All About Kindergarten

A typical day in kindergarten includes:

• Breakfast
• Morning Meeting
• Whole Group Reading
• Independent Small Groups & Guided Reading Groups
• Lunch
• SEL/Science/Social Studies/Art/Library
• Specialists (Physical or Music Education)
• Recess
• Phonics/Phonemic Awareness
• Whole Group Math 
• Independent Small Groups & Guided Math Groups
• Whole Group Writing
• Independent Writing

• 1-pair Fiskars scissors 
• 1-package. of TICONDEROGA My FIRST Pencil (Please, no fancy pencils!) 
• 4-pack of ELMER’s glue sticks 
• 2-black and white composition notebooks 
• 2-big boxes of Kleenex 
• 1-backpack (Make sure that a folder will fit in it) 
• 2-boxes of 24 Crayola crayons 
• 1-pack of 10 Crayola washable markers 
• 1- 50 count Ziploc bags (QUART or GALLON sized) 
• 1-pack of black EXPO markers (dry erase) 

Please do not label any of the items with your child's name. We have labels for everything once they bring their supplies to school. Send supplies in a grocery bag. Thank you!
 

Our district's Early Childhood Screening is required by the state and should be completed prior to a child turning five years old. The screening is free and includes a developmental check of vision and hearing, height and weight, immunization status, large and small muscles skills/development, thinking, language and communication skills and social and emotional development. 

If your student has not yet been screened, please be sure to schedule an appointment prior to the beginning of the school year. If your student has been screened in another district, that is sufficient to satisfy this requirement.

Early Childhood Screenings are offered at:

• Arbor View Early Childhood Center: 9401 Fernbrook Ln. N, Maple Grove
• Willow Lane Early Childhood Center: 7020 Perry Ave. N, Brooklyn Center

Learn more and schedule a screening

What is ParentVUE?

ParentVUE is a personal online account for parents and guardians to access grades, attendance, contact information, scheduling for parent/teacher conferences and more. An access code to set up your ParentVUE account can be obtained by email from the school administrative assistant; please send your student's name, grade, and date of birth as well as your own name and address. Since the access code gives access to personal information, it can only be shared with the parent/guardian on student records.

What is Peachjar?

Peachjar is Garden City's online newsletter. Every Wednesday it is updated with the latest information about events and happenings in our school and community. Check it out under "Family Access" on the Garden City website. 

What is SmartSchoolK12?

SmartSchoolK12 is your family's online account to monitor and add funds to lunch accounts, register and pay for extracurricular activities and pay and review school fees. Your account can be created directly in SmartSchoolK12; find it under "Family Access."

Bus questions?

Read more about Transportation, then contact our transportation department at 763-391-7244 or busquestions@district279.org.

Breakfast

Breakfast items are distributed daily to any student at Garden City who would like them. If you have questions about breakfast or lunch, please email our Food and Nutrition Management team.

Free & Reduced-Price Lunch

Please visit SmartSchoolK12 (which can be found under the "Family Access" tab at the top of each website page) for questions about Free & Reduced-Price Lunch. Applications can also be found there; please note that forms submitted electronically will be processed quicker than those that are printed. 

Learn more about eligibility

For instructions on how to create a ParentVue account if you are not in our system already please visit our step-by-step guide.

* Kindergarten online enrollment is only available to families choosing to enroll into the home boundary school and living within those boundaries. 

• Email: EnrollmentCenter@district279.org
• U.S. mail: Osseo Enrollment Center, 7051 Brooklyn Blvd., Brooklyn Center, MN 55429

• In person: Monday-Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., 7051 Brooklyn Blvd., Brooklyn Center, MN 55429
• Lobby drop box: only available during non-business hours

• Schedule your child’s Early Childhood screening (call 763-391-8777 or schedule online).
• Required documents needed when enrolling
  • Proofs of Residency (two forms)
  • Photo ID of Parent/legal guardian
  • Birth Certificate or Passport
  • Updated child’s required immunizations