Welcome Incoming 2026-27 Kindergarten & Preschool Families!

Welcome Kindergarten Families to B. F. Day Elementary, “The Family School.” We are excited that you will be part of our school community! If you have already enrolled for Kindergarten at B.F. Day, you should have received emails from school staff to the email addresses you provided when you enrolled your child for school. One message was from substitute Nurse Kaylah and one from Principal Eckert welcoming you and sharing information about summer Kindergarten Kick-Off, and what to expect in those first few weeks of school. There’s a lot of information in the letter that we hope will help make your families transition to kindergarten a smooth one.

If you did not receive those emails, contact Sonja Haas, Office Manager: smhaas@seattleschools.org to update or correct your email address. If you are not yet enrolled in Kindergarten, it’s not too late. Visit the SPS enrollment website for more information and start your enrollment process.

Summer Kindergarten Kick-Off Details –
(Previously called Jump Start)

We are excited to be hosting Kick-off to Kindergarten (formerly known as Jump Start). There is no cost to participate thanks to the sponsorship from our B.F. Day PTSA.  Kick-off to Kindergarten is designed to introduce your child to our school.  We will be getting to know classrooms and learning spaces, making new friends, and developing early learning skills. Kick-off to Kindergarten orients kindergarteners and gives them an unhurried, low-key opportunity to meet staff and peers before first – fifth graders are in the building.

Please complete the Kick Off to Kindergarten Form that was included as an attachment in the letter (or pick up in the main office).

Kick-off to Kindergarten is scheduled for August 19 – 21, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. – noon. Please arrive between 8:30 a.m. and 8:45 a.m. to get your child signed in on the first day. On Thursday and Friday, please arrive by 8:45 a.m. To enroll your child in Kick-off to Kindergarten at B.F. Day, complete the enrollment form and return it to Ms. Sonja, our office manager. You can email the registration form to bfday.kindergarten@seattleschools.org, turn it into the front office during school hours or mail it to B.F. Day.

Kick-off to Kindergarten will be taught by current kindergarten teachers and supported by special education staff. Each day students will work with a different teacher and different students. Your child’s Kick-off to mid-morning snacks will be provided for all students.

Share Important Medical Info –
Before the Kick-Off

On June 3, 2026 you should have also received an email from our Guest School Nurse, Kaylah, with detailed information for your student to start school. Please let us know in advance if your child has any food allergies or medical concerns (ex: epi-pens, inhalers, insulin, prednisone, midazolam, etc.) Seattle Public Schools requires medical forms and medication to be at the school by first day of enrollment. Please contact her and cc nurse Annette with your questions, so she can support your family in completing the necessary authorization forms regarding medication management at school. The contact information for both nurses is at the end of this letter.

B.F. Day Routines: Morning Drop Off –
End of Day Pick-Up

All drop offs and pickups for our Kick-Off to Kindergarten days will be at the gym, on the east side of the building just south of the central doors. We’ll have signs and greeters out to help you find the entrance. On the first day of Kick-off to Kindergarten, we will have a check-in table in the gym. Families may begin lining up at 8:45 a.m. During check-in, we’ll ensure your enrollment form is complete, issue your child a name tag, and assign a Kick-off to Kindergarten teacher for the day. At the end of the day, teachers meet families back at the gym for parent pickup at 12:00 p.m. No busing services are offered for Kick-off to Kindergarten.

Kindergarten & Preschool Family –
Connection Meetings September 2, 3, 4

Mark your calendars! Family connection conferences for Preschool and Kindergarten will occur September 2 – 4, 2026. More information to follow. 

The first day of school for Preschool & Kindergarteners is Tuesday, September 8, 2026. School starts at 7:55 a.m. Drop off is on the playground where students will join their classes. Classes begin moving inside at 7:50 a.m. We dismiss at 2:25 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. On Wednesdays, dismissal is at 1:10 p.m. View our Bell Schedule page.

In Person New Kindergarten –
Family Orientation August 19

On August 19, the first day of Kick-off to Kindergarten, we will host our annual Kindergarten Parent Orientation after morning drop-off. Please join me in the library at about 9:15 a.m. I’ll review tips for getting ready for school, what to expect in kindergarten, welcome you to the B.F. Day family, and provide an opportunity for questions and answers. Don’t worry, if you can’t attend on the 19, we will share the same presentation on the first day of Kindergarten shortly after drop-off, at around 8:00 a.m.

