Jump Start K

We take students from throughout the district to attend Jump Start Kindergarten programs at Esquire Hills, Silver Ridge, Cougar Valley, and Green Mountain. We work with our Transportation department to place qualified students in the closest possible site.

Eligibility is based on the following:

• Be at least 4 years old by August 31
• Be identified through a developmentally appropriate screening process
• Demonstrate a need for additional support before entering kindergarten 

Washington State recommends prioritizing students who are “furthest from educational justice,” including children who may have:

• Limited or no preschool experience
• Developmental delays or emerging skills
• Disabilities or suspected disabilities
• Housing instability
• Foster/kinship care involvement
• Multilingual learning needs
• Other barriers to kindergarten readiness 

In Jump Start Kindergarten, we focus on social-emotional skills through play and peer interactions. We really slow down the academics. We cover the alphabet, students' names, basic numbers to 10.

We have found through research, experiences, and kindergarten teacher feedback that when students come in with the ability to handle the structure of school, students more easily start to take on academics (not dependent on where they are in their academic development when they enter kindergarten).

Enrollment is based on the following:

• Number of spaces available. This changes year to year as we expand our program. This year we have five classrooms, each with 19 students to 1 certificated teacher and 1 classified teacher aide.
• Family application/interview
• Developmental screening
• Review of risk factors and access to early learning

In partnership with Champions, Martha and Mary, and YKids, there is limited availability at certain sites if they have a licensed daycare preschool program at the school. We can not guarantee access to before and after school care at certain sites.

You can find more information on our Child Care Options page.

Wonderful local programs have pre-K options for your little one. We also encourage caregivers to advocate for their children at their current childcare facility. Talk to them about how you want to ensure your child is ready for kindergarten and how they can help provide that for your child.

• Central Valley Childcare Center in Silverdale
• Martha and Mary Early Learning Center in Silverdale
• Olympic Educational Service District Early Learning Program
• Wonders of Learning Preschool

The district is providing this list of local accredited preschools in our district and is for informational purposes only. The district does not endorse or recommend any specific preschool mentioned. This list is compiled based on publicly available information and is not an exhaustive representation of all preschools in the area. The inclusion of a preschool in this list does not imply any endorsement or guarantee of its quality. Parents and guardians should conduct their own research to make informed decisions based on individual preferences and requirements.