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Welcome to our Kindergarten Round Up Registration Page!
We hope this information helps you in registering and preparing your child for Kindergarten! We look forward to partnering with you next year as your child begins their Elementary School years.
Below, you will find information and links regarding the documents you will need to register your child, as well as resources to help you prepare your student for next school year, and the learning expectations for Kindergartners.
Items Needed for Registration:
- Proof of residency( 2) – this can be a utility bill, rent, lease or mortgage statement, current drivers license, or voter registration card
- Photo ID
- Child’s Birth certificate
- Immunization record – See list below of vaccinations needed
- Proof of Physical exam
Required Immunizations
- MMR (one shot): Measles, mumps and rubella must have been given on or after the child’s first birthday.
- MMR (two shots): The minimum interval between the 2 doses of MMR is 28 days.
- POLIO (3-5 doses): Kindergarten: All kindergarteners need one polio on or after fourth birthday. If fourth dose of polio vaccine was administered on or after the fourth birthday, a fifth dose of polio vaccine is not required for entry into kindergarten. First through twelfth grade: If third dose of polio was given on or after the fourth birthday, a fourth dose is not required. The final dose of the polio series should be administered on or after the fourth birthday regardless of the number of previous doses.
- DTP/DTaP (5 shots): If the fourth dose of DTP/DTaP was given on or after the fourth birthday, a fifth dose is not required. Students between ages 7 and 12 (before 7th grade) may be considered complete with three doses and evaluation by the Department of Health School Nurse.
- Hepatitus B Series ( 3 shots)
- Hib: Number of doses of Hib varies according to age and the type of vaccine received.
- Varicella (one shot or signed proof of disease): Varicella must have been given on or after child’s first birthday. . ¨¨¨ Pre-K students must have started the series, and have a current immunization certificate
Here are links to the District Webpage that may be helpful for enrollment information:
https://polkschoolsfl.com/parents/
When you have all documentation, come to the HCE campus office and our staff will complete the process of registration.
Packets are available now for pick up in our office. We ask that you come within the hours of 8 AM and 2 PM.
During the summer you may register Monday – Thursday from 8 AM – 2 PM.
You will also have the opportunity to buy school uniform shirts for your child ($7.00 each) and get a list of classroom supplies your child will need to start school.
Please take a moment to complete our parent survey for our Virtual Kindergarten Round Up by clicking on the link below . We appreciate your input!
Kindergarten Round Up parent survey
Join us for a school tour of Highland City Elementary by clicking the link below.
Tips and Resources
Please click on the links below for valuable tips and resources to prepare your child for their Kindergarten year.
FLDOE Resources for Parents Polk Schools Kdg Readiness Checklist
Reading Activities for Parents and Children Practice actvities
Tips for Every Kindergarten Parent
Kindergarten is an exciting and critical time in your child’s development and growth. You can play an important role in this wonderful journey. Here’s what kindergarten teachers want parents to know:
- Your job isn’t over when you drop your little one off at school; it has only just begun. Your child’s teacher wants to be your partner. Keep her informed about what goes on at home that might affect your child’s behavior or academic performance. Share how what she does at school affects your child at home and do so in a way that is considerate of her time.
- This is not your grandfather’s kindergarten.Sadly, much of what happens in kindergarten is driven by high standards and preparation for standardized tests. The expectations of what children need to know when they enter kindergarten are closer to what used to be expected in 1st grade. To boost your child’s academic skills:
- Talk with your child about what interests him/her.
- Encourage your child to be curious and ask questions.
- Point out letters and numbers when you see them in books and around town.
- Support your child in solving everyday problems.
- Reading to your child once a day is not enough. Try to read together at least three times a day. Books are the gateway to building vocabulary, learning about print, and developing listening and early literacy skills. When you read, talk about the book. Discuss the characters and setting, make predictions, and create new endings. Point out letters and words in the text, and encourage him/her to recognize rhyming sounds and words and to identify beginning and ending sounds. The BOB Books: Rhyming Words boxed set is one of our favorites for early learners.
- Writing exploration at home is critical. Your child needs to have opportunities to use pencils, crayons and other writing instruments as he/she attempts to express themselves in written form. (You can shop for fun sets of markers and colored pencils in our shop!). Kids begin with scribbles and lines, move on to letters and their name, and then to words and sentences.
