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Kindergarten Information Presentation

2022-2023 School Year

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Welcome to the Wakefield Public Schools!

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School Assignment Process

School assignments for kindergarten are based on:

  • School zoning maps
  • Special Education needs
  • Class size equity
  • Priority for siblings

We are a METCO District

School Assignment Letters have been issued to all registered students at this point.

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Kindergarten Topics Covered in the Presentation

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Kindergarten Screening/

Orientation

The purpose of Kindergarten Screening is first and foremost to welcome our newest students and families into our communities. During Kindergarten Screening, staff members at each elementary school will look at each child through the lens of four areas: social/behavioral growth, communication skills, motor skills, and readiness skills.

Each school has shared expectations and are looking at children through the same lens. If a student screens at a school that ends up not being their home school, the information gathered will be easily transferable and relevant to the receiving school.

If a family indicated that they speak a language other than English on their home language survey, we will have a specialist at each building to screen if students need English support.

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Kindergarten Schedule

  • On the first day of school kindergarten will start the day at 10 am.
  • Anticipated school hours 8:40-2:45
  • Pick up and drop off procedures will be discussed in more detail at each individual school
  • Students will be dismissed one at a time to parent/guardian
  • Kindergarten School year ends typically 2 days earlier, to allow for K Screening

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Student Transportation

  • Bus available to students for a fee
    • Woodville, Dolbeare, Galvin Middle School, and the High School only
  • Online registration begins mid July
  • Students are assigned to bus stops
  • Routes posted week prior to start of school
  • Paid riders receive bus pass within first 2 weeks of school.
  • Contact Transportation Coordinator, Deidre Sandonato, at Central Office with any questions
    • Deidre.Sandonato@wpsk12.org

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School Lunches

The Wakefield Public Schools offers healthy meals every school day. We are excited to have the opportunity to feed the students of Wakefield nutritious and delicious meals.

Each of our schools offers school lunch and you can find the menu on the Wakefield Public Schools website. We also have Free and Reduced price meal applications and other information on the website for you to review.

Payment Service: Wakefield Public School uses MySchoolBucks.com, an online prepayment system and free monitoring of student purchases for food services.

All cafeterias have computerized registers and each student has a personalized account. All students are assigned a 4-digit Student ID number which they can use to set up an account on MySchoolBucks.com and use it when they purchase items in the cafeteria. The number will stay the same for the entire time your child is in the Wakefield Public Schools as will the information on the account. Please email Danielle Collins with any questions about food services at danielle.collins@wpsk12.org

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Wakefield Academy

Wakefield Academy’s Extended Day Programs provide a safe and enriching environment to help promote children’s physical, intellectual, emotional and social growth. Through participation in recreational, academic, and athletic activities, members build skills to help them become lifelong learners while shaping strong relationships with peers and adults.

Hours: Before School (BSP) 7:00am - 8:30am

After School (ASP) 2:45pm - 6pm

Cost: $20 per day ASP K-4

$10 per day BSP K-4

Payment: All tuition is paid by the month and payment is due in full before the beginning of each month. Payment arrangements can be made. We offer discounted tuition for free/reduced lunch families.

Registration: July 2022 for School Year 2022-2023. There is a $50 ($80 max per family) annual registration fee required.

Enrichment Programs: Wakefield Academy also offers a variety of enrichment programs designed to meet the varied interests of all WPS students. We offer outside programs such as Kids Test Kitchen, Kidcasso, Code Wiz, Chess Hero, Sports Zone, as well as teacher-run programs, just to name a few!

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Curriculum Overview

A (sample) day in the life of a Kindergarten student…

  • Morning Meeting
  • Phonics
  • Writing Workshop
  • Snack/Recess
  • Math
  • Shared Reading/Interactive Read Aloud
  • Recess/Lunch
  • Quiet Time
  • Specialist (Library, Art, Music, PE)
  • Reading Workshop
  • Play-Based Science/Social Studies

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Important Information

The following needs to be completed before your child starts school. *Please email kara.mauro@wpsk12.org with questions.

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iPass

Communication/Events

Newsletters

Social Media

Chain of Command

All questions/inquiries should go through the teacher first.

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Thank You!

For more information please see the Kindergarten Frequently Asked Questions sheet

Please complete the survey below to ask any questions that were not answered throughout this presentation.

Form - Additional Questions