Welcome New Kindergarten Families
INFORMATION FOR NEW KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS & FAMILIES 2023
IS IT TIME TO ENROLL MY CHILD FOR KINDERGARTEN?
Families are eligible to enroll kindergartners who will be five-years-old, on or before Sept. 1, 2023.
Exception: According to Michigan Law, a child may be enrolled in kindergarten if he/she is not five years of age on September 1, 2023, but will be five years of age no later than December 1, 2023 and parent or legal guardian notifies the school district in writing (Kindergarten Waiver Form) that he or she intends to enroll the child in kindergarten.
If you are considering enrolling your student using a Waiver Form, we STRONGLY encourage you to look into WLCSD's Junior Kindergarten Program. (See below for additional information.) In the event that you are considering enrolling your student using a Waiver Form, please email principal, RosaLeigh Johnson, and she will reach out to discuss your child's readiness.
Email: rosaleighjohnson@wlcsd.org.
JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN INFORMATION
Important Information to know:
Eligibility
Eligible students must turn 5 years old between June 1, 2018 - Dec. 1, 2018.
Locations
- Commerce Elementary
- Loon Lake Elementary
- Meadowbrook Elementary
- Pleasant Lake Elementary
- Wixom Elementary School
Program Highlights
- Full day, five days a week
- NO COST to families of eligible students
- Typical Grade Progression - Year 1: Junior Kindergarten, Year 2: Kindergarten
- Same start/end times as our elementary schools
- Follows the WLCSD 2023-2024 school year calendar
- Prime Time Care available to students (before/after school care)
- Bus transportation available if your child's home school is Commerce, Meadowbrook, Pleasant Lake, or Wixom.
- Families would need to coordinate transportation to/from school if your child's home school is not one of those schools
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN MORE INFORMATION ABOUT JR. KINDERGARTEN, PLEASE FILL OUT THE INTEREST FORM BELOW WHICH IS DUE TODAY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27. IF COMPLETED AFTER 2/27, YOU WILL BE PLACED ON A WAIT LIST FOR CONSIDERATION FOR JR. KINDERGARTEN.
JOIN US FOR A KINDERGARTEN PARENT ORIENTATION EVENING AT GLENGARY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
THE STEPS BELOW WILL GUIDE YOU THROUGH THE NEW KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION PROCESS
STEP 1: Kindergarten Orientation Video
WATCH: Be sure to watch this video prior to attending Kindergarten Orientation on March 13th. This is a comprehensive video that features a welcome from several Elementary Principals and the Superintendent, mini presentations from Kindergarten teachers, Transportation, Food Service, Student Services, and more. The video is below and the link for the presentation can also be found on the Walled Lake Schools website at www.wlcsd.org.
*Reminder: Please watch the video prior to Kindergarten Orientation on Monday, March 13.
STEP 2: District Google Form
*Complete the form after watching the video above, prior to Kindergarten Orientation on Monday, March 13.
STEP 3: Glengary Kindergarten Questionnaire
COMPLETE & SUBMIT: Please take a moment to fill out the Glengary Elementary Kindergarten Questionnaire, if you have not already done so. This information is extremely important as we create our new classrooms and prepare for your child to attend Glengary Elementary School in the fall. Complete the form by simply pressing the button below labeled Glengary Kindergarten Questionnaire.
STEP 4: Attend Kindergarten Orientation
ATTEND: We invite the incoming Kindergarten adult family members to join Mrs. Johnson, Glengary Principal, and the Kindergarten teachers for Kindergarten Orientation at Glengary Elementary on Monday, March 13 @ 6:00 PM in the cafeteria.
Note: This is an adult only event. We do not have child care available.
Glengary Elementary Address:
3070 Woodbury St.
Commerce Twp. MI 48390
STEP 5: Enroll Online Beginning March 13th
ENROLL ONLINE: See below for information about the virtual enrollment process. You must gather all of the required documents BEFORE beginning the online enrollment process. Families will scan or take photo images of the necessary documents and email them to Walled Lake Schools Student Services Office. When you have the required documentation, click on the Begin Enrollment button to complete the online enrollment process, available on March 13th.
*Please note that the online enrollment process will be available starting on Monday, March 13th after Kindergarten Orientation.
