Tustin Unified
School District
Kindergarten Readiness Program
- Our Mission
- About the Kindergarten Readiness Program
- Admission Information
- Enrollment Information
- Kinder Readiness Office Staff
- Kinder Readiness Teaching Staff
- First 5 - Orange County
- Early Development Index (EDI)
- Community Resources
- Kid Builders
- Developmental Milestones
Our Mission
The mission of the Kindergarten Readiness Academy is to provide developmentally appropriate activities to enhance each child’s intellectual, language, social-emotional, academic, and physical development and to prepare children to enter kindergarten with the skills needed to be successful. The Kindergarten Readiness classes strive to provide each child with a program that is developmentally, linguistically and culturally appropriate, while giving them the academic skills they need to be successful in kindergarten.
About the Kindergarten Readiness Program
The Kindergarten Readiness program is Tustin Unified School District's early learning/preschool program. The program operates ten (10) months a year and generally follows the district calendar. Classes are conducted five (5) days a week, Monday through Friday.
Through grants from First Five Orange County and the California Department of Education, Tustin Unified School District offers a half-day Kindergarten Readiness program for preschool children living within the Tustin Unified School District Boundaries. The Kindergarten Readiness Academy classes, located on the campuses of Beswick, Estock, Guin Foss, Heideman, Heritage (STEAM preschool program), Ladera, Nelson, Sycamore (Spanish Dual Immersion Program), and Tustin Ranch Elementary schools are the only preschools in the Tustin area that are run and operated by Tustin Unified School District. Families have a choice of of either a morning schedule or an afternoon schedule. AM classes are 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. and PM classes are 12:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.
In addition, TUSD is excited to offer a fee-based preschool option for families that do not qualify for State subsidized services. A half-day program is available at Heritage Elementary from 8:30 am - 11:30 pm. A full-day program is available at Hicks Canyon Elementary, Myford Elementary, and Red Hill Elementary from 7:00 am - 4:30 pm.
If you have questions that are not answered on this page, please call the Kindergarten Readiness office at (714) 730-7592.
Admission Information
Children who turn three or four years old by December 1 of the current school year and live within the District boundaries have priority for enrollment for the 2025-26 school year. Children who turn 3 after December 1 may be enrolled once they turn 3 years old. Classes for students are free for those families who meet the State's income guidelines. There are no fees for state preschool services.
Priority for admission is given to families that income qualify for the program and live within the attendance boundaries of Tustin Unified School District. Families living outside of TUSD boundaries will be enrolled after all priority families have been served. ***NOTE: Children with IEPs may be accepted into our program, regardless of income, after all income qualified children are accepted.
The Kindergarten Readiness office staff will assist families in determining if they qualify for State subsidized services. However, if you do not qualify, Tustin Unified School District will offer four fee-based classes for the 2025-26 school year. Heritage Elementary school will offer a half-day preschool class. Hicks Canyon Elementary, Myford Elementary, and Red Hill Elementary will offer a full-day preschool class. These classes will give families whose income is over the state guidelines for State Preschool the opportunity to participate in a quality 5-star preschool program that is run and operated by TUSD. If you are interested in this program, please call the Kindergarten Readiness office for more information at (714) 730-7592.
Enrollment Information
- Children must be three (3) or four (4) years old by December 1, 2025 to participate in the preschool classes for 2025-26 school year. Children who turn 3 years old after December 1, 2025 may be enrolled once they turn 3 years old.
- Preschool sessions for 2025-26 will begin Friday, August 15, 2025 and continue through Thursday, May 28, 2026.
- Enrollment packets are available at the Kindergarten Readiness Program office located at the Education Support Center at 1151 San Juan St. Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Enrollment applications for the 2025-26 school year will be available starting January 27, 2025 for FEE-BASED classes and April April 17, 2025 for STATE SUBSIDIZED classes.
For more information, call (714) 730-7592.
Required Immunizations-All Students
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
Vaccination Law Update and Personal Beliefs Waiver
- On June 30, 2015, Governor Brown signed a new vaccine bill (SB277). The law took effect on January 1, 2016. This new law requires that all children in California be fully vaccinated to attend public or private school.
- California law requires certain immunizations for children under 18 years of age to enter or transfer into public elementary and secondary schools (grades K-12). Parents must provide health immunization records at the time of enrollment. Students may enroll but may not begin school unless immunizations are current. Full information about vaccinations required for preschool and grades TK/K-12 school attendance.
- For all students entering Transitional Kindergarten or Kindergarten, and first graders not previously enrolled in kindergarten, California law requires proof of an oral health assessment by a licensed dentist or other licensed or registered dental health professional that was performed no earlier than 12 months prior to the date of initial enrollment.
