Kindergarten Fact Sheet

 

How do I find out which elementary school my child will attend? 

A map is available at kindergarten registration and at each of the elementary schools. This map shows the four designated school attendance areas. You may also call the Tahoma Transportation Department at 425.413.3220 to confirm your attendance area.

Where can I register my child for kindergarten?

Parents may register their child for kindergarten at their service school.

My child’s daycare is in a different school service area than our own neighborhood school. How do I get permission for my child to attend a school other than the one to which our neighborhood is assigned?

Waivers are only granted for specific reasons such as special education program needs or childcare situations. For childcare waiver situations, please fill out the “Application for Waiver of Elementary School Attendance Area – Childcare.” Any other reason would need a letter explaining your unique situation, addressing this to Dr. Carole Stowitschek, Director of Special Services, Tahoma School District, Central Services Center. In addition, exceptions for attending a school outside of your attendance area are made only on space availability. Transportation to and from the school will be provided as long as your child’s pick-up/drop-off points are within the service area of that school.

What if we live outside of the Tahoma School District, but desire to attend school in Tahoma?

Students living outside Tahoma School District are not allowed to attend Tahoma schools. In addition, if your childcare is located within the district boundaries, but your primary place of residence is not, we cannot accommodate your child in our schools.

What if I don’t have all of my child’s immunizations completed now as I register?

This is not uncommon. It is the responsibility of the parents to provide the school nurse/office staff with verification of required immunizations prior to the child starting school. Failure to do so may result in the child being denied entrance to school.

When will we know who our child’s teacher will be?

About the 3rd week of August you will receive a postcard/letter in the mail with an appointment for you and your child to come to your child’s school and meet their teacher. These appointments take place three days prior to the start of kindergarten. We are unable to make classroom/teacher assignments until that time because registration is still taking place and enrollment is not set.

When will my child start school?

Please check the district calendar for the first day of school. The school staff and PTA will also welcome you as part of the school community.

When will I know whether my child will attend an a.m. or p.m. kindergarten session?

It is difficult to have a firm split of a.m. and p.m. students until the majority of students are registered. We can’t be certain of our bus routes and staffing until registrations take place. We find that this does not happen until summer. However, it is our goal to notify you whether your child will be a.m. or p.m. at your school’s spring orientation. A map will be posted showing which areas will be a.m. and which will be p.m. Even then, changes may occur after this time depending on remaining incoming registrations. Parents will be notified by their school’s office staff should there be any change in their child’s a.m./p.m. assignment. 

What will be the start and end times for a.m. and p.m. kindergarten sessions?

9:10 - 11:55 for A.M.

12:55 - 3:40 for P.M.

How many children will be in my child’s kindergarten class? 

Tahoma School District staffs all of their grades K-3 classrooms with the average ratio 1:23. Sometimes there are fewer students, and sometimes more. We work to create balanced classrooms based on gender, age and special needs.

What special programs will my child receive in kindergarten?

Most of the learning time will be spent in your child’s classroom. Your child will also receive instruction from music, physical education, library, and computer classes. These decisions are determined at each building and are based upon space availability in the schedule and staffing.

What kinds of things can I do to prepare my child for kindergarten?

We find that children come with varied experiences to the school setting. Each child tends to develop in a variety of areas at various rates. Simply including them in your day-to-day activities, listening to them, talking to them, reading to them, teaching them to do things for themselves, providing peer interaction opportunities—all of these assist a child in growing and learning.