To our new kindergarten students, welcome to the panda family! We are so excited for your kindergarten year at Penny Road Elementary and have some important information to share to help with a smooth start to the school year.

Our kindergarten students will each only attend one day of the first week of school (August 27 through August 30).  These staggered entry days give the team of kindergarten teachers and assistants a chance to meet you before we create your class and assign your teacher.  Which day you attend is based on the letter that your last name starts with.  (If you have an extenuating circumstance that prevents you from attending on your assigned staggered entry day, please reach out to me.)

Last names A through G will attend on Tuesday, August 27.

Last names H through L will attend on Wednesday, August 28.

Last names M through R will attend on Thursday, August 29.

Last names S through Z will attend on Friday, August 30. 

Your staggered entry day will begin as a regular school day with arrival between 8:45 and 9:10.  There will be a special table set up for kindergarten check-in on the first day, so carpool families should park and walk up. (Look for the banner and the table at the door to the left of the main entrance.) Students riding the bus will be escorted from the bus to the check-in. 

The first day is so busy and we know you might be getting worn out by the afternoon, so we will dismiss our kindergarten students at 2:00 on their staggered entry day.  Parents, if you have childcare or transportation concerns and need your child to stay until regular school and bus dismissal at 3:45, that isn't a problem.  We will make arrangements to provide supervision for any students who need to stay all day. 

Please note that all you'll need for your staggered entry day is a snack, a lunch (or money to get one from the cafeteria), and a water bottle.  Please do not bring your school supplies on your staggered entry day.  Those can be brought to Kindergarten Meet the Teacher (September 3) or on the first day of school once classes are assigned (September 4). The supply list is available here.

You will have a chance to meet all of our kindergarten teachers during your staggered entry day but, since kindergarten classes aren't formed until after staggered entry, you will not know yet which one will be your teacher.  We are very excited to invite you to the Kindergarten Meet the Teacher on Tuesday, September 3 from 9:30 to 10:00 in order to see your classroom and meet your teacher.  The classroom lists with teacher assignments will be posted at that time. Please bring your school supplies (and a parent or guardian) for this time.  Following Meet the Teacher, the PTA is hosting a kindergarten play date on our playground from 10 to 10:30 so you (and your parent or guardian) can connect with your classmates.

We would also like to extend an invitation for you to participate in the Panda Party Scavenger Hunt that will occur during our Meet the Teacher event for first through fifth grades on Friday, August 23 from 5:00 to 6:00.  You can drop by anytime during that window so that you and a parent or guardian have an opportunity to get to see the school and meet some panda staff members along the way.

If you are interested in learning a little bit more about what to expect in kindergarten, the presentation that we shared at Kindergarten Orientation in May can be viewed here.

If you have any additional questions, please don't hesitate to reach out.

See you soon, panda!