Kindergarten

Students who are 5 years old by 1^st of September of the enrolling year are ready to enroll in Kinder.

You can check your address at cfbmaps.com to see which elementary school is zoned to you.

Yes, you may submit an application for a transfer. Spaces are limited and are filled on a first come, first served basis. Transfers are not guaranteed. 

Yes, we invite out of district students to apply for admission. Spaces are limited and are filled on a first come, first served basis. You can submit your application for admission at cfbstellar.com.

Yes, we offer an after school care program, After the Bell (ATB), for an additional cost. This service is available until 6pm. Space is limited and are filled on a first come, first served basis. Visit After the Bell

Some addresses do qualify for transportation. To see if your child qualifies, please visit Transportation

Yes, CFBISD offers special support services. If you have questions as to whether your student may be eligible, please contact Marie Huie at 972-968-5800.

In the summertime, begin the routine of going to bed early and developing a consistent morning routine.  The practice of waking up in the morning, eating breakfast, and getting dressed will quickly become a habit.  With this routine in place, school-day mornings will be smooth and effortless!

One helpful strategy may be to incrementally decrease the amount of time the child naps by playing soft music to wake him/her or extending morning playtime.  It may also be helpful to transition to a “quiet time” rather than a nap time.

Knowing letters and sounds is not a requirement for entering kindergarten, but we encourage families to talk about the alphabet and practice at home!  

• Begin with the letters in your child’s name and build from there!
• Point out letters and words that you see as you are in a restaurant, the park, or anywhere!
• Point out the letters in your child’s name as you are reading a bedtime story.
• Buy a set of magnetic letters from the dollar store to place on the refrigerator and have your child practice putting the letters in order.
   

“Self-regulation” is a skill children need to allow them to listen, wait, and react calmly to things they might not want to hear.  Self-regulation will help your 5-year-old navigate social and academic challenges in kindergarten, like waiting for their turn, learning to read, and learning math skills.
You can teach your child self-regulation at home by:

• Being a role model and talking about your own behavior
• Promoting goal-setting
• Teaching breathing strategies
• Playing outdoor games, board games, or music
   

A kindergarten classroom in CFBISD is active and engaging!  There are many transitions during the day between whole group learning on the carpet, seat work, small group activities, and partner work.  Kindergarteners are always on the go and learning in many areas of the room in many different ways.

Here are a few activities and skills that you can practice in the months leading up to Kindergarten:

• Play card or board games to practice taking turns.
• Practice getting dressed, especially with buttons, zippers and jackets.
• Write first name with the first letter capitalized and the rest of the letters lowercase.
• Visit the library every week.
• Participate in structured activities that require sitting still for 10-15 minutes.
• Engage in a lot of conversation!
• Notice texts at the grocery store and while driving down the street.
   

This may range from campus to campus, but it will always include 20 minutes of reading every night!  Reading to and with your child is essential in Kindergarten.

CFBISD offers a wide array of specials, depending on the type of campus you attend.  All campuses offer music, art, and PE, with many campuses offering additional extracurricular specials such as theatre, dance, technology, engineering, stem, coding, Spanish, and Chinese.  Please visit our Programs of Choice website for more information at www.enrollcfb.com.
 

Yes. Once your child is voluntarily enrolled in Pre-kindergarten or Kindergarten, Texas Compulsory Attendance laws apply. The program of study is not a ‘start and stop’ curriculum, students will attend school the entire school year.

Parents will notify the campus in writing of their child’s absence. Parents can email the attendance office or send a Parent Square Notification to document the absences. Notes must be received within 3 school days of the child’s absence. Phone calls are not accepted for valid documentation.

Parents can send a note with their child, submit a note in person, email a note to the campus attendance clerk, or send a message in Parent Square. Phone calls are not accepted for valid documentation of an absence.

Students who will be absent more than 3 school days due to family travel, planned or unplanned emergencies, or immigration/Visa stamping, a parent/guardian will submit an Extended Absence Request prior to travel.  The email is a request, and does not guarantee an approval of excusing the absences. The campus administration and District Attendance Officer will review the request and discuss the options with the parent. Include the following information in your request via email:

Child’s Name/ID#:
Date(s) of Absence(s): 
Expected date of return to school:
Total number of school days requested:
Reason for Extended Absence/Travel:   

Yes. In addition to Texas compulsory attendance laws, districts are required to enforce the 90% rule which states that students in grades Kindergarten through 12th grade must attend class for 90% of the time it is offered to receive credit or a final grade.  This rule applies even if your child qualifies for Special Education services, with an IEP or 504 Plan.

Upon return from the doctor’s appointment, parents can submit a physician’s note to document the absence. Doctor’s notes must be received within three (3) school days. The three-day period begins the day the student returns to school. Please note: Doctor’s appointments are considered excused if students attend school part of the school day. Parents can send a note with the student, submit a note in person, email a note to the campus attendance clerk, or send in via Parent Square

Yes. Truancy applies to Pre-K and Kindergarten students. Truancy or truant conduct is 10 or more unexcused absences within a 6-month period. Truancy Prevention Measures will be required for students who have unexcused absences.

We understand students experience common illnesses while attending school. If your child is sick due to a common illness, parents have four (4) parent notes to use for illnesses during each semester, totaling eight (8) for the year. These absences will not count toward truancy.

Elementary students begin school at 7:30 a.m. and end at 2:45 p.m. Students who  arrive after 10:00 a.m. are deemed absent.

Early pickups and late arrivals affect the amount of class time a student receives. If early pickups become excessive, a parent conference will be requested to discuss a plan for improvement.

Kindergarten Withdrawal: Kindergarten students who are age six (6) must enroll in another educational institution prior to withdrawal. If students do not enroll in another appropriate program, unexcused absences will continue to accrue and truancy intervention measures will apply.