Peoria Unified is encouraging families of incoming kindergarteners to enroll now for the 2021-22 school year.

While school starts on Wednesday, Aug. 4, the district wants to make sure all families feel prepared for their child’s first school experience.

Peoria Unified will host Kindergarten LIVE, a virtual event to highlight the district’s free, all-day kindergarten program to help answer questions for families. The parent information session will include Melissa Anderson-Larance, curriculum and instruction coach at Canyon and Desert Valley elementary schools, discussing the value of early childhood education.

During Kindergarten LIVE, Peoria Unified will walk families through standard kindergarten expectations, help address questions on new school year jitters, engaging online activities for students, strategies for families to support their children, and more.

To acclimate new students, elementary schools across Peoria Unified are also hosting Jump Start this summer for families of incoming kindergarten and first-graders. Jump Start is an eight-day program which includes checks for foundational skills and begins reviewing the basic areas of focus that the youngest learners need to be successful.

Along with hosting in-person and virtual events, Peoria Unified has staff to assist families with the enrollment process over the summer. Families can enroll their kindergartener online at www.peoriaunified.org/kindergarten or call 623-486-6115 over the summer if they need additional assistance.

Peoria Unified School District is located in the Northwest Valley city of Peoria, Arizona and is home to 42 public schools. The district has an enrollment of more than 37,000 students and 4,000 staff, serving as one of the largest employers in the West Valley and one of the largest unified school districts in Arizona.