Kindergarten

Yes, in Wichita Public Schools, we call our event Intro to Kindergarten. For students entering kindergarten in the 2025-26 school year, this event will happen on May 6, 2025. You can find the times and details for your child's school on our Intro to Kindergarten page. If you will be unable to attend, you can call your child's school to find out more information on your next steps.

The online enrollment system will only allow one parent to complete the enrollment process. That parent will include parental information for both parents so that both can receive the information. If you have questions when enrolling, call 316-866-8043 for assistance.

Parents should expect to be able to walk their student to class and meet the teacher if they haven't already. In past years, our elementary schools have staggered attendance for kindergarten students for the first few days of the school year, dividing the class into thirds so that the teachers can focus on a smaller group of students for their first day. This may make the schedule a little different the first week of school, but it will become consistent with the rest of the district/school calendar after that.

The hours for most elementary schools are from 9 a.m.-4:10 p.m. However, there are some schools that have different hours. Each school has the hours listed in the "Building Information" section of their home page.

You can find the full school-year calendar on the district's Calendar page. Most elementary schools will have a staggered first day of school for kindergarten students. Each student's first day will be a full day, but they may have a break between their first and second days of school. Your school will communicate directly with you about what to expect prior to the district's first day of school.

For all K-12 students in Wichita Public Schools, bus transportation is provided for students who live more than 2.5 miles from their assigned school. In most cases, the bus stop is within two blocks of the home address for kindergarteners. Specific bus stop information is provided closer to the first day of school. Complete the enrollment process by the in-person enrollment dates in late July to ensure that your eligible student will receive bus services beginning on the first day.

Before the first bus ride, take your child to the bus stop so that they are familiar with it. Help your child memorize their address and your phone number.

During the year, accompany your child to the bus stop in the morning and supervise them until the bus comes. Be at the bus stop to meet them in the afternoon. The FirstView app allows parents to track the bus GPS and to get up-to-date information through push notifications. This is a great tool to use while waiting to get your child from the bus! 

Kindergarten bus riders are given a yellow tag from their teacher. Keep this fastened to your kindergartener’s backpack to help remind the bus driver that the child is a kindergartener. In most cases, the kindergartners will sit up front near the driver. We encourage parents to send a small comfort toy wiht their student on the bus, like a fidget, small plush toy, or book. Please don’t send your child on the bus with food, candy, or drinks (besides those packed in a lunch).

You can sign up for latchkey, or before and after school care, during the enrollment process. Each program coordinator will choose different activities for their latchkey students. You can contact your school for specific questions about their program approach. Visit the Latchkey page for more information.

Some schools require uniform dress codes, but not all do. You can visit the Useful Information page of the enrollment site to see what was required for the current year (look for "Schools with Standardized Dress"). If you have any concerns about the standardized dress requirements, please contact your child's school before the start of the school year.

Teachers and school nurses work with students and families when this happens. We do have some extra clothes at schools, or you may put extra clothes in your child's backpack - just in case.

Yes, if you have concerns, you can speak to the building principal or school nurse, and they will be able to give you more information.

All of the elementary schools have standard fees for text books and student materials. The fee information is updated each year on the Useful Information section of the enrollment site.

The cost for school meals is on a sliding scale, including full price, reduced price, and free. To qualify for free or reduced price meals (along with other fees, families must complete the "Free and Reduced" application each year.

We provide free breakfast in the classroom for all elementary students.

Visit the Nutrition Services website for more information about school meals.

You can see an example of screening questions in the PDF in the Parent Resources section of Intro to Kindergarten. You will complete the online Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) when you enroll in person at the end of July.