Registration for Kindergarten and Junior Kindergarten Academy

Students who turn 5 years old on or before September 1st are eligible to begin their educational journey!

We know families begin thinking about whether to send their child to kindergarten months in advance of the first day of school. You might be wondering if your son/daughter is ready for the demands of a full day of school. There are two options for age-eligible children in the Sioux Falls School District. Both are free, full-day experiences:

  • traditional kindergarten (offered at all elementary schools); OR

  • junior kindergarten academy (offered at 3 elementary schools).

A strong foundation for future academic growth begins early. Parents and guardians who know their child best determine if kindergarten or junior kindergarten is the best option. Whatever you decide, public schools offer a safe, nurturing environment for your child every day.

Is Junior Kindergarten Academy Right for Your Child? Attend a screening night to find out!

The Sioux Falls School District's Junior Kindergarten Academy (JKA) is a FREE full-day program designed to help young learners build social skills, emotional confidence, and academic readiness before entering kindergarten.

To determine if Junior Kindergarten Academy is the right fit for your child, our 3 elementary sites will be hosting a Screening Night on Thursday, April 9th, 2026 from 4:00 to 6:00 pm. During these sessions, families will meet with educators to assess their child’s developmental readiness and explore how Junior Kindergarten Academy can support their learning journey.

If your child turns 5 on or before September 1st and you’re considering an extra year of foundational learning, we invite you to attend a screening night!

Junior Kindergarten Acadmey

John F. Kennedy

Date

April 9th, 2026

Time

4:00 to 6:00 pm

Location

John F. Kennedy
4501 S. Holbrook Ave.

Reserve Your Spot Here

Robert Frost

Date

April 9th, 2026

Time

4:00 to 6:00 pm

Location

Robert Frost
3101 S. 4th Ave.

Reserve Your Spot Here

Terry Redlin

Date

April 9th, 2026

Time

4:00 to 6:00 pm

Location

Terry Redlin
1721 E. Austin St.

No sign up required, stop by anytime between 4-6 pm!

Kindergarten

SFSD's Kindergarten curriculum is designed to provide the essential skills and knowledge necessary to engage your child in the learning process, inspire their curiosity, provide them with a sense of accomplishment and help them understand the value of what they are learning.

Students learn all core subject areas and participate in 'specials' - (art, music, physical education). Breakfast and lunch are also available daily, with fees determined by income eligibility.

Locations

  • All Elementary Schools

Kindergarten Registration

Junior Kindergarten Academy

Junior Kindergarten Academy Kid

Junior Kindergarten Academy offers similar concepts as Kindergarten, and gives students additional time to develop social-emotional, cognitive, physical, and language skills. Focus areas include following multi-step directions, self-regulation, effective communication, and sustaining attention in a both a traditional classroom and a play-based setting.

Students learn all core subject areas but do not participate in 'specials' (art, music, physical education). The time is spent in social development through play. Breakfast and lunch are also available, with fees determined by income eligibility.

The Junior Kindergarten Academy is offered at 3 elementary schools across the city: John F. Kennedy Elementary, Robert Frost Elementary and Terry Redlin Elementary. Students do not need to live within the boundaries of these schools to attend Junior Kindergarten Academy.

Junior Kindergarten Academy Locations

John F. Kennedy Elementary

4501 S. Holbrook Ave.
7:40 am to 2:25 pm

Robert Frost Elementary

3101 S. 4th Ave.
8:00 am to 2:45 pm

Terry Redlin Elementary

1721 E. Austin Street
8:00 am to 2:45 pm

Who Is It For?

Elementary Access & Preparation

How and What We Learn!

Information for All Families!

Kindergarten Open House

  • Kindergarten Open House is held at each school in March.

  • Attendance at this event is highly encouraged as it allows the schools to better plan for the number of students in the fall. Families can tour the school, bring address verification documents, birth certificates, and immunization records (if complete).

  • In order to successfully complete the kindergarten or junior kindergarten online application, please have the following information available:

    • Household information – address where the family resides

    • Parent information – work and cell phone numbers, email addresses

    • Student information – personal and health/medication information

    • Local Emergency Contact(s) – address and phone numbers

    • Previous school address, phone, and fax numbers

  • Once online registration is complete and all required documents are submitted to your child's school, parents/guardians begin receiving information about the child's teacher and open house dates in mid-August.

  • The Community Learning Centers (CLC) offers out-of-school time care at (24) elementary locations.

Learn More About CLC
Online Kindergarten Registration
Apply for Junior Kindergarten Academy
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Julie Mahlum

Kindergarten & Junior Kindergarten Academy Contact

✆ (605) 367-7943
✉ Email Julie Mahlum
➢ IPC