TK and Kindergarten Roundup is Thursday, Jan. 26, at your neighborhood school.
Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and Kindergarten Roundup, as the yearly event is called, is an opportunity for Santa Monica and Malibu parents of children entering TK or kindergarten for the upcoming year to meet the principal and teachers of their neighborhood school, learn about before and after school care, and begin the registration process for the school year.
Round up time on Jan. 26 varies by school. Find your neighborhood school based on your residence: https://bit.ly/SchoolLocator-SMMUSD.
While kindergarten is offered at every elementary school, TK is not guaranteed at every site. However, SMMUSD makes every attempt to place students in their neighborhood school or close by.
SMMUSD offers Bridges TK at Webster in Malibu, and Franklin, Grant, McKinley, Rogers and Roosevelt in Santa Monica. Edison Language Academy offers TK through its lottery enrollment system. All TK programs offer an excellent opportunity for students who have birthdays in a certain range to begin a program that prepares them for kindergarten for the following year. Bridges TK is an early learning program that is SMMUSD-aligned, STEAM-enhanced and Reggio-inspired.
California TK Expansion Program
Under the recent state-wide Transitional Kindergarten Expansion Program, SMMUSD will begin to enroll students turning five between September 2 and April 2 for the 2023-24 school year. This initiative rolls up each of the next two years by birthday making TK the entry level into public school for all students throughout the state.
Preschool Programs
The Child Development Services (CDS) department oversees programs serving preschool-age students throughout the district. The program includes fee-based part and full day programs, as well as state-subsidized programs offering free preschool for qualifying families. Preschool programs occur at John Adams Middle School, Lincoln Child Development Center, McKinley,
and Rogers elementary schools and Washington West Preschool in Santa Monica, and Webster Elementary School in Malibu.
In addition, as part of SMMUSD’s Early Learning Pathway, the district has several Seaside neighborhood preschool programs. The programs are District-aligned, Reggio-inspired, STEAM-enhanced and provide families with a robust program to positively launch their child’s early education experience. These programs are located at Grant, Franklin, McKinley elementary schools in Santa Monica, and Webster Elementary School serving Malibu families. Edison Language Academy offers a Seaside program as part of its dual immersion Spanish language program.
The early learning pathway is centered around the idea that neighborhood preschool programs are available to students residing in Santa Monica and Malibu. The District’s mission is to foster relationships between families, community and educators creating a seamless transition to elementary school.
For questions about SMMUSD preschool programs, please call the Child Development Services Office at 310-399-5865 or visit www.smmusd.org/cds.
For questions about TK or kindergarten programs, please contact your neighborhood school.
Written by Diana Bouchaaya, Communications Specialist
