are in their development?

• What does my child do well?

• How is my child’s culture and language reflected in the classroom learning time?

• Do you have any suggestions to continue my child’s learning at home?

  
  

• Contact your child’s teacher if you are interested in volunteering in the classroom, at special events, or are interested in finding additional ways to get involved.

  
  

• Share your family’s traditions with your child’s teacher so they can be incorporated into the classroom.

The Beaverton School District uses research-based practices that focus on how young children learn best. These approaches include the following:

• Workshop Model: The student-centered Workshop Model is a structure that promotes student engagement, critical thinking, and reflection. Teachers provide instruction, or mini-lessons, in reading, writing and math followed by opportunities for students to independently practice the proficiencies of readers, writers and mathematicians. Students are given agency to pursue self-driven inquiry through joyful and collaborative experiences.

  
  

• Playful Inquiry: Playful inquiry is the practice of intentionally designing experiences for children to inquire about topics and investigate their inquiries through play. It provides equal opportunity for all students to engage in playful experiences that invite children to design, create, innovate, and share ideas. Given that play is collaborative, rather than competitive, students experience a sense of wholeness in oneself and harmony with others.

  
  

• Habits of Mind: “Habits of mind are what successful people do when they are confronted with problems the resolution of which are not immediately apparent.” Costa and Kallick (2008). Teachers work alongside students fostering the development of habits that support critical thinking, communication, and collaboration.

The transition to school can be both exciting and uncertain for both the child and the parent/guardian. There are some things you can do in supporting a smooth transition for your child.

• Communication: Spend time talking with your child. Get outside and ask them what they notice and wonder about. Encourage them to ask questions. You have considerable influence over your child’s language and brain development when engaging them in conversation.

  
  

• Read & Tell Stories: Read to your child often and engage in storytelling.

  
  

• Get to Know Your School: Talk to your child about their new school and point it out whenever you pass by. Visit the playground outside of school hours and take walks in the neighborhood. Reference your school’s website for meet & greet events.

  
  

• Small Motor Skills: Practice tying shoes and putting on coats (those buttons can be tricky). Serve lunch in your child’s lunchbox so they can practice opening containers.

Thank you for trusting us with your child. We take our student’s safety very seriously and have measures in place throughout the day:

• Bus Safety: Bus drivers are trained on bus safety and students will receive this training once school starts. Reach out to your school if you have additional questions.

  
  

• Leaving School Grounds: Students are not allowed to leave the school grounds without parent/guardian permission.

  
  

• Parents/Visitors: Parents and visitors entering the school building for any reason must sign in at the office and obtain a visitor sticker/badge to wear for the remainder of their stay.

Safety is a partnership between school, students, and parents. If at any time you feel there is an unsafe situation at any school, please contact your child’s teacher. You can find additional information in your school handbook.

Online and in-person registration is currently available for new student enrollment.

Online Registration: Click Enroll your Child on the front page of the Beaverton School District website. After the online application has been submitted, contact your child’s boundary school for school-specific forms to complete, class assignment, schedules, and other information to make your child’s transition a smooth one. If you register online, you can also upload your child’s certificate of immunization, birth certificate, and proof of address.

In-Person Registration: Pick up the registration forms at your home school. The following documents should be provided to the school secretary. Your child’s registration is complete when these forms are returned to the school:

• Completed student enrollment form

• Certificate of immunization

• Birth certificate (we will make a copy of your original)

• Migrant questionnaire

• Proof of address

Upon registration, you will fill out an Oregon Certificate of Immunization Status. Oregon Law requires that this immunization certificate is completed before your child may attend school. Immunizations are available through private physicians, clinics, and the Washington County Health Department (503-846-8851) in Beaverton and Hillsboro.

5 Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis (DTaP)

1 Mumps

4 Polio

1 Rubella

1 Varicella (chickenpox)

3 Hepatitis B

2 Measles

2 Hepatitis A

For more information, please visit our Early Learning website.

Website: https://www.beaverton.k12.or.us/departments/early-learning