Kindergarten

Welcome to kindergarten at Hopkins Public Schools! We encourage young learners to pursue their interests, find their purpose, and discover their talents.

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Welcome 2025-26 Kindergarten Families!

In Hopkins, we believe in creating a better world by inspiring all students to reach their full potential. When students feel heard, seen and valued, they can do their very best work.

We are excited to partner with you and your upcoming kindergartner. We invite you to a series of year-before-kindergarten events designed to help your family get to know your school community and learn more about Hopkins Public Schools, our amazing schools, and our kindergarten program — which is centered around your child's academic, social, and emotional success.

Hopkins Kindergarten Option Highlights

All-day kindergarten at 6 elementary schools in Golden Valley, Hopkins, and Minnetonka
Chinese immersion kindergarten located at Eisenhower Elementary
Spanish immersion kindergarten located at Alice Smith Elementary and Eisenhower Elementary
Environmental-focused kindergarten at Gatewood Elementary

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Enroll in Kindergarten at Hopkins Public Schools

Step 1: Find Your School

To start, determine what K-12 school your scholar will attend by clicking on our School Finder tool. Once you enter the site, add your home address into the search bar to identify your schools of attendance. If you do not have an address or want to explore all schools you may click the "Find on Map" button to go directly to the map.

Find Your School

If your address does not connect to a school in the School Finder, please proceed to the Open Enrollment drop-down on the Enrollment page once you are ready to enroll.
If you want to enroll your kindergartner in a different school than designated:
- First, complete your Online Registration using your home school on the Enrollment page once you're ready to enroll.
- Then, complete the in-district transfer forms in the In-District Transfer drop-down.

Step 2: Schedule Your Child's Early Childhood Screening Before Starting Kindergarten

Early childhood screenings are a quick and simple check of how your child is growing and developing. Screenings are strongly recommended between the ages of three and four and are required before starting kindergarten. Early screenings are beneficial because if there are any areas of concern, early identification will allow time for your family to access services prior to entering kindergarten.

Appointment times fill very quickly. You can expect to find appointment times 4 to 6 weeks (or more) from today. Schedule now to reserve your space.

Questions? Please call 952-988-5017.

Step 3: Apply to Hopkins Kindergarten

Find enrollment information, application forms, and enroll your child online today!

We're excited to welcome your kindergartner to Hopkins Public Schools!

The deadline for Open Enrollment, In-District Transfer, Immersion, and VirtualEDU application forms is January 15, 2025. We encourage you to submit your child's forms ahead of the January deadline for the best chance to secure your child's spot at their preferred school. Application forms will need to be completed before the enrollment form. Once your application has been approved and you have been offered a spot at your child's school, you will be given instructions for how to complete the enrollment form.
In-district residents may enroll after the January 15, 2025 deadline, but we strongly encourage you to enroll ahead of the deadline to secure your spot.

Apply for Kindergarten

*Note: Enrollment application forms for the 2025-26 school year will be accepted starting November 2024.

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Already enrolled for Kindergarten? Join us for our Kindergarten for Families event to get to know your school, meet staff, and learn more about what to expect as your child begins their journey in Hopkins Public Schools!

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What Your Kindergartener Will Experience at Hopkins

Our Elementary Schools

Hopkins Elementary Schools at a glance:

STEM learning begins in kindergarten. Our Engineering is Elementary (EiE) curriculum introduces student to deeper STEM concepts, collaboration skills, and problem solving.
Chinese and Spanish Immersion elementary programs start in kindergarten at Eisenhower and Alice Smith Elementary.
Environmental-focused kindergarten is offered at Gatewood Elementary.
Talent Development coordinators ensure elementary students have access to rigorous educational opportunities in core subject areas.
A staff of specialists are located at each school building including a social worker, counselor, special education teachers, and more to support your child.
Digital learning enriches the classroom experience, encourages critical thinking, and puts students at the center of their learning.
Social-emotional learning such as Yoga Calm and other self-regulation strategies create environments where students can thrive. Flexible classrooms give students agency over the space they need to support their learning.
Orchestra and band begin in elementary school.
iPads are provided to all elementary students and technology support is offered in English and Spanish.

Alice Smith

A neighborhood school with a strong community feel where all families are valued. Includes outdoor education, inquiry-based learning, STEAM specialist classes,
Spanish Immersion, and restorative practices that focus on the strengths of each child.

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Eisenhower

Home to Eisenhower Community School, XinXing Chinese Immersion, Juntos Spanish Immersion, and is also an International Baccalaureate (IB) school.

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Gatewood

An environmentally focused school that helps students build connections to the natural world. Includes outdoor classrooms, a greenhouse, on-site animals, and more!

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Meadowbrook

Students have ample opportunity to build their sense of self and use their voice. Through inquiry-based and personalized learning, scholars explore a range of learning experiences that will inspire and guide them toward a brilliant future.

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L.H. Tanglen

Recognizes its students as deep thinkers who are curious, capable, and ready to explore the world around them. Tanglen offers integrated Spanish learning starting in first grade, STEM, and inquiry-based learning.

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Glen Lake

Home to Glen Lake GO, an experiential learning focused school that is fueled by monthly field trips, first-hand experiences, and connecting classroom learning to real-world experiences.

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Traits of a Hopkins Graduate

When your kindergartner graduates, they will be prepared for a brilliant future.

Your kindergartner is entering a school community committed to supporting and helping your child explore a wide range of meaningful and relevant learning experiences that will challenge and inspire.

When your child graduates, they will have traits that we believe will set them apart from their peers and set them up for 21st century success.

