Kindergarten Phase in Schedules for Fall 2021

Joe Nightingale, Patterson Road & Pine Grove

Alice Shaw & Ralph Dunlap



Olga Reed & Orcutt Academy K-8...stay tuned for schedules!

Beginning with the 2021-2022 school year, Orcutt Union School District will offer full-day kindergarten at all of our elementary school sites. Our kindergarten schedule will be as follows:
8:00 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. at Joe Nightingale, Patterson Road and Pine Grove schools
8:35 a.m. to 2:50 p.m. at Alice Shaw and Ralph Dunlap schools

Students turning 5 years old on or before September 1, 2021 are eligible to enroll. Kindergarten round up (registration) starts March 1, 2021. Visit our Enrollment page for more details.

Transitional Kindergarten (TK) is still available for students turning 5 between September 2-December 2, 2021. TK classes will remain half day and be held at Joe Nightingale Elementary School.

What You Can Expect in the Kindergarten Classroom:

• Safe, caring environments

• Highly qualified teachers

• Caring support staff

• Hands-on learning

• Centers

• Whole child learning—age appropriate, high academic rigor with time for developmental play

• PE, Music, and Art classes throughout the week

• Strong parent-school partnerships

Advantages of Full-Day Kindergarten:

• Higher long-term achievement

• More opportunities for developmental activities

• More access to science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) activities

• More reinforcement of positive social behaviors

• Higher self esteem and independence

• Greater creativity

• A more relaxed, less hurried school day with more varied experiences

• Higher reading scores in early grades

• Fewer grade retentions

• Higher test scores

• More time spent in individualized instruction

• Greater progress in social skills 

The Move to Full-Day Kindergarten:

The OUSD Board of Trustees made the decision to implement full-day kindergarten based on the latest educational research. We will join the other 71% of districts in California with full-day programs. The Board wants all OUSD students to have the benefits a full-day kindergarten program can provide at no cost to parents and families.

OUSD is also investing in new facilities as part of the implementation of full-day kindergarten.

Optional fee-based opportunity:

• Before/After school childcare from our Campus Connection program - More information to come....