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Services and Supports » Kindergarten » Kindergarten

Kindergarten

Enroll your child in full-day Kindergarten at a PWPSD school near you. All families welcome!

Kindergarten

Online registration for the upcoming 2023-2024 school year is NOW OPEN! Kindergarten registration is open to children turning five by December 31.

Beginning the educational journey is an exciting step for children and their families. Please review the following information in preparation for the start of the school year. If you have additional questions, please contact your school.

Prior to the start of the school year, Kindergarten start-up dates are published under the "Registration" link on your school's website. 
Twin Kindergarten graduates
Teepee Creek School Kindergarten 2020 graduates and twin sisters Morgan and Jordan celebrate their achievement. 
 
Kindergarten is a program that not only helps prepare children for entry into Grade 1, but also provides a foundation for later success. Kindergarten provides learning experiences that are developmentally appropriate to meet the diverse needs of children and promote a positive attitude toward lifelong learning. A child whose developmental needs have been met is more likely to grow into a self-reliant, responsible, caring and contributing member of society.
A typical day of a student in full-day Kindergarten:
 
​Time ​Activity
​8:20 a.m. ​Arrive at school: Get settled, stow personal belongings and prepare for the day.
8:45 a.m. ​​Centres: Activity-based opportunities for free exploration, cooperation and developing social and language skills.
9:20 a.m. ​Learning time: Stories, the alphabet, songs and playing with words – so many fun ways to learn!
9:45 a.m. ​Fine motor development activities: Play dough, puzzles and forming letters.
​10:00 a.m. ​Washroom break and snacks
​10:15 a.m. ​Sharing and foundational numeracy activities.
​11:00 a.m. ​Outdoor recess
11:30 a.m. ​Theme-based learning
​Noon ​Physical activity in the gymnasium.
​12:30 p.m. ​Lunch
​1:00 p.m. ​Literacy and artistic exploration.
​1:30 p.m. ​Centres: More activity-based learning.
​2:00 p.m. ​Outdoor recess
​2:30 p.m. ​Snacks, followed by games or cross-graded reading activities.
​3:00 p.m. ​Wrap up circle time. Preparation for dismissal.
​3:20 p.m. ​Dismissal
 
Our students are supported in a safe and caring environment
 
Teacher working with kindergartens
Harry Balfour School Kindergarten students develop their fine motor skills while having fun decorating cookies. 

Parents consistently rank our schools as ‘Very High’ and ‘High’ in the following Accountability Pillar Survey categories:
  • Safe and Caring
  • Citizenship
  • Work Preparation
  • Program of Studies
  • School Improvement
  • Quality of Education
  • Parental Involvement
  • High School Completion

Kindergarten programming is offered at 18 PWPSD schools, many of which are pictured below. 

Kindergartens learning outdoors
Kindergartens at Robert W. Zahara Public School discover the world around them during outdoor learning.

kindergarten students make animal housesKindergartens at Rycroft School make houses for animals.

 

kindergartens in a classroom
Students enjoy learning in the spacious and well-equipped Kindergarten classroom at Hythe Regional School.  

 

child looking at snowflakes through a magnifying glass
The Kindergarten class at Beaverlodge Elementary School relied on their previous knowledge and experience to predict what would happen when snow was brought inside the classroom, and used magnifying glasses to get a closer look at the structure of snow crystals. 

 

children with paper pumpkins covering their faces
Kindergarten students at Eaglesham School celebrate Halloween by crafting pumpkin masks from paper plates. 

 

Kindergarten students in a classroom
Kindergartens at Harry Balfour School participate in learning centres to recognize different colours, letters and animals. 

 

Two kindergarten boys playing with playdough
Getting creative with playdough at Bonanza School. 

Kindergarten students seated at their desks
Elmworth Kindergartens give school a "thumbs up"!

Kindergarten students showing off their stick puppets
Learning how to make stick puppets at La Glace School. 

 

two boys playing with toys
Kindergartens at Wembley Elementary School participate in an engaging learning centre.

Watch our Kindergarten Registration video

PWPSD offers online registration. First-time users will need to set up an account, and then complete the online registration process. To review how the online registration process works, please visit our 'How to Register Online' webpage.

Please note: Registration is not complete until it has been approved by the school office. If you are unable to upload scanned copies of your child’s birth certificate and proof of residency, please contact the school office. Other documents, such as custody information, may be required by the school office.
PWPSD offers free transportation for students who qualify due to distance

 

young students undergoing bus safety training

Student Transportation Manager Joanne Peters (right) teaches bus safety to Kindergarten students at Harry Balfour School.
 

Free transportation is provided to students who qualify due to distance from their boundary school. Before the first day of school, bus drivers call parents to provide the bus route number, along with pick-up and drop-off times. After you receive your child’s bus route number, remember to download the Bus Status app for up-to-date bus information.

Did you know?

Positive energy at home goes a long way with self-esteem in the classroom.

