Junior Kindergarten
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Junior Kindergarten? Junior Kindergarten is a full-day, five-day kindergarten program designed for children who would benefit from a two-year kindergarten experience. Junior Kindergarten might be a strong option for a child who needs more time to develop academic, social, self-monitoring and fine and gross motor skills. The program might also be appropriate for a child who has limited pre-school experience.
Who is eligible for Junior Kindergarten? Children who turn five on or before May 30, 2026, are eligible for Kindergarten. Those with birthdays between June 1 and September 1, 2026, may be considered for either Junior Kindergarten or Kindergarten, allowing families and educators to work together to determine the most appropriate placement. For children turning five between September 2 and December 1, 2026, Kindergarten eligibility is possible through a waiver process. Children who turn five on or after December 2, 2026, will be eligible for Preschool.
Is Junior Kindergarten right for my child? Please visit Huron Valley Schools’ website to view the chart with a series of questions that may help you determine whether or not your child is a candidate for Junior Kindergarten.
Where will the program be offered? Locations will be determined by the level of interest in the program. It is HVS’ goal to locate the programs in a geographically diverse manner across the district.
When will the program locations be determined? The Junior Kindergarten program locations will be determined at the end of March, and will be based on the level of interest in the program.
Do I have to pay for Junior Kindergarten? Junior Kindergarten is free to all families – including schools of choice families who live outside of Huron Valley Schools’ boundaries. HVS receives the full per-pupil foundation allowance from the State of Michigan for every child enrolled in the program.
What is the Junior Kindergarten curriculum look like? The Junior Kindergarten curriculum is a play-based, learn-by-doing approach. It tends to involve more active learning than the traditional kindergarten program.
Will my child have transportation? Transportation will be provided to students living within the program location boundaries. Once locations are determined, HVS will also be able to determine the transportation routes.
What is the schedule for Junior Kindergarten? Junior Kindergarten will follow the same school calendar as all other HVS schools, with start and end times the same as our elementary schedule: 9:10 a.m. to 4:07 p.m.
What if you have more interest than spaces available? If applications exceed available classroom seats at a particular school, those requests will be selected for approval in the following order:
• Students with siblings in the junior kindergarten school;
• Lottery system if the number of applications exceeds available openings.
• Special consideration may be given for unique situations.
If I’m interested in Junior Kindergarten for my child, what are the next steps? Contact pupil.services@hvs.org or 248-676-8431.