Pre-Kindergarten

2023-2024 Enrollment Opens at 8:00 a.m.
Feb. 10, 2023

Online enrollment is first-come, first-serve

For in-person appointments contact 913-993-6441

Pre-kindergarten in Shawnee Mission: Imagine. Explore. Discover
The Shawnee Mission School District (SMSD) is proud to offer a Pre-kindergarten (Pre-K) program for 4-year-old students living in the district. The district program is developmentally and educationally appropriate and emphasizes students' need for active learning. Teachers provide a stimulating environment of challenging materials and engaging activities essential to the growth and development of each child. Research suggests that a Pre-K program structured around these components will best serve students.

Pre-K students are exposed to learning experiences that promote social, emotional, physical, language, and cognitive development. They learn skills such as taking turns cooperatively, sharing, and following directions — all essential components for future social, behavioral, and academic success.

view a video glimpse of Pre-K and Kindergarten learning

Pre-K Curriculum Standards & Grade Level Expectations

To attend Pre-K, students must:

live within the boundaries of the Shawnee Mission School District
be four-years-old on or before August 31 of the year in which they will attend Pre-K
be independent with toileting (fully potty-trained with no more than one accident within a two-week timeframe)

Students who are five years old on or before August 31 are not eligible for Pre-K.

If you are interested in enrolling, here are some steps to determine your options:

1. Determine what school your child will attend. If you do not know, please use the “School Finder” provided on this webpage: https://www.smsd.org/about/boundary-maps.

2. Look at the Pre-K options available at the school buildings listed below. If a pre-kindergarten class is not offered at your child’s school yet, there may be a school nearby that does offer the program. Please see the list of sites below.

3. Online enrollment for the 2023-2024 school year will open at 8 a.m. on February 10, 2023. If you are a new family to the Shawnee Mission School District, click here to access online enrollment. If you already have children enrolled and attending Shawnee Mission schools, you should log into your Skyward Family Access account and select New Student Enrollment to enroll your incoming pre-K or kindergarten student. Enrollment will be processed on a first-come, first-serve basis. (Please note: To complete online enrollment, you must use a laptop, tablet, or desktop. If you do not have access to one of these devices, please make an appointment to enroll in person by contacting the early childhood department at 913-993-6441.)

4. The following documents will need to be provided as part of the enrollment process: child's birth certificate and immunization records; proof of residency to include a fully executed lease agreement or mortgage statement and two current utility bills; parent photo identification; and a current physical exam for the child (Information regarding immunizations and physicals can be found here.).

5. If you still have questions, please reach out to the contacts listed on the right side of this page.

In the 2023-2024 school year, Shawnee Mission School District will continue to offer fee and no-fee pre-kindergarten options for families.

No-fee half-day Title I Pre-K option (Qualifications apply - must live in Title I school boundary) offered at Comanche, Merriam Park, Nieman, Rosehill, and Shawanoe.

No-fee half-day grant-funded Pre-K option (Qualifications apply) offered at ApacheIS, Bluejacket-Flint, Brookridge, Broken Arrow, Crestview, Highlands, Lenexa Hills, Nieman, Rising Star, Roesland, Santa Fe Trail, and Shawanoe.

Tuition-based half-day Pre-K option offered at Brookwood, Highlands, Lenexa Hills, Rhein Benninghoven, Roesland, and Trailwood,

Pre-kindergarten in Shawnee Mission is a half-day program. Wraparound care options are available at some sites through third-party partners, Johnson County Parks and Recreation and YMCA.

The following information is provided to assist families in identifying which option may best fit your needs.

Is my child eligible for FREE Pre-K?

To enroll in schools offering free, Title I-funded Pre-K, students must live in the attendance area of a Shawnee Mission Title I school and show an academic need. To enroll in free grant-funded locations, students must meet at least one of the following requirements:

Family qualifies for the free lunch program.
Family qualifies for reduced lunch support (Note: specific locations based on grant requirements).
Custodial parent is unmarried at the time of enrollment.
Student has been referred by the Division of Children’s Services for educational services.
At least one parent was a teen when the student was born.
At least one parent is lacking a GED or high school diploma at the time of enrollment.
Student has limited English proficiency based on assessments.
Student qualifies for services under the Migrant Education Program.
Student is developmentally delayed based on assessments but not at the level of qualifying for special education services.
Student is experiencing homelessness (must complete qualifying documentation with McKinney-Vento Liaison for school year in which child will enroll)

If my child does not qualify for no-fee Pre-K, what are my options?

In the 2023-2024 school year, the district will offer tuition options at: Brookwood, Highlands, Lenexa Hills, Rhein Benninghoven, and Trailwood.

What is the cost of the tuition-based Pre-K program?

In 2023-2024, the tuition cost for Pre-K is $3,400. Tuition will be billed in 10 equal installments of $340. Tuition is due the first day of each month beginning in August, and continuing through May.

What are the hours for the Pre-K program?

The district offers a five-day a week, half-day program with morning or afternoon sessions available. See the district calendar for dates when school is not in session.
The morning session of Pre-K is from 8:10 to 10:55 a.m. The afternoon session of pre-k is from 12:25 to 3:10 p.m.

pre-K enrollment
(for families new to the district)

Skyward Family Access
(For Families with Children Already in SMSD)