WATCH: MISD Hosted Kindergarten Information Night for MIPA Families

Mercer Island, WA, November 7, 2024 – The Mercer Island School District hosted a Kindergarten Information Night last night at Northwood Elementary for Mercer Island Preschool Association (MIPA) families.

The evening started with Island Park principal Joby McGowan, who is a former kindergarten teacher, speaking to future MISD parents about kindergarten students daily and weekly schedules. McGowan’s presentation gave families a tangible understanding of daily instruction and practice in kindergarten classrooms, how often subjects are taught, and how often students attend specialist classes, like music, art, PE, and library, and the number of recesses in a school day.

Executive Director of Learning Services Nova Williams followed McGowan and spoke to families about kindergarten curriculum. Williams highlighted kindergarten math, science, social studies, and social and emotional learning curriculum that is used in classrooms. Williams showed families what our student assessment tools are, how we share assessment data, and how teachers and staff support a student, who does not need special services, that falls behind.

View Kindergarten Information Night Presentation Slide Deck

Williams spent significant time speaking to families about how technology is used in kindergarten classrooms, including answering questions from families where she accentuated the small amount of time students actually use iPads in the classroom.

Superintendent Dr. Fred Rundle presented to families on the current status of enrollment in MISD, giving families an overview of historical enrollment in the district and spotlighting how the district is currently above our budgeted number for enrollment in the 2024-25 school year. Rundle also brought the families up to date on our Long Range Facility Plan and that the School Board is considering putting a Bond before voters in April to make classroom and facilities upgrades at MIHS and Crest and to reunite the IMS campus under one roof, completing the campus improvements our community began in 2014 to replace aging structures with a cohesive, modern building designed to improve teaching and learning conditions for all.

The trio of MISD leaders took questions from families after their individual presentations and in a Q&A session after all of the presentations.

All four elementary schools will be hosting a Kindergarten Information Night on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, which families can attend to learn more about the school and connect with the school principal and kindergarten teachers. The times of each school’s information night are below.

• Island Park – 6-7pm
• Lakeridge – 6-7pm
• Northwood – 6-7pm
• West Mercer – 6-7pm

For more information on kindergarten enrollment, families can visit our Kindergarten Enrollment page.