Transitional Kindergarten (TK) was first established by the California Legislature last year to provide young students the first year of a two-year kindergarten program in a classroom environment that is age and developmentally appropriate. In effect, the law moved the entry date for Kindergartners back from December to September, making entering Kindergartners older, while still providing a program for those with birthdates between September and December. TK students have their own transitional kindergarten standards, curriculum, and report card.

NewhallSchool District’s TK was offered for the first time this year. The state legislation allowed a three year phase in window, moving the entry date back three months from December to September. Newhall decided to move slowly this year and phase in the new program by moving the entry date back only one month, to November. Forty-seven Newhall students whose birthdates were in the month of November participated this year.  after a successful implementation, and considering the numbers of incoming students eligible for TK, the district is ready to move the entry date for TK back to September, as the law intended.

At their November 13^th meeting, the members of the Governing Board of the district approved the new and final birth date range for TK students. Students who will turn five between September 3^rd and December 2^nd in 2013 will be Transitional Kindergarten students in 2013-2014 and will then be Kindergarten students in 2014-2015. Currently two TK classrooms are located at Newhall School and at Oak Hills School, serving eligible students from across the district. With this change in entry date, TK classes will be available at all schools. Parents may pick up TK packets at their home school site beginning February 11, 2013.