- The more self-control your child has, the more successful he will be in school. Children need practice in deciding how and when to express their feelings and needs, and when and if to act on impulses. Help him/her develop and practice these skills at home before he tests them at school, where the consequences are a loss of learning for him and for others.
- It’s okay to make yourself known. Come in. Look around. Peruse the textbooks and materials. Knowledge is power. When you know about the subjects your child is studying, you will be able to help him/her better and have a common understanding for discussion. Volunteering is a wonderful way to learn about what goes on at school and to show your child how much you care about what he/she is doing.
- Your child needs lots of opportunities for play outside of school. Play is the way in which he learns about himself and the people and world around him. But more often than not, play has been squeezed out of the school day. Playing both alone and in small groups helps facilitate learning and allows your child to practice skills and concepts.
- Homework is an opportunity for talking, sharing, and listening. Teachers give homework to extend the learning of the classroom. It is a chance for you to find out what your child is studying and how well he/she is grasping the skills and concepts being taught at school. Talk with your child about his homework. It shows him that you care and value what he does at school.
- Television and video games use up valuable playtime. Limit screen time. The hours spent with these electronic devices could otherwise be spent talking, reading, or actively learning through play.
- First-hand experiences are another teacher for your child. Take him/her to museums, the zoo, the aquarium, the library, parks, arts performances, and geographic locations such as the mountains, beach, forests, and deserts. And do it often. Your child will grasp concepts and skills better if he/she has experiences with the real thing.
Parents , please take time to complete the following short survey from the Polk County School District. They would like your input on the services and experiences that Title l provides. Thank you! We appreciate your time and feedback!
Learning is STEM-tastic! Please complete the following survey after participating in our STEM-tastic virtual event! We appreciate your feedback! Thank you!
Link to survey: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=qVnhPFk7W0K5ZgTTnwmbunjacqh4YdxNh3EV1QHj3LFUNzgwSUo3Tk1OTEk2QkNPRkxQTlZJOExEQy4u
Kindergarten STEM Family Fun Project
Animal Habitats
Dear Kindergarten Families,
During the week of March 15-19th HCE will be participating in a school wide virtual STEM family event. This event activity involves your whole family and can be completed at home. J
In Kindergarten, we have read stories about animals and have learned about their different habitats. We hope your family will love completing the project below as a family.
PROJECT: Animal Habitat Diorama
Simply choose an animal and create a diorama showcasing the animal’s habitat. You do not need to buy any materials, just use what you have at home. Please send in a picture of your family project to your teacher through email or class dojo. The pictures of completed projects will be displayed here at school and on our school Facebook page! Please work TOGETHER to design the animal habitat.
Have FUN and be CREATIVE!
Literacy Week Activities and Resources
How I can help my child at home build their writing skills in Kindergarten?
- Allow your child to come up with his/her own simple sentence.
- Allow your child to use “inventive spelling” where your child sounds out each words and writes what they hear vs. providing the correct spelling for them.
- Have your child reread the sentence(s) aloud to you.
- Encourage your child to use the Kindergarten High Frequency Words
Friendly reminders for your child when writing:
- Write from left to write on the paper.
- Start each sentence with an uppercase letter.
Ex. The dog is brown. 
- Use “finger spaces” between each word in the sentence.
- Draw a detailed picture that matches the sentence.
This chart shows how a Kindergarten student’s writing progresses throughout the year.
Please click this link to complete our parent survey and earn a NUT pass for your child. Thank you!
Parents , please take time to complete the following short survey from the Polk County School District. They would like your input on the services and experiences that Title l provides. Thank you! We appreciate your time and feedback!
Learning is STEM-tastic!
Learning is STEM-tastic! Please complete the following survey after participating in our STEM-tastic virtual event! We appreciate your feedback! Thank you!
Link to survey:
Literacy Week Resources
Phonics Activities
education.com/games/first-grade/word-patterns/
http://turtlediary.com/games/first-grade/phonics.html
Here are 2 websites that are great to practice spelling patterns and phonics.
