Indian Prairie School District 204�Kindergarten Overview

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Welcome class of 2039!

Welcome to �White Eagle Elementary School

Welcome to Kindergarten

This presentation provides you with important information about our kindergarten program and registration process.

If you have not already done so, please complete the Kindergarten Information Sheet using the below link so we can share important information with you prior to registration. Official registration will begin May 1^st.

Kindergarten Info Sheet link

If you have specific student related questions, please contact our school directly at 630-375-3600 .

What is a kindergartener like?

Enjoys spending time with peers

Absorb information like a sponge

Excited about school

May be anxious about school

Short attention span; thus, needs small chunks of instruction

Enters school at various levels of development socially and academically

Enjoys hearing stories read aloud

Enjoys spending time with adults

Needs movement

Needs time to explore

Has open sense of humor

Wants to play

Is open and honest

Copies other’s behavior

Enjoys books

Needs social skill modeling and practice

Has potential for significant developmental growth

Motivated by positive reinforcement

ALL DAY KINDERGARTEN

6hrs 30 min

9:05 a.m. – 3:35 p.m.

9:15 a.m. – 3:35 p.m. on Wednesdays

Please contact your principal if you have questions about attending a half-day of kindergarten or criteria for early entrance through the Acceleration Act.

REGISTRATION

Registration will occur online after May 1^st.

Parents will receive an email with instructions on how to register their child beginning May 1^st.

When a child is registering in District 204 for the first time, a parent or guardian must provide proof of identity and age by providing one of the following documents:

• Original or certified copy of a birth certificate

(must be 5 by September 1, 2026*)

• Valid passport, or
• Other record recognized by a court of law

(ex: adoption certificate)

*In order to be considered for early entrance to kindergarten, a student must be 5 years old by December 31, 2026.

RESIDENCY

If this is your only child attending District 204 schools:

A parent or guardian must provide three proofs of residency.*

*If your child has an older sibling that is electronically certified in the spring, you may provide their verified residency letter as proof of residency.

HEALTH REQUIREMENTS & IMMUNIZATIONS

Illinois State Physical/ Immunization form due prior to the first day of school

Vision exam due by October 15, 2026

Dental exam due by mid-May 2027

SCHOOL LUNCH

Students are given 35 minutes each day for lunch/recess. Students are typically given 20 minutes to eat and 15 minutes for recess, but these times are flexible, especially as students adjust to kindergarten.

• Students may bring their lunch from home each day, may purchase milk only OR purchase a full meal.

• Menus are available online by clicking the “School Lunch Program” icon on our website.

• Applications for free or reduced lunches are usually available online after July 15^th.

Free or Reduced-Price Meal Information

THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF SCHOOL

The first full day for kindergarten students will be

Monday, August 17, 2026.

The White Eagle Kindergarten Newsletter will include specific

information about orientation times

as well as back-to-school meet & greet.

ATTENDANCE MATTERS

School attendance is essential to academic success.

Remember any lost class time results in missed learning opportunities for your child.

Help your children develop positive habits for attendance from an early age!

WHY IT MATTERS

If children don’t show up for school regularly, they miss out on fundamental reading and math skills and the chance to build a habit of good attendance that will carry them into college and careers.

Preliminary data from a California study found that children who were chronically absent in kindergarten and 1^st grade were far less likely to read proficiently at the end of 3^rd grade.

Who can Read on Grade Level After 3^rd Grade?

64% of kids with good attendance in K and 1^st (missed 9 or fewer days both years)

48% of kids with at-risk attendance (missed more than 9 days both years)

41% of kids chronically absent in K or 1^st (missed 18 or more days one year)

17% of kids chronically absent in K and 1^st (missed 18 or more days both years)

PARENT INVOLVEMENT

PTA

Volunteer

Opportunities

IPEF

(Indian Prairie Educational Foundation)

LMC

PDAC

(Parent Diversity

Advisory Council)

WHAT WILL MY CHILD BE LEARNING NEXT YEAR?

READING OVERVIEW

Word Study

• Phonemic Awareness
• Phonics
• Vocabulary
• Spelling

Decoding and Comprehension Strategy Instruction

Literature Study

Fluency

Reading Response

WRITING OVERVIEW

Word Study

Grammar Study

Writing Strategy and Skill Instruction

Written Response

Genre Study

Author Study

WHAT CAN I DO TO SUPPORT MY CHILD IN LITERACY SKILLS?

• Read

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• Read

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• Read

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• Tell Stories

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• Write/draw stories together

MATHEMATICS OVERVIEW & �UNIT APPLICATIONS

Students will be able to independently count sets of objects and compare quantities accurately for all numbers 0 through 20 within multiple real-world contexts.

Students will be able to recognize and categorize shapes found in their environment. Students will be able to categorize shapes by their attributes.

Students will use concrete objects to join sets of objects within 10 based on real world situations. Students will relate the process of addition to the + symbol within a variety of realistic experiences.

MATHEMATICS OVERVIEW & �UNIT APPLICATIONS

Students will use concrete objects to take apart sets of objects within 10 based on real world situations.

Students will relate the process of subtraction to the – symbol within a variety of realistic experiences.

Students can represent real world number stories with symbols.

Students can show how many real world objects they need to add to a set (0 through 0) to make ten.

MATHEMATICS OVERVIEW &�UNIT APPLICATIONS

Students can independently decompose teen numbers into ten ones and some further ones using objects found in their environment.

Students will be able to independently quantify and compare measurable attributes of a variety of objects found in their environment.

Students will compare quantities by interpreting graphs.

Students will be able to identify, describe, and create 3-dimensional shapes.

WHAT CAN I DO TO SUPPORT MY CHILD IN DEVELOPING NUMBER SENSE?

• Play board games or card games

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• Sing counting songs

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• Count, count, count!

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• Use your fingers to count

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• Ask, “How many do we need?”

SCIENCE UNITS OF STUDY

Earth Science –

Weather and Climate

Physical Science –

Pushes and Pulls

Life Science –

Plants and Animals Working Together

SOCIAL STUDIES UNITS OF STUDY

Community Awareness

and Map Skills

The School Community

Respect for

Culture and Traditions

Decision

Making and

Problem

Solving

Families

SPECIALS

Physical Education –

25 minutes 3 times per week with a PE teacher

• Provides opportunities for movement through exercise, dance, and games
• Develops gross motor skills
• Encourages teamwork and healthy lifestyle

Art –

50 minutes per week with art teacher

• Provides for hands- on creative expression
• Develops art appreciation for artists and cultures

Music –

50 minutes per week with a music teacher

• Provides opportunities for listening, moving, singing, and playing instruments
• Develops appreciation for music from different cultures

LMC

• Book check out

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• Place for story time

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• Direct instruction on Information Literacy skills

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• Individual and small group work

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• Makerspace

“DISCOVERY TIME” LEARNING CENTERS

Practice

Interaction

Enrichment

Creativity

Exploration

Problem Solving

Independence

Differentiation

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

Parents,��You were your child’s first teacher and will always be your child’s most important teacher!��We look forward to partnering with you.