Kindergarten

Welcome to Kindergarten

  • Welcome to the Newton Public Schools! We are happy you are here. This is an exciting time for you and your family as your child gets ready for Kindergarten. While there is much information to absorb and many forms to complete, our goal is to make the process as seamless as possible. 

Kindergarten Census Survey

  • To assist us with planning for the coming year, we ask that families with students eligible to enroll in kindergarten in the 2024-25 school year, please complete this short online survey to let us know your plans for your child’s school registration. 

    Providing this information now helps us to plan for staffing and support in your child’s potential school for the upcoming school year. Even if you will not be registering your child to attend kindergarten in the Newton Public Schools or are unsure, information about your plans is incredibly helpful for our planning for the year ahead.

    Below please find a timeline for kindergarten registration:

    • November 7, 2023: Kindergarten Census Survey open. Please complete.

    • February 29, 2024: New Kindergarten Parent/Guardian Information Night virtual webinar for all families enrolling a student for the first time in the Newton Public Schools. Links to the webinar will be posted on our kindergarten registration page in late February.

    • March 1, 2024: Our online registration system will be open for kindergarten registration. Please register your kindergarten-age child by March 22, 2024, so that we can plan staffing and programming for the year ahead.

Kindergarten Registration for 2024-25 School Year

  • Kindergarten registration for the 2024-25 school year is will open on March 1, 2024. Please check back for the online registration link in March.

    Please note: you must reside in the City of Newton to enroll in the Newton Public Schools.

    If you have any questions, please feel free to email registration@newton.k12.ma.us.

Information Night for Families NEW to NPS

Age Requirement for Kindergarten

  • The Newton School Committee policy for kindergarten age requirement is as follows:  

    “Children who will be five years of age prior to September 1 of the school year during which they wish to enroll will be eligible to enter kindergarten for that school year.” 

    This means that your child must be five years old on or before August 31 of the school year in which they are seeking enrollment.

Online Registration

  • Kindergarten Registration for the 2024-25 school year will open on March 1, 2024. Please note: you must reside in the City of Newton to enroll in the Newton Public Schools.

    While there is no deadline for registration of students in the Newton Public Schools, we ask families to register their kindergarten-age child as soon as possible so that we may plan staffing and programming for the year ahead.

    Individual schools review all student registrations and will communicate with parents/guardians about any additional information that is required. In the spring, each school will also host a gathering for parents and children to meet the school principal and teachers and have an opportunity to get to know each other. Information on kindergarten orientation dates will be sent directly from your assigned school at a later date.

    For students living in a buffer zone, notification of school placements will be made as close to April 12, 2024 as possible, and parents/guardians will be notified in writing of that decision.

    If you have any questions, please feel free to email registration@newton.k12.ma.us.

    Helpful hints when registration opens:

    • Prepare by gathering all the required documents noted in the Registration Checklist (PDF document linked below)
    • Additional information documents, such as immunization and residency requirements, are also posted below
    • Use your cell phone number when registering so that you can receive a text that will allow you to upload required documents via your smartphone
    • If you need language assistance, please email our English Language Learners office: elloffice@newton.k12.ma.us
    • If you need general registration assistance or have questions, please email: registration@newton.k12.ma.us
    • If you need technical assistance, please email: registrationtechsupport@newton.k12.ma.us

    Please note: you must reside in the City of Newton to enroll in the Newton Public Schools. To review a summary document of all registration information, please follow this link:

    Kindergarten Registration Summary Document

Registration Forms

Find Your School

  • You can find your districted school (which may be subject to change based upon upcoming districting decisions) by following this link:

    Find Your School Link

    Important note! You may see two schools listed in the database under elementary or middle school. This means you live in a "buffer zone." Please see below. 

     

"Buffer Zones"

  • A buffer zone is geographical area in which residences are assigned to two schools. This allows the district flexibility in balancing class and school sizes. 

    Your online registration will automatically note if you are in a buffer zone and will provide an opportunity for you to select a preferred school.

    Your final school placement will be determined by the assistant superintendents of elementary and secondary education as close to April 12, 2023 as possible. 

    Please visit our Buffer Zone page for more detailed information.

English Language Learners (ELL)

  • By law, if a language other than or in addition to English is spoken at home, a teacher from the ELL program will assess your child's English Language proficiency during the Kindergarten screening at your school. If you need an interpreter, please inform the school prior to your screening appointment. For more information on Newton's ELL program, please visit the website page.

Additional Newton Public School Resources

Kindergarten Resources

Preschool Information Form

  • The preschool information form is sent to all local Newton preschools. Staff at the preschool is asked to fill out the form and return it to the school your child will attend in the fall. If your child attends school outside of Newton, you can provide this form to the school and ask that they complete and return it. It is an optional form that serves only to provide more information about your child.

    Preschool Information Form (PDF)

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How many elementary schools are in Newton?

  • How is my child assigned to a school?

  • Can I choose a school other than the one assigned to my address?

  • Can I tour the school?

  • Is there an age requirement for Kindergarten?

  • Can a parent decide to defer kindergarten registration even though their child is age-eligible?

  • How long is the Kindergarten day?

  • Will my child ride the bus to school?

  • What is the Blue Zone?

  • Is there an option for early drop-off?

  • Are there after school care programs?

  • What is the immunization requirement for school attendance?

  • How do schools handle a child with food allergies?

  • Why does my child have a kindergarten screening?

  • Is my child ready for Kindergarten?

  • What will my child learn in Kindergarten?

  • How do teachers communicate with parents/guardians?

  • Can I request my child be in a class with a friend or a specific teacher?