Sight Words 
These are great sites to practice sight words.
https://www.abcya.com/games/dolch_sight_word_bingo
http://education.com/games/sight-words/
Here is a list of all the First-grade sight words for the year.
First Grade High-Frequency Words Checklist, 2020-2021
| Start Smart – Unit 1 (50) | Unit 2 – Unit 3/Week 2 (37) | Unit 3/Week 3 – Unit 4/Week 5 (48) | |||||||
| I | be | again | any | know | |||||
| like | come | help | from | laugh | |||||
| do | good | new | happy | listen | |||||
| to | pull | there | once | were | |||||
| you | fun | use | so | found | |||||
| he | make | could | upon | hard | |||||
| can | they | live | ago | near | |||||
| go | too | one | boy | woman | |||||
| a | jump | then | girl | would | |||||
| has | move | three | how | write | |||||
| this | run | eat | old | ||||||
| is | two | no | people | ||||||
| my | of | after | |||||||
| look | under | buy | |||||||
| little | who | done | |||||||
| where | all | every | |||||||
| here | call | soon | |||||||
| play | day | work | |||||||
| the | her | about | |||||||
| we | want | animal | |||||||
| are | around | carry | |||||||
| me | by | eight | |||||||
| she | many | give | |||||||
| with | place | our | |||||||
| for | walk | because | |||||||
| and | away | blue | |||||||
| have | now | into | |||||||
| see | some | or | |||||||
| said | today | other | |||||||
| was | way | small | |||||||
| does | why | find | |||||||
| not | green | food | |||||||
| school | grow | more | |||||||
| what | pretty | over | |||||||
| down | should | start | |||||||
| out | together | warm | |||||||
| up | water | caught | |||||||
| very | flew | ||||||||
| Unit 4/Week 6 – Unit 6/Week 1 (36) | Unit 6/Week 2 – Unit 6/Week 6 (24) | ||
| four | brother | ||
| none | father | ||
| only | friend | ||
| large | love | ||
| put | mother | ||
| round | picture | ||
| another | been | ||
| climb | children | ||
| full | month | ||
| great | question | ||
| poor | their | ||
| through | year | ||
| began | before | ||
| better | front | ||
| guess | heard | ||
| learn | push | ||
| right | tomorrow | ||
| sure | your | ||
| color | favorite | ||
| early | few | ||
| instead | gone | ||
| nothing | surprise | ||
| oh | wonder | ||
| thought | young | ||
| above | |||
| build | |||
| fall | |||
| knew | |||
| money | |||
| toward | |||
| answer | |||
| brought | |||
| busy | |||
| door | |||
| enough | |||
| eyes | |||
Other websites we use in class are:
www.getepic.com -this is used to read books. Students can even take short quizzes to check their comprehension.
http://homereadinghelper.org/1st-grade-reading-skills-reading-comprehension This is a link to an article describing some different activities you can do at home to practice comprehension strategies.
Reading Bingo
- This is a great resource to use to help you practice reading comprehension at home. Simply read a book and then pick a bingo square to write and respond to.
Please click this link to complete our Parent survey and earn a NUT pass for your child. Thank you!
Parents , please take time to complete the following short survey from the Polk County School District. They would like your input on the services and experiences that Title l provides. Thank you! We appreciate your time and feedback!
Learning is STEM-tastic!
Learning is STEM-tastic! Please complete the following survey after participating in our STEM-tastic virtual event! We appreciate your feedback! Thank you!
Link to survey: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=qVnhPFk7W0K5ZgTTnwmbunjacqh4YdxNh3EV1QHj3LFUNzgwSUo3Tk1OTEk2QkNPRkxQTlZJOExEQy4u
2nd Grade STEM Activities
Water Cycle in a Bag
Materials
1 resealable bag
Black Sharpie marker
measuring cup
water
blue food coloring (optional)
scotch tape
Procedure
- Use the black Sharpie to draw a sun, cloud, and water on the bag
- Fill a measuring cup with ¼ cup of water and add 4 drops of blue food coloring to the water.
- Slowly pour the water into the bag and seal it tightly.
- Tape the bag onto a window.
- Sit back and watch the water cycle in action!
