Iron County School District Gears Up For Kindergarten Registration Season

As spring approaches, the Iron County School District is gearing up for kindergarten registration, an exciting milestone for families preparing to send their young learners to school for the first time.

“We have a lot of future kindergarten students that are pretty excited,” said Steve Burton, Director of Elementary Education, on the radio. “Parents may or may not be excited to relinquish their kindergarten students to our wonderful teachers, but we’re looking forward to welcoming them.”

Burton explained that the district prioritizes smaller class sizes for younger students, aiming for approximately 23 students per class to allow teachers more one-on-one time with each child.

Stephanie Shaheen, a kindergarten teacher at East Elementary, emphasized the importance of early social and academic development. “It’s great for them to interact with other students their same age and work through things together for the first time,” she said on the radio. “Along the way, we’re working on very important skills to help them be ready for their years in school, including reading and math.”

Jennifer Smith, an instructional coach for the district, highlighted the support available for both students and teachers. “We assess students on their phonics and numbers, then provide help for those who are struggling and enrichment for those who are already reading,” she said on the radio.

Ashley Peterson, the district’s literacy specialist, described how kindergarteners respond to early reading instruction. “Everybody learns to read the same way, regardless of age,” she said on the radio. “Kindergarteners soak it up like sponges. We make it fun with games, movement, and songs, and they really latch onto it.”

The district transitioned to full-day kindergarten in recent years, though half-day options remain available. “The vast majority of parents prefer full-day kindergarten,” Burton said on the radio. “We really feel like kindergarten is the linchpin for kids learning literacy skills.”

With registration now underway, Burton stressed the importance of early sign-ups to help allocate resources. “Each school has a registration date, mostly in March and early April,” he said on the radio. “The better turnout we have, the easier it is to put our resources in the right places.”

To help incoming students adjust, the district hosts spring meet-and-greet events. “We have fun activities for kids to work on over the summer,” Shaheen said on the radio. “It really benefits them to be there.”

Parents are encouraged to prepare their children by reading with them at home. “Just being familiar with books and understanding that print holds meaning can inspire a child to want to read,” Peterson said on the radio.

The district is using various outreach methods to inform families, including social media, community partnerships, and public announcements. More information, including registration dates and requirements, can be found on the district’s website.

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You can listen to our discussion with our friends from the Iron County School District in the podcast below.