Preschool & Kindergarten Summer Play Dates

On the last day of Kick-off to Kindergarten, August 21, we will host our annual Family Play Date at 11:00 a.m. You are invited to join your child on the “upper uppers” the playground next to B.F. Day, meet other kindergarten parents, meet B.F. Day staff members, and get acquainted with the B.F. Day PTSA community. We will also have two additional Summer Playdates on August 29 and September 5. These will be on the playground from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.

Kindergarten Classroom Assignments –
Playground Social August 31

For the 2026-2027 school year, we are planning for two Kindergarten Classrooms. Our classroom rosters will be developed after Kick-off to Kindergarten. It’s a B.F. Day tradition to host an annual school-wide social before the start of the school year. We post class lists at the social on the east side of the building, by the playground.

This year, we’ll host our Playground Social on August 31, from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. on the playground. Please note that Kindergarten class configurations may be fluid until around early October. Please be prepared for a change of teachers to keep classes in their best configuration. We will contact you if a change in classrooms is needed.   

A Day in the Life of a Kinder

Kindergarten is a joyful place full of learning, laughter, and caring friends. In our classroom we check in on how we feel, enjoy read-aloud and reading activities, and practice writing during fun lessons. We explore numbers and counting in math, notice the weather, and mark special things like loose teeth and days in school. Specialists such as music, PE, library and art add creative movement and expression to our week, and outdoor snack and playtimes give us chances to run, share, and refresh. Throughout the day we build social skills, work on morning tasks at our desks, and celebrate small achievements—making every moment in K both playful and full of learning.

Volunteers

We love our volunteers and are so grateful for the time you give to our school community! Per updates to our volunteer process implemented this past year, applications are strictly invitation-only and are no longer openly available. The only way to access the application is through a direct digital invitation sent by a teacher or staff member when a specific volunteer need arises. If you are planning to help, please connect with your student’s teacher early so they can send your invitation link, and please allow 4 to 6 weeks for processing. Any questions regarding the volunteer process can be sent to bckamppi@seattleschools.org.

Transportation

Bus services are available to elementary students who live within the school’s boundary but more than one mile away from campus. If your family qualifies and you would like your student to ride the bus, please request transportation by emailing transdept@seattleschools.org or calling 206-252-0900. When emailing, please be sure to include your student’s first and last name, as well as their student ID number if possible. Because the transportation department processes thousands of requests at the start of the school year, email is highly recommended to avoid the long phone wait times typical of this peak season.

Checkout our PTSA

B.F. Day has an amazing Parent Teacher Student Organization. Find information about their social media pages and how to sign up to receive their newsletter which often includes fun family social events on the PTSA website. 

After School Child Care

During the school year, the B.F. Day PTSA coordinates after school enrichment opportunities. Signups for fall trimester enrichment will be announced in October via the Dayette, and on the B.F. Day Family Page. If you are looking for after school care, these are some of the providers that our families use:

1. On site Boys and Girls Club. Director: Kirby Lillquist. Klillquist@positiveplace.org
2. Wallingford Boys and Girls Club. You can call 206-436-1930 to find out details about their program. Students will take a Seattle Public Schools bus to the Wallingford Club after school. If you enroll your student at this site, you will also need to request transportation. You can do that by emailing: transdept@seattleschools.org Transportation will need your student’s ID #, which can be found on the letter you received from Seattle Public Schools informing you of your kiddo’s school assignment.
3. Jump on Languages. Transportation offered through Jump on Languages.
4. Hilltop Childcare Center. Transportation offered through Hilltop.

School to Family Communications

Beginning mid-August, you will receive the Dayette via email on School Messenger. The Dayette is our weekly school newsletter that is sent on Fridays. It is also available on our B.F. Day website.The Dayette is our main source of communication with B.F. Day families. It is sent nearly every week during the school year and will keep you updated on school events. Please take the time to read it to stay informed.

B.F. Day is committed to ensuring that each child is seen, heard, and valued within an inclusive school climate. I am so proud of our welcoming culture, our strong school-family partnerships, and our academic achievement. I am confident that your child will have a successful entry into the B.F. Day family.

Summer Office Hours

The office hours are 8:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. on business days in June. The office is closed and staff are on summer holiday. The office opens August 17, 8:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. through September 1, 2026.

Go Sun Dragons!

As of June 9, 2026