More transitional kindergarten classrooms are opening in the San Diego Unified School District next year. The nine new classrooms will add 180 seats to the program.
TK can be a bridge between preschool and kindergarten for both students and their parents, said Santos Gonzalez, the district’s early childhood education program director.
“It's a great way to connect with your school community as a parent and a family,” she said. “You get to know the principal. You get to know all the teachers. But you also introduce your child to the school environment, and that's always a nice, soft landing place to start.”
San Diego Unified offers TK at nearly every elementary school in the district except Virtual Academy or Mt. Everest Academy, an alternative school.
TK isn’t the only option for 4-year-olds in San Diego Unified. The district also has two preschool programs.
“Parents are very lucky right now,” Gonzalez said. “The state has made it so that they have multiple options available to them.”
Families below a certain income level can enroll their kids in a state-funded preschool program. Part-time programs are at 17 schools. Central Elementary hosts an extended-day program. Both are five days a week.
The district also offers a district-funded preschool program that is open to all families living in the district. It’s four days a week for three hours a day. That program is at 12 sites, and space is limited.
That’s why TK can be a good option for working families, Gonzalez said.
“We find that this is a really great program for parents that need full day coverage,” she said.
With multiple options available, parents have to decide whether preschool or TK is a better fit. If kids are eager to make new friends, Gonzalez said, it could be the right time for TK.
“If your child is excited about the prospect of entering school, that's a surefire sign that they're ready,” she said.
TK classrooms have two teachers and up to 20 students.
School staff are there to make the introduction less intimidating, Gonzalez said. She suggests that families visit their neighborhood school as part of the TK enrollment process.
“Take them to visit their future teacher, their principal, walk the grounds and get them used to what ‘big kid’ school is,” she said. “You'll find that a lot of kids really acclimate to that and are excited for that first day to start."
Enrollment is now open online and continues until the start of the school year. If parents need help with the online forms, Gonzalez said, they can visit their school’s office.
