Preparing for Kindergarten

[Espanol]

When can I register my child for kindergarten?

Children who will be 5-years old by Dec. 2 may enter kindergarten.  Register at your school, which typically will be the school closest to your home.  Contact the school any time before the start of the school year, but preferably before June.  That gives us a better idea of how many kindergarten classes we will have at each school and we can staff accordingly. 

What documents do I need to bring?

You will need to show proof of your child's age. To do
that, please bring a birth certificate, baptismal certificate,
or passport. You also will have to show proof of your
residency within the service boundaries of the school. 

Please bring any of the following: 
property tax payment receipts,
rent payment receipts,
or utility payment receipts.  (Driver's license does not qualify for proof of residency.)

Finally, you need to show proof of the following immunizations:

• Polio (4 doses)
• Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (5 doses)
• Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) (2 doses)
• Hepatitis B (3 doses)
• Varicella (1 dose)
• Tuberculosis skin test (PPD-Mantoux) given and read within one year prior to enrollment. 

Your child's immunization record must show the month and year of each dose.  (State law does allow children to be exempted from immunization for personal/religious reasons.)

PUSD offers free immunizations to all incoming students at its clinic, 200 E. 7^th Street in Pomona, Tues. 1:30 - 6:00 pm, Thurs., 1:30 - 3:30 pm.  909-397-4800, ext. 3966.

Do I get to choose morning or afternoon kindergarten?

We try to honor requests for morning or afternoon placement, but requests based on demonstrated need for a particular time are honored first.

How do I know if my child is ready for kindergarten?

Most children by the age of 5 are ready emotionally and academically to begin kindergarten.  Children who do not know at least some letters or who do not yet know colors, etc., may benefit from a pre-kindergarten experience during the summer prior to kindergarten.  Ask about it when registering.

I suspect my child has learning difficulties.  What should I do?  

We can help.  Our Special Education staff can assess your child's abilities to determine what extra help, if any, should be offered.  Please Contact Special Education at 909-397-5090.

What will my child learn in kindergarten?

By the end of the year, your child will have mastered many important skills such as understanding relationships, including number sense, same and opposites, rhyming words, and time and measurement.  Those skills all help students develop the ability to read simple sentences, write lower- and upper-case letters, as well as first and last names, and understand basic mathematics concepts by the end of kindergarten.

What if my child speaks little or no English?

We have several ways of helping your child learn English.  We will assess your child's English skills and ability, and determine with you which program will work best.  Regardless of which method we use, your child will continue to learn the core subjects of language arts, mathematics, science, and history while learning English.