I'm Ready! For School

photo of kindergarten student raising her hand

“I’m ready!” How to prepare for your child's entry into school

Preparing for your child’s transition into preschool, transitional kindergarten or kindergarten can be confusing, especially if you’re not sure where to begin. We’re here to help make sure that you have all of the information that you need to ensure a smooth introduction into elementary school for you and your child. 

We are committed to providing high-quality early education. Our youngest students, starting at age 3,  are assigned to a grade or program based on their age and previous school experience, if they’ve had any.

Consider what program is right for your child based on age

Tk or PK age chart
PK TK age comparison chart

Preschool

For our youngest students, we have an award-winning preschool program located near Castro Elementary and at Theuerkauf Elementary. You can choose either a part-day or full-day schedule, based on availability. Tuition is free for students who qualify based on income. Space is limited in some of these classes. You can find out more at our website or by calling our preschool office. www.mvwsd.org/preschool or call (650) 526-3500 ext. 1844.  

Transitional Kindergarten

For those children who are just a little bit too young to start off in kindergarten this year, we offer transitional kindergarten classes. This is a free program that runs from approximately 8:15 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. It focuses on children’s language and social emotional development in preparation for kinder. It teaches early educational skills, social-emotional and STEAM/hands-on learning and is age and developmentally appropriate. Classes are taught by credentialed teachers.  For the 2023-24 school year, TK classes were located at Theuerkauf Elementary, Mariano Castro Elementary, Gabriela Mistral Elementary, Monta Loma Elementary and Amy Imai Elementary. Click here for more information

"Day in the Life" of TK video
day in the life of TK graphic

Not sure whether to choose PreK or TK?

PreK TK comparison sheet 

Kindergarten

There are kindergarten classes at each of our elementary schools. Our elementary schools have been recognized nationally for academic excellence, innovation and technology access. Consider your child’s neighborhood school based on home address or choose to apply for kinder enrollment in one of MVWSD’s choice programs: Spanish-English Dual Immersion Program at Mistral Elementary or Parent Child Teacher (PACT) Program at Stevenson Elementary. Kinder is full day (8:00/8:30 am to 1:30/2:00 pm)

"Day in the life of a Kinder" videos

 

Is your child ready for school?

Work on your child's school skills at home

As your child's first teacher, you can have a lot of influence over how prepared they are when they enter school. Here are resources to help you.    

When children enter kinder with these skills, they start with a strong foundation (SCCOE) (In Spanish)

   * The “Are You Ready? A Family’s Guide to Starting Kindergarten” by the Center for Early Learning and the Silicon Valley Community Foundation (in Spanish)

How to Register 

www.mvwsd.org/register or 650-526-3500 ext. 1044

Open Enrollment begins in early January and continues through early February. Please check MVWSD.org/register for dates and a list of documents you’ll need to provide.

Your child’s school of attendance is generally based on your home address and district boundaries.  To look up your child’s school of attendance, see www.mvwsd.org/residency.
 
You may choose to apply for enrollment in one of MVWSD’s choice programs:  Dual Immersion Program at Mistral Elementary or Parent Child Teacher (PACT) Program at Stevenson Elementary. www.mvwsd.org/schools_and_programs.

Get involved

Once school starts, your child’s principal will send home weekly newsletters to help keep you up to date on what’s going on at your child’s school and opportunities for you to get involved.

There are a lot of different ways to get involved. Attend family engagement workshops and school events, join a district Task Force, the PTA, ELAC/DELAC, or volunteer in the classroom. Take advantage of the opportunity to model the importance of education for your child. Share your voice and advocate for your child and community.
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