Program Information

The BPS101 Kindergarten Enrichment program will coordinate with the District’s Half-Day Kindergarten Program (HDK). Kindergarten Enrichment students will engage in work and play in line with the themes and skills developed in the HDK program. These skills are an extension of the core program with an emphasis on play and exploration. All personnel in BPS Kindergarten Enrichment classes will be BPS employees and as such will be subject to BPS hiring practices, professional development, background checks, and District/on-site supervision. Lunch will be available at school for students remaining for both the HDK program and BPS Kindergarten Enrichment. Free/Reduced lunch options are available. With some potential changes, kindergarten students will remain with their HDK classmates to minimize transitions, improve communication, and allow for the development of peer-to-peer relationships. Exceptions will be made for potential balancing of sections and/or service delivery.

FAQs

How do I sign up?

All students will automatically be enrolled. If your family would like to opt-out of the kindergarten enrichment program next year, please contact your elementary school and let them know by the end of July leading up to that school year. This will allow us time to plan and get ready for the start of school. If you are ready to join us, you don’t need to do anything else to secure your spot in the program.

Who will be guiding the enrichment classes?

All personnel in BPS Kindergarten Enrichment classes will be BPS employees and, as such, will be subject to BPS hiring practices, professional development, background checks, and District/on-site supervision.

What types of activities will take place during BPS Kindergarten Enrichment? Activities planned for the enrichment portion of your child’s day include Lunch/recess; Theme-based exploration through enrichment centers and stations; Nature-based experiences with access to the outdoor classroom; STEAM activities (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math), Music, movement, and cooperative games; and, Play-based enrichment opportunities.

Are BPS Kindergarten Enrichment sections available in the AM and PM?

Yes, your child will be assigned a half-day kindergarten core section in the am or pm and then will have their enrichment in the corresponding half of the day.

When will my child be in school?

Kindergarten students in enrichment will attend school during the regular elementary day, 9:00 am to 3:30 pm.

What if my child is not successful in the full-day experience?

The school may determine that your child is not benefitting from the full-day experience. If this is determined, your child will still attend the kindergarten part of their day. While this is not common, there are situations where the enrichment part of the day does not work for young learners.

What would be an example of the enrichment part of their day?

Sample Schedule of the Day for BPS Kindergarten Enrichment

9:00-9:15 Read Aloud

9:15-9:30 Response to Read Aloud

9:30-10:15 Stations Student Choice

10:15-10:30 Outdoor Recess

10:30-10:45 Math whole group work

10:45-11:30 Stations

Lunch and Recess

1:00-3:30 Half-Day Kindergarten

Will my child miss out on learning if I decide to opt-out?

Learning will take place during the planned activities in enrichment. Activities will correspond to the half-day kindergarten portion of the child’s day. For example, based on the core content in the kindergarten teacher’s class, the stations in the enrichment portion of the child’s day will build off of these skills.

Examples:

Language- Draw letters in the sand with letter cards.

Math- Explore Pattern Blocks. Build a garden using as many shapes and colors as possible.

Culture and Science: Create art at the art easels. Participate in leaf rubbings.

Sensorial- Explore sand at the sand table

Practical Life – Fine motor skills of transfer activities with fingers, spoons, tweezers, tongs, eye droppers, or magnets. Doing cutting work.

Science- Build Keva blocks following the place cards.

If I choose to opt out, will there be a chance for me to change my mind?

Changes to the opt-out will be considered for the second semester (after winter break). Requests should be made in writing to building principals on or before December 1.

Will my child be with the same children as in the kindergarten class?

Our plan is to have classes stay together in both the half-day program and the enrichment sections. We believe this will minimize transitions. improve communication, and allow for the development of peer-to-peer relationships. Exceptions will be made for potential balancing of sections and/or service delivery.

Why isn’t BPS101 implementing a full-day kindergarten program?

The expansion of programming to a full-day kindergarten model is not financially sustainable at this time. However, the District is making progress toward the state-mandated full-day kindergarten requirement by the 2027-28 school year.

Will Kindergarten Enrichment impact students who currently receive a full-day experience as a part of a specialized program?

No. All programming for students already enrolled in a full-day program will continue.

Will there be nap time in the BPS Kindergarten Enrichment portion of the day?

We realize that some students still take naps. We will work to build our young students’ stamina for learning and activity. It can take several weeks for some students to build the stamina to learn all day. During this transition, we are cognizant of the need for some downtime. However, nap time will not be a regular part of the BPS Kindergarten Enrichment program.

Schedule

A kindergarten day for a BPS101 Enrichment Student begins at either 9:00 AM or noon, depending on their kindergarten class schedule. Students enrolled in the Enrichment Program participate in half-day kindergarten with enrichment opportunities provided during the other half of the day.