Kindergarten

Regular and on-time attendance is important to your child’s success at school, starting in kindergarten. Research strongly supports the connection between your child's sense of belonging, academic achievement and attendance. In elementary schools, parents are key players in reinforcing habits of good attendance and punctuality.

Here are just a few of the reasons why your child needs to be in school each day:

• Students need time to build relationships with their teachers and fellow students and develop an overall sense of belonging.
• Students need to be in class to learn. The teaching-learning process builds on lessons previously taught.
• Lessons usually involve hands-on and teacher-facilitated activities that cannot be duplicated outside of class.
• Students develop the habits of good attendance and punctuality for later in life.

The importance of attendance cannot be underestimated. A student who's 10 minutes late every day will miss a total of 30 hours of instruction during the year. We ask all parents/guardians to join with us and make attending school a priority each and every day. 

Oregon law requires students to be 5 years old on or before September 1 to enroll in kindergarten.

BSD students must be five years old as of October 1 to apply for an early entry evaluation. Students must achieve a full-scale IQ score of 97% or above for placement. An assessment must be scheduled and completed by a psychologist of the parent's/guardian's choosing. For more information about the early entry process, please refer to School Board Policy and Administrative Rule JEBA.

Beginning in early April, a parent/guardian may request an Early Entry into Kindergarten Assessment application by emailing earlyentrykindergarten@beaverton.k12.or.us. Testing is done from June 1-August 1 for enrollment in September; no exceptions regarding testing dates will be made.

For more information, please complete the interest form below or call our Parent Information Hotline: 503-356-4325

Your child’s attitude toward school is usually established long before the first day. Here are some hints to help with the transition:

• Establish a bedtime and bedtime routine several weeks before the first day. Young children need their rest. We recommend a 7:30 p.m. bedtime for kindergartens.
• Point out your child's school as you drive or walk past and say, “Look! That’s your school. You're going to have so much fun in kindergarten! ” Talk about school as an exciting milestone in their life.
• Help your child to think of teachers and principals as positive, supportive adults. If your child has questions or concerns, let them know that they can go to a trusted adult while at school.
• Visit your local library and bookstores. Read a variety of stories with your child. Get your child excited about books.
• Actively listen to your child and encourage verbal expression of thoughts and feelings. Help your child use language to describe experiences by asking “what, when, where” questions. Get outside and ask them what they notice and wonder about. Encourage them to ask questions.
• Provide your child with opportunities for a wide variety of experiences. Take trips to zoos, parks, museums, historical sites and special events. You can even visit the playground at your child’s school.
• Give your child some at-home responsibilities such as putting toys away, setting the table or bringing in the mail.
• Practice tying shoes and putting on coats. Serve lunch in your child’s lunchbox so they can practice opening containers.
• Spend some “special time” with your child. This may include reading, drawing, coloring, playing with the toys, playing games or just having fun.

You are your child’s first teacher, and it's 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. Here are some suggestions for staying connected with your teacher and school:

• Don't hesitate to reach out to your child's teacher with questions. For example:

  • How is my child doing socially? How do you support my child's social development in class?

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

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

  • What does my child do well?

  • Can I see examples of my child’s work in math, reading, writing and play that demonstrate my child's stage of development?

• Plan to attend your child's parent-teacher conference.

• Share your family’s traditions with your child’s teacher so they can be incorporated into the classroom.
• Contact your child’s teacher or your school's Volunteer Coordinator if you're interested in volunteering in the classroom, at special events or in other ways.

• Attend your school's monthly parent organization meetings.

• Read your principal's weekly newsletter.

• Regularly check your ParentSquare account for important classroom, school and district updates.

BSD 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. 

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 and the resolution of those problems is not immediately apparent. Teachers work alongside students, fostering the development of habits that support critical thinking, communication and collaboration.

Upon registration, you'll need to fill out an Oregon Certificate of Immunization Status. Oregon law requires that this immunization certificate is completed before your child may attend school. Instructions for those families seeking a medical or non-medical exemption also are included on the form.

Immunizations are available through private physicians, clinics and the Washington County Health Department (503-846-8851) in Beaverton and Hillsboro. Required immunizations include:

• 5 Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis (DTaP)
• 4 Polio
• 1 Varicella (chickenpox)
• 2 Measles
• 1 Mumps
• 1 Rubella
• 3 Hepatitis B
• 2 Hepatitis A

Every elementary school will hold a Kindergarten Orientation for incoming families, typically in April or May. Check your school's website for the most up-to-date information including dates and times.  

In order to achieve a healthy and safe school environment for all children, we need your assistance in several areas:

Physical Exam
A complete physical before the start of school, including vision and hearing tests, is a good idea.

Emergencies
If your child is seriously injured or becomes ill, every effort will be made to contact you. Please keep your emergency information up-to-date by completing the back-to-school Online Verification yearly and/or contacting the school office with changes.

Illness
A sick child needs to be at home to protect that child and prevent exposure to other students. A child who doesn't feel well may have a difficult time concentrating and will not benefit from the instruction received during that time. Please make yourself familiar with our Too Sick for School guidelines so you know when not to send your child to school.

Health Problems
If your child has a health problem or condition that needs to have special consideration, please contact the school prior to the first day of attendance, if possible. 

Medications Required at School
If your child needs medication during school hours, please bring that medication in the original container and check it in with the school secretary. For safety reasons, it's critical that you transport the medication and complete the necessary forms at school. When requested, pharmacists are usually willing to provide two labeled containers — one for home and one for school. 

Administration of non-prescription medication by school personnel requires written instructions from the student's parent/guardian. Physician orders are no longer necessary, with the exception of dosage requirements that contradict the safe dosage on the container.

Self-medication of a non-prescription medicine is not allowed in elementary or middle schools. 

Your child’s safety is our number one priority. Our schools operate under a closed-campus policy. This policy requires that parents/guardians sign out their children in the school office whenever:

• Students are leaving the building or grounds with parent/guardian permission.
• Parents/guardians want to take students out of school for appointments or illness. (Note: You should make every effort to schedule medical and dental appointments outside of school hours to avoid missing classroom time.)

Additionally, anyone entering the school for any reason must sign in at the office and obtain a visitor badge to wear for the entirety of their stay.

Supervision for students starts when school begins and continues on bus rides, unless special arrangements have been made for specific events. Please continually remind your child of basic safety rules. It's always safest to walk your child to and from school, as well as the bus stop; it's also strongly encouraged that parents/guardians personally supervise their children at the bus stop until the bus arrives. Please know that a note from home is required when there is a change in a student's bus riding or walking routine.

Safety is a partnership between school and families. If at any time you feel there's an unsafe situation at any school, please contact your school principal.