Orcutt Union School District

Full Day Kindergarten

“We are proud of our full-day kindergarten and believe it to be an outstanding educational option for students. We encourage all families of eligible children to enroll in this exciting program now. See you on campus in the coming school year!”

Holly Edds, Ed.D., Superintendent, Orcutt Union School District

A teacher reads a picture book to a group of children in a library setting.

Everything You Want to Know About Full-Day K

Orcutt Union School District is delighted to offer full-day kindergarten! Enrollment for the upcoming school year begins March 1st. Families are invited to register children who will turn five on or before September 1. The following is intended to be a reference guide for parents on full-day kindergarten. Please read on for information on the benefits of this initiative, the schedule, and much more.

Benefits of Full-Day K

Full-day kindergarten, quite simply, will give students a stronger start in school. A full day of learning will help build a strong foundation of reading, writing, and math skills that will lead to more school success in the future. A full-day schedule also provides more opportunity for socialization and developmental activities.

Benefits of full-day kindergarten recently listed by the National Association of School Psychologists include the following:

Higher long-term achievement
Higher test scores
Higher reading scores in early grades
More time spent in individualized instruction
Greater creativity
Higher self-esteem and independence
Greater progress in social skills
A more relaxed, less hurried school day with more varied experiences
More reinforcement of positive social behaviors
Fewer grade retentions

A smiling child plays with colorful building blocks in a classroom setting.

What You Can Expect from an Orcutt Kindergarten Class

Our kindergarten classrooms are safe, nurturing environments for students. Students will experience the following:

Highly qualified, caring, dedicated classroom teachers
A school principal who is visible, accessible, and responsive
A rigorous, challenging academic program coupled with time for developmental exploration and play
Physical education, music, and art classes throughout the week
Socialization and facilitation of social/emotional growth for students
Classrooms that include spaces for hands-on learning, developmental play, and centers
Strong parent-school partnerships and the opportunity for parents to be involved
Early intervention for struggling students

The district has made an investment in facilities and instructional materials in support of full-day kindergarten. The district also has made a commitment to assign to each kindergarten class an instructional assistant who can support student learning. We feel we have all the components in place for a successful full-day kindergarten program.

Children and an adult sit on a rug, playing with colorful blocks and balls.

The Full-Day K Schedule

The kindergarten school day will be the same length as other grade levels at our elementary and K – 8 schools.

8:00am - 2:15pm

Joe Nightingale Patterson Road Pine Grove Olga Reed K-8 Wednesday "early out" schedule is from 8:00am - 1:00pm
8:30am - 2:45pm

Alice Shaw Ralph Dunlap Wednesday "early out" schedule is from 8:30am - 1:30pm
8:40am - 3:00pm

Orcutt Academy K-8 Wednesday "early out" schedule is from 8:40am - 2:00pm

Helpful Information

A group of children sit on the floor doing an activity involving a colorful rainbow.

Like other elementary school students, kindergartners are able to ride the bus to and from school utilizing bus stops designated by the district Transportation Department. Parents/guardians of kindergartners should plan for supervision of their child at the morning bus stop and also should make sure they or a designee is present to receive their child when the bus arrives in the afternoon.

Bus Stop and Schedules
Our school district takes pride in ongoing communication with parents. Early in the school year, parents are invited to attend a Back to School Night at which the teacher outlines plans and expectations for the school year. Additionally, teachers will be scheduling parent-teacher conferences in September. During the conference, teachers share about the student’s progress and converse with parents on goals for the year. This conference is an important opportunity for teachers and parents to establish a partnership.

Schools communicate frequently with parents via the ParentSquare platform for communication. Schools regularly post messages via email and occasionally send out text alerts. ParentSquare also provides Spanish translation for parents.
Like other elementary school students, kindergartners may partake in breakfast and lunch on campus. All school meals are free, and will be served in “ready to eat” fashion. The district Child Nutrition Program will send out menus and meal information via the district's ParentSquare platform for school-home communication.

Menus
Orcutt schools are safe, comfortable places for students, and student safety is the district’s top priority. Teachers work to forge a bond with each of their students and also to foster a sense of community in their classroom. Classroom and school rules and expectations are reviewed with students at the beginning of the year. Students are closely and actively supervised at recesses and mealtimes. Teachers and principals focus on rewarding positive behavior and preventing problems, but they also are ready to set limits and apply appropriate consequences when issues occur. Safety also entails emergency preparedness, and schools regularly hold drills to be ready for a range of emergency situations.