Full Day Kindergarten
Dear District 64 Community:
We are very excited to announce that the 2022 - 2023 school year will be the first ever to offer Full-Day Kindergarten (FDK) in District 64 at each home school. I know this has been discussed in our community for many years, so it’s great to see it become a reality. This could not have been possible without the tremendous and thoughtful efforts of the District 64 Board of Education. We’re incredibly thankful for their work on seeing this through.
Full-Day Kindergarten will provide a less hurried school day with expanded opportunities for learning in all areas of the curriculum. In addition to extended literacy and math activities, students will have more experiences in Art, Music and PE. FDK is developmentally appropriate and designed specifically for young, active learners.
Please be aware that in the State of Illinois, when a school district offers a full day kindergarten program, a half-day program must also be offered for any interested parents. Both options will be available to parents this upcoming school year and beyond.
With a new program comes new questions about FDK and how it will work in District 64.
It’s important for you to know that registration opens February 22, and the cost of tuition for FDK is $18 a day. Full-day kindergarten is available to all interested parents, and eligible families may qualify for financial assistance. If you would like to inquire further, please contact Stephanie Colon in the Business Department at (847) 318-4308.
More information, including a list of common questions and answers, can be found below. If you still have a question that is primarily building-based, please contact your principal. If your question is more related to curriculum, please contact Dr. Lori Lopez, or feel free to contact me with any questions.
Thank you again to everyone for your support in making Full-Day Kindergarten come to fruition. What a great step forward for District 64! There remains much work to do to prepare for next fall, yet we are excited about getting underway!
Sincerely,
Dr. Eric Olson
D64 Superintendent
Full-Day Kindergarten provides a less hurried school day with expanded opportunities for learning. In Full-Day Kindergarten, young learners spend:
- More time to building positive self-esteem, independence, friendships, and trusting relationships with teachers
- More time in individualized instruction to build strong foundational skills
- More time in Physical Education and the Arts
- More time in free and purposeful play
- More time in developmentally appropriate activities designed to keep our students active, engaged, and growing!
Full-Day Kindergarten provides an exceptional opportunity for our youngest learners to grow academically, socially and emotionally in a developmentally appropriate, supportive and engaging environment. FDK provides more time for friends, foundational skills, and fun!
Our Kindergarten Team is currently planning for next year and the schedule includes:
- Beginning the day with a focus on social-emotional learning and community-building
- An extended block for foundational literacy skills and instruction, including phonics, phonemic awareness, word study, writing, and reading comprehension
- An extended Math block to support differentiated learning through direct instruction and games
- Expanded participation in Physical Education (4 times per week) and Encore classes, including Art (2 times per week) and Music (3 times per week)
- Time to form deep relationships with peers and teachers, including friendship-building through lunch and recess
- Dedicated afternoon time for cooperative and purposeful play
- Expanded content area learning in Social Studies, Science, and Health that is active and engaging
At the beginning of the year, students may take some time to adjust to a full day of school. District 64 teachers are cognizant of the needs of kindergarteners and structure the school day accordingly. Teachers know that the start of the school year will look different than later in the year. Full-Day Kindergarten is designed to be developmentally appropriate, fully supporting students socially and emotionally by including opportunities for active learning and play.
Registration for both Full Day Kindergarten and Half Day Kindergarten will open later on February 22, 2022 and can be done through the District 64 webpage.
Yes, all children eligible for kindergarten have the option to enroll in the full-day program. A Half-Day Kindergarten program is available in the morning only for interested families. Please contact your child’s school principal if you are interested in a half-day program.
Hours align with our elementary school buildings:
M,T, Th, F: 8:50 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
W: 8:50 a.m. - 2:40 p.m.
The cost of tuition for FDK is $18 a day. There will be no tuition for Half-Day Kindergarten.
The FDK Student Fee is the same as grades 1-5, which is $227. The Student Fee for Half-Day Kindergarten is $114. Parents may apply for a fee waiver, which is based on income level, or may set up a payment plan by contacting the Business Office anytime after Aug 1, 2022.
Yes! Beyond the Bell will be offered through the Park Ridge Park District.
The kindergarten students ride the same bus as students in first through fifth grade. You can make your transportation selection during the registration process.
This site provides information using PDF, visit this link to download the Adobe Acrobat Reader DC software.