Microwave Chocolate Cake to show a Chemical Change
Materials
1-1/2 cups all-purpose Flour
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Procedure
In a small bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Stir in water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla until well blended. Pour into an ungreased 8 inch square microwave-safe dish.
Microwave on high 3-5 minutes, turning the dish every minute, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Enjoy!
What made the gooey cake batter change into a yummy, fluffy cake? Could we change the cake back into gooey batter?
No! The gooey batter made a chemical change because we cooked it. We added lots of heat that changed the ingredients into something different…..a chocolate cake!
Literacy Week Resources
Phonics Activities
https://www.ricpublications.com.au/blog/post/12-multisensory-phonics-activities/
This website gives great ideas for how parents can help their child learn letter sounds using multi-sensory learning activities.
Sight Words
https://www.abcya.com/games/dolch_sight_word_bingo
This is a great site to practice sight words
Other websites we use in class are:
www.getepic.com -this is used to read books. Students can even take short quizzes to check their comprehension.
https://www.readingrockets.org/article/comprehension – Another site to take short quizzes to check their comprehension
www.squigglepark.com/dreamscape -this is a game we use in class. It is a reading game that reviews all kinds of reading/grammar skills.
Reading Comprehension Activity
Pick a story and have your child listen to it. When they are finished listening to the story check for understanding by asking the following questions:
- Who is the main character(s) in the story?
- What is the setting of the story? (where does the story take place?)
- What is one important event that happened at the beginning, middle, and end of the story?
- Is there a problem in the story that needs to be solved? How does the character solve the problem?
- What was your favorite part of the story
Please click this link to complete our Parent survey and earn a NUT pass for your child. Thank you!
Parents , please take time to complete the following short survey from the Polk County School District. They would like your input on the services and experiences that Title l provides. Thank you! We appreciate your time and feedback!
Learning is STEM-tastic!
Learning is STEM-tastic! Please complete the following survey after participating in our STEM-tastic virtual event! We appreciate your feedback! Thank you!
Link to survey: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=qVnhPFk7W0K5ZgTTnwmbunjacqh4YdxNh3EV1QHj3LFUNzgwSUo3Tk1OTEk2QkNPRkxQTlZJOExEQy4u
Mrs. Bowman’s STEM activity:
The Naked Egg
https://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/naked-egg-experiment/
Literacy Week Resources
For reading practice at home, students can use istation. For math practice at home, students can use Freckle.
To access both istation and Freckle, go to https://polkschoolsfl.com/
Click on Students and then click on Classlink. 
Click on the appropriate blue login button.
Istation might prompt you to download it onto your device. After you download it, there will be a new istation icon on your desktop. Students should not try to open istation from the desktop icon. Their password will not work. Once it is downloaded, students should be able to access istation through classlink.
- Please click this link to complete our Parent survey and earn a NUT pass for your child. Thank you!
Parents , please take time to complete the following short survey from the Polk County School District. They would like your input on the services and experiences that Title l provides. Thank you! We appreciate your time and feedback!
Learning is STEM-tastic!
Learning is STEM-tastic! Please complete the following survey after participating in our STEM-tastic virtual event! We appreciate your feedback! Thank you!
Link to survey: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=qVnhPFk7W0K5ZgTTnwmbunjacqh4YdxNh3EV1QHj3LFUNzgwSUo3Tk1OTEk2QkNPRkxQTlZJOExEQy4u
Mrs. Smith’s Class Project for Learning is STEM-tastic
Since we have been studying Space Exploration in Florida, I’m sending information on making an air-powered rocket so kids can see the power of thrust on a rocket. The rockets will be made and home and then they can be launched at home or brought to school on Thursday, March 18 and we will launch them out in the field beyond the PE court about 11:00. E-learners can launch them at home and send us a video or you can come and park at the ballpark and participate from the other side of the fence. I will give you the directions for making the rocket and some websites to give you some ideas. I will have a bicycle pump to launch them with. If you want to do a different kind of rocket, you will need to provide the ability to launch. We will also be doing some activities in the classroom to go along with this theme. The class with the highest participation will win a prize. Just send a picture or bring in the rocket for credit!
How to Make a Powerful Air Pressure Rocket
Supplies:
2 liter soda bottle
Cork or rubber stopper to fit in the bottle
Basketball needle
Bicycle pump
Steps:
- Remove the paper covering from the bottle.