Staggered entry
Some schools begin with staggered entry. At the start of the year, small groups of students receive their first introduction to school on different days. Inquire at your school about the times and dates.

What to pack:
Pack clean running shoes, a change of clothes, and a nutritious lunch and snacks.

School supplies:
Contact your child’s school to find out if you need to purchase school supplies.

Additional tips:

  • Read to your child for 20 minutes per day.
  • Get involved at your child’s school.

The Early Years

Lifelong learning starts the moment we are born. The first six years of our lives are a time of unparalleled discovery. We learn about ourselves and the world around us. Our personalities take shape and we begin to lay the foundation of knowledge that will support us as we enter the education system. Recognizing this, PWPSD and Alberta Education are committed to exploring options that provide children with access to early learning opportunities.
School authorities use the following guiding principles when working with children, as outlined in Alberta Education’s Kindergarten Program Statement:
 
  • childhoods differ depending on social and cultural circumstances;
  • children’s development is influenced but not determined by their early experiences;
  • children interact and learn in a variety of contexts;
  • children are co-constructors of knowledge and partners in learning;
  • children are unique and active contributors to their learning;
  • children construct and represent knowledge in a variety of ways;
  • children are citizens and active participants in school and society;
  • children are active collaborators in and users of assessment;
  • children may require specialized programming and supports to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes that engage them in their learning; and
  • children and their families may need coordinated community services to meet their needs.
PWPSD provides options for educational programming for children between the ages of 2 years and 8 months old, and younger than 6 years of age, as of September 1 of the current year.

Alberta Education’s ECS policy states that children identified with a severe disability or severe language delay may be eligible for up to two years of pre-Kindergarten programming. For information about program availability, call (780) 532-8133.
junior kindergartens using playdough with their teacher
The playdough learning centre is a favourite for Savanna School Junior Kindergartens.
 
Through Junior Kindergarten (JK) and playschool, PWPSD is able to initiate early intervention programs a full year earlier. Play-based learning is encouraged in JK programs, but in a more structured environment where a certified PWPSD teacher has input in the programming and instruction. The curriculum framework, Flight: Play, Participation, and Possibilities: An Early Learning and Child Care Curriculum Framework for Alberta, is used to support evolving practices, planning and provisions for young children's learning.
 
The following is a list of PWPSD schools offering a variety of JK and playschool programs:
  • Beaverlodge Elementary School
  • Bonanza School
  • Eaglesham School
  • Harry Balfour School
  • Hythe Regional School
  • Penson School (Grovedale)
  • Robert W. Zahara Public School
  • Rycroft School
  • Savanna School
  • Spirit River Regional Academy
  • Teepee Creek School
  • Wembley Elementary School
 

Some playschools are run by licensed Family and Child Support Services (FCSS) Early Childhood Development staff and offer a play-based program that follows four areas of wellness.

 

PWPSD has a partnership with FCSS for playschool programming at:

  • Bezanson School
  • Clairmont Community School
  • Elmworth School
  • La Glace School
  • Whispering Ridge Community School

 

Private Playschools and Preschools

PWPSD partners with privately-run playschools and preschools to provide programming for children with identified mild, moderate or severe disabilities/delays.

 

A private playschool is offered at:

  • Ridgevalley School
Children learn different words based on their experiences and they communicate differently because of their personalities. Even though they develop speech and language at their own pace, they do learn the same things in a similar order.


Here’s what most five-year-olds can do:


Talking:

  • Say most speech sounds correctly and are easy to understand.
  • Speak in sentences that are five-to-six words in length.
  • Ask questions using who, what, where, and why.
  • Use the present, future, and past tenses (She walks to the park. She will walk to the park. She walked to the park.).
  • Retell a story by naming the characters and talking about what happened.
  • Use different types of words, such as action (kick) and describing words (yellow, cold).


Listening/Understanding:

  • Follow three directions at a time.
  • Understand many concepts, such as colours, location words, and numbers.
  • Put things into basic groups, such as fruits, animals, and toys.
  • Understand most adult conversation, including sayings like, 'Time to hit the sack'.
  • Understand and answer most questions appropriately.
  • Like to listen to rhymes and make up their own rhymes.


Social Skills:

  • Makes eye contact with other children and adults.
  • Takes turns and wait for their turn during activities.
  • Sits quietly and listens to the teacher during circle time.
  • Says hi or hello and goodbye appropriately.


Some five-year-olds may still have trouble:

  • Saying the sounds sh, ch, j, s, z, v, r, and th. The s and z sounds may be lisps.
  • Asking questions that start with when.
  • Understanding the words above and below.


If you have concerns about your child’s development, contact Karen Chrenek, District Principal at PWPSD, (780) 532-8133.

Read our Kindergarten flyer​

Mailer
 

Kindergarten is offered at:

 

Helpful Links

How to Register Online
 
School Year Calendar

School Boundary Maps
 
Bus route notifications by email
 
Register online
 
School contact information
 
Speech and Language Pathology Service Locations: