Kindergarten
Welcome, future kindergarten families!
We are excited to get to know your child as a person and a learner over the course of their years as a Colchester School District student. The district has two schools that serve students in grades K-2; Union Memorial School is located in the village and Porters Point School is in the bay. Both schools are nearly identical in their physical appearance as well as resources, staffing, and curriculum. Because the two schools are so similar, we pay close attention to enrollment levels to make sure that class sizes are also consistent.
School and Teacher Assignment
With Union Memorial School and Porters Point School being so similar in resources and staffing, it is our goal to make enrollment and subsequent class size between the two schools as equal as possible. Class size is an important factor in students’ achievement and success, and we are making it a priority to ensure all enrolling kindergarteners are placed with a comparable number of students per classroom.
While students generally attend the school located on the side of the town they live, students who live in the middle of town will be placed at the school with lower enrollment to ensure that classes and resources are balanced. Click here to read the Kindergarten School Assignment Letter and see what streets allow students to be assigned to either school. Enrolling kindergartners with siblings already attending one of the schools will be able to attend the same school.
It is our goal to have school assignments completed and families notified by late spring. Classroom and teacher placements generally go out to families in early August.
Ready to Enroll
Registration for kindergarten opens in March. Enrolling children must be 5 years old BEFORE September 1 to enroll. Follow the steps below to complete the online registration process, upload or drop off the required documentation, and attend a kindergarten information event with your child. We look forward to meeting your child and welcoming your family to their school community..
1 Complete the online registration form
All incoming kindergarten students must have their registration forms approved before the start of the school year. The online registration forms ask for basic demographic information like parent/guardian names and contact information, as well as health information and transportation needs. This information is crucial to the district so that we can adequately plan for the upcoming school year.
- If this is the first time registering your child with the Colchester School District (meaning they’ve never received PreK ACT166 funds before), click on the green Pre-Registration Form button to request access to the enrollment forms. Once approved by a registrar, you will be prompted by email to create an account and fill out the enrollment forms.
- If you’ve registered your child with the district before to receive PreK ACT166 funds, your child has already been pre-registered in our system. In March, the CSD Technology Department and Communications Office sent emails to the family of students active in our system. The emails included your child’s unique access ID and password and instructions for creating an account.
- The district is holding an in-person Kindergarten Registration Session on Wednesday, May 10 from 4:00 - 6:00 pm at both Porters Point School and Union Memorial School for those needing help creating an account or accessing the enrollment forms. We will have laptops to use and representatives from the school and our Technology Department available to answer any questions you may have about the enrollment process.
The district requires every enrolling student to submit the following documents to start school. The online form allows families to upload a photo of these documents during the online registration process or they may drop copies off at the school or the district’s Central Office. The district MUST have all three documents on file for your child to attend school, there are no exceptions.
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Proof of Residency*
REQUIRED by all Colchester schools prior to enrollment
View the list of documents accepted for Proof of Residency -
Immunization Record from your child's doctor
REQUIRED by all Colchester schools prior to enrollment
View the list of immunizations required by the VT Department of Health
View Vermont's required and recommended vaccination schedule -
Birth Certificate
REQUIRED by all Colchester schools prior to enrollment
(a copy is acceptable)
2 Attend Kindergarten Welcome Event
In the spring, incoming kindergarteners and their families are welcomed into our elementary schools to get information about the upcoming kindergarten year, tour the building, and meet some of the faculty and staff. We encourage families to register their child online before the welcome event. If you need help creating an account or completing the forms, representatives from our technology department will be also available at the below events.
- Porters Point School will hold its Kindergarten Open House at the school on Wednesday, June 7, 2023 from 3:30 - 4:45 pm. During the Open House, students will explore our kindergarten classrooms as they do fun, play-based activities to get to know each other and all of us at PPS. While children are in classrooms, parents and caregivers will learn more about kindergarten at PPS and learn how to help prepare their child for the start of school in the fall. (Please note the original PPS event scheduled for May 10 has been canceled and moved to this June 7th event.)
- Union Memorial School will hold its Kindergarten Meet and Greet on Wednesday, June 7, 2023 from 4:00 - 5:00pm. Students and their families will get to tour the building, visit the kindergarten classrooms, and meet with the principal, teachers, and school counselor. Everyone will get to enjoy a sweet treat on the playground while getting to know each other and the students will get a little taste of kindergarten by doing a fun activity. The rain date for this event is Thursday, June 8.
3 START PREPARING YOUR CHILD FOR KINDERGARTEN
There are many ways you can get your student excited about kindergarten to help facilitate a smooth transition. Until placement is determined, we suggest talking about both schools equally. We encourage you to drive or walk by both schools, use the weekends to play on both playgrounds, and talk about each school’s mascot (Porters Point is home to Pearson the Panda and Champ lives at Union Memorial!). You can even follow the schools on Instagram to see photos and videos throughout the year: @porters_point_school and @umschamps.
Contact Us
Porters Point School
Administrative Assistant
Phone: 802.264.5920
Sheila.Doherty@colchestersd.org
Union Memorial School
Administrative Assistant
Phone: 802.264.5959
Susan.Phillips@colchestersd.org