In Kindergarten, our students learn both academic and social skills that serve as a foundation for future success in their K-12 journey. We stress the importance of learning how to work with others, and have regular opportunities to practice these skills. Besides a daily choosing time, Kindergarten students have the opportunity to build lasting friendships at any of the three recesses that our students participate in. This unstructured, but closely supervised, time is critically important for providing a balanced educational experience.

Living in the beautiful community we do, we capitalize upon the local natural sites and resources available to deepen our Kindergarten students' understanding of the world. Our students experience the anticipation and excitement of watching chicks hatch from eggs as part of their study of the life cycle. They observe hermit crabs in an environment that they help construct under the guidance of our natural resource specialist. And our Kindergartners get to appreciate the variety of plants and animals that live in our coastal environment by traveling to Cape Meares.

"We can do hard things" is a mantra in Kindergarten. Students are taught how to engage in the productive struggle, persevere, and grow stronger brains. In every classroom family, the culture for learning reflects the value of hard work and doing our best. Our Kindergarten teachers infuse the excitement of learning and growing into all educational experiences.