Welcome to Kindergarten

Eastern Carver County Schools offers an outstanding all-day kindergarten program. Since children develop in a variety of ways and have different rates of growth, it is important that five-year-olds who enter this program are able to be successful. This program is not child care, but rather a program that is academically stimulating, engaging, motivating and developmentally appropriate for five-year-olds.  The all-day program includes specialist classes such as Physical Education, Music and Art.

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Kinder Academy is an alternative all-day kindergarten experience for children who turn five in the summer. In the state of Minnesota, children are eligible to attend kindergarten when they are five-years-old on or before September 1 of the calendar year that schools starts. This program gives parents an option for late-summer birthday students who may or may not be ready for kindergarten. Kinder Academy is not an option for early entrance.

The program will follow Eastern Carver County Schools’ kindergarten curriculum. Students who are ready to move on to first grade after one year, based on the teacher’s assessment, will do so. Students who would benefit from an additional year will stay in the program, with the same teacher. The teacher will modify the curriculum for the older children’s developmental level. This approach is consistent with Eastern Carver County Schools’ mission of personalized learning and our continuous progress initiative. After year two, older students will advance to first grade.

Transportation is available to Kinder Academy students within Eastern Carver County Schools boundaries.

Who should apply?
Children who turn 5 in the summer are the most likely candidates for this program, but any interested families will be considered. The application process will include consideration of whether a child is ready for this classroom setting. Children must be 5 years old on or before Sept. 1.

What if someone registered for kindergarten? Can they still get into this program?
Yes, if not all spaces have been filled. Contact the Welcome Center regarding your interest.

The priority deadline for Kinder Academy is January 16, 2026. Enrollments completed after the deadline will be accepted if space is still available.

Early Entrance

The Early Entrance provision accommodates the needs of a gifted learner who would be educationally disadvantaged by not beginning kindergarten at an earlier age. Through personalized learning, Eastern Carver County Schools tailors the pace of learning and instruction to each learner, giving highly-gifted students the challenge they need. Since this decision is so important, our goal is to be very careful and admit only those children who meet stringent criteria. Factors we examine to determine a child’s appropriate placement include physical health, emotional maturity, social adjustment, and intelligence. It is not advantageous for a child to enter school early unless we can predict with assurance that the child will be successful not only in kindergarten, but in the twelve years that follow. Typically, parents choose not to enroll their child in kindergarten early after considering the long-term effects early entrance may have on their child. If you would like to explore our preschool program, please know that we have scholarships available to families in need of financial assistance.

Early Entrance Policy

For more information about Early Entrance, please visit the Early Entrance webpage.

• Speaks in complete sentences

• Follows two-step directions

• Retells familiar stories with details

• Asks for help when needed

• Demonstrates curiosity

• Uses the restroom independently (clothing, hygiene, privacy)

• Independently dresses including zips, ties, buttons, and snaps

• Uses basic hygiene procedures like using a tissue and washing hands

• Recognizes many letters names
• Can identify some letters sounds
• Recognizes their first name in print
• Sits and listens to a story
• Recognizes/hears sounds in words
• Recognizes rhymes
• Family READ Toolkit from MDE

• Shows responsibility and respect for own and other’s belongings

• Takes turns and shares with others

• Interacts respectfully with others

• Verbalizes needs to an adult

• Regulates behaviors

• Identifies numerals 0-10

• Counts aloud from 0-20

• Counts objects up to 31

• Recognizes basic shapes

• Recognizes and creates simple patterns

• Writes first name  from left to right beginning with a capital letter and the rest lowercase
• Letter Formation Script
• Building fine motor skills
• Uses appropriate grips with pencil, scissors, and glue stick