- Push the basketball needle through the cork so that the needle is sticking out of the small side of the cork and the part that attaches to the pump is on the wider side of the cork.
- Decorate your rocket. Feel free to be creative. You can add fins so the rocket will stand up, streamers, etc. Make your personal design.
- Fill the bottle about ¼ of the way with water.
- Put the cork tightly into the bottle.
- Attach the bicycle pump to the basketball needle.
- The bottle can be propped up on the box so that it goes at an angle or it can be stood up on fins. Another option is to cut a hole in a box so that the bottle will fit upright and then make a hole in the side of the box so the pump hose can go through,
- Pump as quickly as you can. As the air pressure becomes too great for the cork to stay in, the rocket will take off. BE CAREFUL! Do not get in the way of the rocket. It takes off with great force.
Websites to give you ideas.
Wikihow.com/Make-a-Powerful-Air-Pressure-Rocket
Science-sparks.com/making/a/bottle/rocket
If you go to Pinterest and put air powered rockets in the search, you will get a large number of ideas. Some of these are very complicated. Don’t overdo it! Just have fun with it.
Kids can also make other air powered toys. Try making a car that goes with legos and a balloon.
Great Websites for learning about Space Exploration
Nasa.gov/kidsclub
Spaceplace.nasa.gov
Nasa.gov/nasa-at-home-for-kids-and-families
Spacescoop.org
Literacy Week Resources
Helpful websites:
www.getepic.com – students can read books and take short quizzes to check their comprehension
https://www.prodigygame.com/main-en/ – free math practice
https://home.xtramath.org/ – helps students to practice math facts
- Please click this link to complete our Parent survey and earn a NUT pass for your child. Thank you!
Parents , please take time to complete the following short survey from the Polk County School District. They would like your input on the services and experiences that Title l provides. Thank you! We appreciate your time and feedback!
Learning is STEM-tastic!
Learning is STEM-tastic! Please complete the following survey after participating in our STEM-tastic virtual event! We appreciate your feedback! Thank you!
Link to survey: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=qVnhPFk7W0K5ZgTTnwmbunjacqh4YdxNh3EV1QHj3LFUNzgwSUo3Tk1OTEk2QkNPRkxQTlZJOExEQy4u
Here is the link to the 5th Grade STEM activities:
Literacy Week Resources
Here are some useful resources for families:
Epic www.getepic.com – students can read books and take short quizzes to check their comprehension
Tumblebooks https://www.tumblebooklibrary.com/Default.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2f – a library of books to listen to
Resources we use in class
CommonLit https://www.commonlit.org/
Readworks https://www.readworks.org/
- Please click this link to complete our Parent survey and earn a NUT pass for your child. Thank you!
Parents , please take time to complete the following short survey from the Polk County School District. They would like your input on the services and experiences that Title l provides. Thank you! We appreciate your time and feedback!
Learning is STEM-tastic!
Learning is STEM-tastic! Please complete the following survey after participating in our STEM-tastic virtual event! We appreciate your feedback! Thank you!
Link to survey: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=qVnhPFk7W0K5ZgTTnwmbunjacqh4YdxNh3EV1QHj3LFUNzgwSUo3Tk1OTEk2QkNPRkxQTlZJOExEQy4u
Literacy Week Resources
ESE Resources
Support for Families of Children with Disabilities
https://www.supportforfamilies.org/
This website offers information to parents with multiple disabilities in children. It offers newsletters and resources, as well as upcoming events and services for educating parents and loved ones of children with disabilities.
Autism Now
This website offers online resources for information on Autism. In this website, you can find latest news, information, events, and a local agency map for finding help in your area. Another great resource is Autism Learn.
Information on IEP
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/iep.html
This is an article that gives a great and comprehensive overview of an IEP.
Educational Resource for reading and learning disabilities
https://www.readingrockets.org/
This website offers great resources to utilize at home. It offers research-based activities that help struggling readers. There is an extensive library packed with lessons on fluency, oral language, phonemic awareness, reading comprehension, and other literacy skills.
- Please click this link to complete our Parent survey and earn a NUT pass for your child. Thank you!