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Central Kitsap School District

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Jump Start K

Jump Start K

Children and an adult interact in a colorful, playful environment.Jump Start K is a FREE, 20-week program for kids who will start kindergarten in 2026. It helps students gain the skills and confidence they need to be ready for success in school. 

Qualifying students attend school full time from winter through the end of the school year. They ride the big bus, play at recess, eat lunch in the cafeteria, and participate in PE, music and library. Students play and learn skills, just as they will when they start school. And with an early start, they get familiar with the school routines and rules that can sometimes be stumbling blocks for early learners.  

For the winter 2025 program, eligible families:

  • Do not qualify for a state or federal programs (such as HeadStart)
  • No previous preschool experience (unless referred by preschool)
  • Have a child who are at least 4 years old by August 31, 2025.
  • Have a child with an academic or social need (we will screen students for eligibility)
  •  

Complete an application form to start the process! Apply by December 2, 2025:

  • For the winter 2025 program, eligible families:

    • Do not qualify for a state or federal programs (such as HeadStart)
    • No previous preschool experience (unless referred by preschool)
    • Have a child who are at least 4 years old by August 31, 2025.
    • Have a child with an academic or social need (we will screen students for eligibility)
    •  

  • Complete an application form to start the process! Apply by December 2, 2025:

A friendly cartoon frog with a backpack smiles at the viewer.For more information on getting your child ready for kindergarten, check out resources on our Kindergarten pages.

Questions? Contact Lara Richardson at LaraR@ckschools.org or Lisa Hawkins at LisaH@ckschools.org.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

  • Eligibility is based on the following:

    • Student will be 5 by Sept 1, 2026.
    • Students must have little to no previous childcare experience unless they have a referral note from the childcare provider.
    • Families must make too much to qualify for HeadStart/ECEAP yet not enough to afford local daycare/preschool.

    Why We Ask for Students with No Previous Childcare

    The reason that previous childcare experience is one of our eligibility requirements is that our program focuses on the structures, routines, and interactions of an early childcare environment. Students who are currently enrolled in early childcare programs are getting this learning naturally in their programs.

    In JumpStart Kindergarten, we really slow down the academics. We cover the alphabet, students' names, basic numbers to 10, and learn social-emotional skills through play and peer interactions. 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.
    • We also screen students for academic skills for Kindergarten. We use a 100 point scale and then we rank the students by the lowest score to highest. Students who meet eligibility criteria and have the lowest scores are given higher priority for enrollment. If there are still spots remaining, we consider (in order of priority):
      1. No previous learning experience, and lowest academic scores are taken first.
      2. Students who live in the district or are out of district with siblings in the district, limited or no previous learning experience, and lowest academic scores are taken first.
      3. Students who are in the district, are referred due to social-emotional concerns from their previous provider, and lowest academic scores are taken first.
      4. Students currently enrolled in a program and do not have a referral from their current provider, and lowest academic scores are taken first.

    We typically do not get to the fourth step before all our spots are filled. 

  • Our district currently has limited program offerings. We are working on expanding and providing more options for our families.

    In partnership with Champions and other programs, we have an on-site preschool. 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.

    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.