Ready for Adventure at Winona Area Public Schools

Visit winonaschools.org/enroll. If your family is new to Winona Area Public Schools, select "New Family." If you have other children in the district or were in an ECFE class, select "Current Family."

Infinite Campus is the WAPS student management system. Registrations are best done with a dekstop or laptop computer, and not a mobile device. 

Please set aside 20-30 minutes to complete the registration process.

ENROLL HERE

Families are invited to bring their future kindergartner to tour their new school, meet teachers and support staff and explore a kindergarten classroom. Future Winhawks will also receive a Winhawk goodie bag and officially become part of the WAPS family. The event runs from 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 2
5:30-6:30 p.m.
Goodview Elementary, 5100 9th Street

The Ríos Spanish Dual Language Immersion Program at Winona Area Public Schools will begin accepting applications for the 2026-27 kindergarten class on Feb. 2, 2026.

To apply for the program, families will need to complete a short online application and register their incoming kindergartner with Winona Area Public Schools. 

Once the initial application period has passed, WAPS administration will determine if a second kindergarten section will be needed for the 2026-27 school year. 

APPLY HERE STARTING FEB. 2

Incoming kindergartners are invited to participate in Kindergarten Camp — a FREE and FUN way to kick off their Winhawk adventure! Led by caring and experienced WAPS kindergarten teachers, Kindergarten Camp helps your child:

• Meet new friends and future classmates
• Build confidence for the first day of school
• Explore the kindergarten building and connect with staff
• Get familiar with routines at their new school

Camp Details

• Dates: To be determined
• Time: To be determined. In 2025, it was held from 9 a.m. to noon.
• Location: Goodview School, 5100 9th Street, Goodview
• Drop-off location: On 8th Street behind the school building
• Pick-up location: On 8th Street behind the school building

What To Expect

Kindergarten Camp will feature a fun and welcoming “camping” theme designed to ease your child into their school experience. The environment will be low-key and supportive, with plenty of time for students to get comfortable, explore the building, meet future classmates and engage in playful, relationship-building activities. Our goal is to create a positive first impression of school while helping each child feel confident and excited for the year ahead. 

Other Details

• Transportation provided or parent drop-off/pick-up
• Lunch provided by WAPS School Nutrition

• Students who will be in the Rios Dual Language Spanish Immersion program are invited to participate, but the camp will be conducted in English only. 

To start the school year, all elementary teachers will hold individual conferences with students and families to build the foundations of a collaborative relationship that will support growth and learning in the classroom and at home.

We can't wait either! The school day begins at 7:45 a.m. and ends at 2:15 p.m. 

We believe that every student can achieve to the best of their ability, and we are committed to building systems that ensure all learners have access to high-quality instruction with individualized support.

All of our students receive instruction in the content areas of literacy, math, science, social studies, health, social and emotional learning, music, art, and physical education. Our curriculum is built around both state and locally-adopted standards. Within this curriculum, students develop skills to think critically, solve problems, and work collaboratively. 

We have implemented a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), which ensures that all learners have equal access to high quality instruction in the area of academics, behavior and social-emotional learning. Implementation of MTSS is an evolving process that allows our system to mold and adapt to the individual needs of our students, families, community and staff.

The MTSS system consists of three tiers. 

• Tier 1 is universal instruction and is provided to all students, in all grade levels. 
• Tier 2 provides small-group, skill-based in conjunction with Tier 1 for students that need additional support. 
• Tier 3 provides intensive instruction to students on a 1:1 basis in addition to Tier 1 and Tier 2. 
• All instruction provided across MTSS is data-informed, evidence-based and monitored closely to measure progress.

The MTSS framework ensures a continuum of instruction that inspires, engages and empowers students performing below grade level standards and students performing above grade level standards.
 

PBIS is an evidenced-based approach toward improving school climate by supporting students’ behavioral, academic, social, emotional and mental health needs. The underlying theme is to teach behavioral expectations in the same way schools teach academic subjects. While licensed school counselors may introduce these lessons, they are embedded into all areas of the school experience, including classroom lessons, lunchroom and playground expectations, and bus behaviors. 
 

We want to engage learners as active participants in developing skills, conceptual understanding and fluency so they can become confident mathematical thinkers. Our core math resource is Bridges.

In kindergarten, students focus intensively on the two critical areas specified by Minnesota state standards:

• Representing and comparing whole numbers
• Describing shapes and space
   

Our structured literacy framework emphasizes the explicit and systematic teaching of all important components of literacy, including phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, comprehension, fluency, writing and oral language. All teachers are receiving special training to ensure our students receive the highest quality, evidence-based instruction.

Our core literacy resource is Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH)’s Into Reading, which addresses all areas of early literacy with an evidence-based program to develop fluent, automatic readers. Into Reading includes a variety of instruction techniques, including whole-group instruction, small-group instruction, literacy centers, whole-group skills reinforcement, and individual instruction. 

Our Ríos Dual Language Spanish Immersion program uses Into Reading’s Spanish equivalent, Arriba la Lectura. 

Our science instruction is innovative, standards-aligned and hands-on. Students will learn how to think like scientists. Kindergarten students will learn how to better understand and communicate about the world around them through exploration and discussion of topics like the weather, plants and animals. We use Mystery Science as a core resource.

Kindergarten students will receive instruction from experienced, dedicated, and licensed teachers in music, physical education and art. Students also received instruction in social-emotional learning (SEL). Physical education instruction is daily, while art and music lessons occur 2-3 times a week. Students will also receive lessons from the media specialist and be able to check out books from the school library to enjoy at home.