Meet the Glengary Kindergarten Team
Mrs. Dryden: Kindergarten Teacher
Mrs. Lara Dryden graduated from Eastern Michigan University with an Early Childhood Degree and then from Oakland University with a Masters in Reading. Before moving to Grand Haven with her husband Lee, she was the Lead Teacher for the Joburg/Lewiston Head Start program for ½ a year. They moved back to Oakland County and taught for what is now the GSRP program for two years before she graduated to kindergarten. She has been teaching kindergarten at Glengary for over 20 years. Mrs. Dryden was honored to be Glengary's Teacher of the Year in the 2016-2017 school year.
She believes every child can, if given time, grow their character and achieve their dreams. Every child needs to develop their whole self to provide themselves with the foundation for intellectual, physical, social, and emotional growth. With this strong foundation, every student will progress and reach their full potential.
In 1837, Freidrich Wilhelm Froebel saw kindergarten as a place to have freedom of self-expression, creativity, social participation, and motor expression. These areas are still essential in developing a learner who aims to conquer the challenge of education.
Creating a solid foundation for growth is her lifelong dream. You cannot focus on just one aspect of a kindergarten student. Being part of the changes kindergarten has adopted over the years emphasizes the need to work together with families to develop the whole child. She looks forward each year to building relationships with each family so together so they can help every student that enters her room reach their full potential.
Ms. Gosselin: Kindergarten Teacher
Ms.Gosselin has been working as an educator since 2018. She obtained her bachelor's degree in Elementary Education with a specialization in English Language Arts and a minor in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages at Michigan State University. Ms.Gosselin grew up in the Walled Lake School District and benefited from a year long internship at one of our Walled Lake schools, Oakley Park Elementary. Following her internship, Ms.Gosselin spent one year teaching English in Madrid, Spain to students in 1st-6th grade. Upon returning to the U.S., she taught both second grade and kindergarten in Chicago, Illinois.
Rachael is so happy to return to the Walled Lake School District and instill in her students that very same love for learning that led her to pursue a career in the field of education. Through a unified classroom based on the social, emotional, and academic wellbeing of her students, she intends to guide them to become not only informed thinkers and citizens, but lifelong learners.
When she is not teaching, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her friends, family, and dog Daisy.
Mrs. Steele: Kindergarten Teacher
Welcome to Mrs. Michelle Steele's kindergarten class at Glengary Elementary School! Mrs. Steele has been teaching for twenty-seven years, twenty-four years in the Walled Lake School District. She has taught many grade levels in many different buildings here in Walled Lake, and feels very fortunate to have found her true passion as a kindergarten teacher!
Mrs. Steele attended college at Eastern Michigan University where she earned her Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and her Master's degree in Learning Disabilities. Although she is certified to teach students from kindergarten through high school level, kindergartners truly have her heart!
Mrs. Steele also enjoys learning, growing, and collaborating with her colleagues at Glengary and throughout the district and has served on many committees including Glengary's leadership team, as well as the district's iCouncil leadership team. She was honored to be Glengary's Teacher of the Year in 2011-12, and again in the 2019-20 school year. She is grateful to be part of this wonderful school district and shares in the commitment of serving every child, every day.
Along with her love of teaching kindergarten, her favorite pastimes include reading, traveling, and spending time with her family. She and her husband have two wonderful, adult children who are currently attending college.
Mrs. Steele strongly believes in having open lines of communication and building partnerships with the families of the students she serves and is always available to help however she can!
Mrs. Johnson: Principal
Mrs. RosaLeigh Johnson has served the Glengary community as principal since 2016. Mrs. Johnson has been trained in Reader’s and Writer’s Workshop, Restorative Practices, and PBIS. Prior to that time, she was a 1st grade teacher and 2nd grade teacher in Charlotte, NC, Clio Area School District and Linden Community Schools.
She earned her bachelor’s in Human Development and Social Relations from Kalamazoo College, bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte; and a master’s degree in Public Administration with a concentration in Educational Administration, from the University of Michigan-Flint.
Mrs. Johnson is committed to serving every child, every day! She believes in the power of meaningful relationships, celebrating individual character strengths, and instilling a love of learning so that all students achieve their maxim potential.
She and her husband reside in White Lake with their son, Grayson.