Three kindergarten students play outside at a makeshift play kitchen area

Traits of a Hopkins Graduate

Voice

Analyzing and evaluating an issue in order to form a judgment and learn through interdisciplinary inquiry. Hopkins scholars who think critically are prepared to innovate to shape a better world.

Confident

Embracing uncertainty with strengths and collective resources. Learning journey is shaped by successes and failures, accepting feedback, and questioning both internal and external critics.

Empathetic

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Understanding others' feelings, needs, and perspectives. Collaborate, grow through interactions, and value each person's contribution at Hopkins.

Critical Thinker

Analyzing and evaluating an issue in order to form a judgment and learn through interdisciplinary inquiry. Hopkins scholars who think critically are prepared to innovate to shape a better world.

Global and Well-Traveled

Understand the world's complexity and interconnectedness and explore beyond school to gain knowledge and believe in their power to drive change and advocate for well-being.

Holistic Thinker

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Integrates the whole self—mind, body, spirit, emotions, identities, and community. Develops emotional intelligence along with academic skills, fostering a sense of self in relation to others and embracing a brave optimism.

For questions about kindergarten curriculum, contact our Innovation, Design and Learning team:
952-988-4036.

Immersion Programs

Cross-cultural communication skills and global perspectives are essential in today's world.

Chinese and Spanish immersion programs are available to Hopkins District families and families who wish to open-enroll their children into Hopkins. . A lottery system is used at the January deadline if there are more requests for slots than spaces allotted. Additional spaces may be available after the application deadline.

There is no fee to attend XinXing Academy or the Juntos Elementary Spanish immersion program. Transportation to Eisenhower or Alice Smith Elementary is available for all students who live within the Hopkins School District boundaries.

Immersion Enrollment Information
Carolina Lloyd, Enrollment Coordinator
Carolina.Lloyd@HopkinsSchools.org
952-988-4110

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XinXing Chinese Immersion at Eisenhower Elementary

XinXing Academy is Hopkins Public Schools' all-day Chinese immersion program located at Eisenhower Elementary. XinXing Academy provides children the opportunity to develop proficiency in a second language during their elementary years. Our goal is for XinXing students to reach an advanced level of proficiency by the end of grade 12, and to develop bi-literacy in both Chinese and English.

Our immersion classrooms follow the Hopkins Public Schools curriculum, except instruction is in Mandarin Chinese. In all grades, music, art and physical education are delivered in English, but we infuse Chinese cultural components into these classes whenever possible. In kindergarten through grade 2, students receive language arts/reading, math, science, social studies, and health instruction in Mandarin Chinese. Our teachers are native speakers of Chinese, and they strive to create a positive and authentic full-day immersion experience for your child.

Hopkins offers two Chinese immersion classrooms at each elementary grade level. Chinese immersion courses continue at Hopkins West Middle School and Hopkins High School. Students who complete the full Chinese immersion track will be prepared for advanced coursework in Chinese at the college level and can earn up to 16 college credits by graduation.

Learn More About Chinese immersion

Juntos Spanish Immersion at Alice Smith and Eisenhower Elementary

Juntos Elementary Spanish Immersion program provides children the opportunity to develop proficiency in a second language during their elementary years. In kindergarten, 90% of instruction is in Spanish and 10% is in English. Students learn to read and write in Spanish first, and English literacy instruction is increased gradually as they progress through the program. Our goal is to develop Spanish-English bilingual students. Students who speak a language other than English or Spanish at home may become trilingual.

Hopkins offers two Spanish immersion classrooms at each elementary grade level. Spanish immersion courses continue at Hopkins North Middle School through our Juntos Spanish Immersion program. Additionally, Hopkins High School offers College in the Schools courses in Spanish through the University of Minnesota and AP Spanish Literature. Students who complete the full Spanish immersion track will be prepared for advanced coursework in Spanish at the college level and can which can earn up to 16 college credits by graduation.

Learn More About Spanish Immersion

Environmental-focused Kindergarten

Learning and exploring in nature

Your child will build connections to the natural world as they spark their curiosity, inventiveness, and excitement for school. While each of our elementary schools prioritize outdoor exploration and observation, both Eisenhower Elementary and Gatewood Elementary have dedicated environmental-focused classrooms. Gatewood is an environmental focus school and has an outdoor immersion kindergarten program, a greenhouse, and other outdoor spaces where students can connect with nature and engage all of their senses in learning.

When scholars have opportunities to go outside to learn, they become motivated, observant, collaborative, and self-directed. Lessons held outdoors increase student engagement in school — even after students return to indoor learning spaces.

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Before- and After-School Care

Join Kids & Company school-age care!

Kids & Company is Hopkins Public Schools' before- and after-school care program for children in kindergarten through sixth grade. We offer engaging opportunities that encourage creativity and positive relationship-building and that complement Hopkins' focus on social-emotional learning.

A fee-based program, Kids & Company is offered in each of the District's six elementary schools and is typically open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Kids & Company offers flexible scheduling to fit your family's needs. Non-school day care and summer care is also available.

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Vision 2031: Transforming School

The future demands a different type of student — that's why Hopkins is transforming school from the ground up.

The next generation of students will be asked to solve some of the world's biggest and most complex problems. The traditional school system was designed to prepare students for industrial work. At Hopkins, we are preparing students for the future, not the past.

Your kindergartner will enter a school community that is committed to supporting and helping your child explore a wide range of meaningful and relevant learning experiences that will challenge and inspire.

The core values that define us are:

Authentic Inclusivity
Intentionally Adventurous
Optimistic Innovation
Humility of Heart
Vigilant Equity
Love

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