- For all students entering Transitional Kindergarten or Kindergarten, and first graders not previously enrolled in kindergarten, California law requires proof of an oral health assessment by a licensed dentist or other licensed or registered dental health professional that was performed no earlier than 12 months prior to the date of initial enrollment.
THE FOLLOWING IMMUNIZATIONS ARE REQUIRED FOR ENROLLMENT in TK, kindergarten and new students entering grades 1-5.) Parents MUST present proof of immunizations to school staff prior to admission.
| Vaccine | Required Doses |
|---|---|
| Polio | 4 doses at any age, but 3 doses meet requirements for ages 4-6 years if at least one was given on or after the 4th birthday;. |
| Diphtheria, tetanus, and Pertussis (DTaP) | Age 6 years and under: DTP, DTaP or any combination of DTP or DTaP with DT (diphtheria and tetanus) 5 doses at any age, but 4 doses meet requirements for ages 4-6 years if at least one was on or after the 4th birthday. |
| Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) | 2 doses both on or after 1st birthday |
| Hepatitis B | 3 doses at any age. |
| Vericella (chickenpox) | 1 dose for children under 13 or health care provider's documentation varicella (chickenpox disease history, or immunity meets the varicella requirement |
Required Documentation
The following documents need to be provided at the time of enrollment:
- Proof of preschool-age child 's birth date/age. (Proof of the child's birth date must be presented at the time of registration. Proof may be a certified copy of a birth record or a statement by the local registrar or a county recorder certifying the date of birth, or a baptism certificate duly attested, or a passport, or, when none of the foregoing is obtainable, an affidavit of the parent, guardian, or custodian of the minor, or any other appropriate means of proving the age of the child as prescribed by the governing board of the school district.) (CA Education Code Section 48002)
- Proof of age of all siblings.
- Immunization card
- Rental agreement
- Current gas or electric bill
- Photo ID of parent
- Proof of income: One month of recent check stubs for each working parent/guardian
- Parent volunteers must provide: TB test results and proof of the following immunizations: Measles, pertussis, & flu.
Kinder Readiness Office Staff
The Kindergarten Readiness staff is available to assist families with enrollment and to provide any information that will aid in the success of their child's education. Our office is open Monday-Friday, 7:30 am-4:30 pm. We are happy to answer any questions you may have regarding your child's educational program or to assist you in locating resources within the community.
Lauralee Cabibi
Principal, Kinder Readiness
(714) 730-7592
Emily Daniel
Preschool Manager
(714) 730-7592
Kinder Readiness Teaching Staff
Michelle Lara
Preschool Educator, Beswick Elementary
E-mail
Jessica Quezada
Preschool Educator, Estock Elementary
E-mail
Alyssa Quevedo
Preschool Educator, Guin Foss Elementary
E-mail
Kristen Miles
Special Education Teacher, Guin Foss Elementary
E-mail
Cynthia Ilagor
Preschool Educator, Heideman Elementary
E-mail
Veronica Jimenez-Fernandez
Preschool Educator, Heritage Elementary
E-mail
Van Vo
Preschool Educator, Hicks Canyon Elementary
E-mail
Odalis Castelan
Preschool Educator, Hicks Canyon Elementary
E-mail
Alexandra Cordova
Preschool Educator, Ladera Elementary
E-mail
Tracy Wuest
Special Education Teacher, Ladera
E-mail
Diana Maldonado
Preschool Educator, Myford Elementary
Email
Amudha Siddappa
Preschool Educator, Myford Elementary
Email
Jessica Torres
Preschool Educator, Nelson Elementary
E-mail
Ana Torres
Preschool Educator, Sycamore Magnet Academy
E-mail
Marisela Garcia
Preschool Educator, Tustin Ranch Elementary
E-mail
Yzabelle Arias
Preschool Educator, Roving
E-mail
Gissell Guerrero
Preschool Educator, Roving
E-mail
Andrea Phan
Preschool Educator, Roving
E-mail
First 5 - Orange County
First 5 Orange County funds initiatives and quality programs preparing children to enter kindergarten, giving them and their families the foundation of health, learning, and resiliency we know is critical for success.
To be redirected to the First 5 Orange County website, click: http://occhildrenandfamilies.com/
Early Development Index (EDI)
Developed over the course of nearly 30 years, the EDI is a population-based measure of early child development and school readiness in five key domains: physical health, social competence, emotional maturity, language and cognitive skills, and communications skills and general knowledge. Through rigorous, international testing, the EDI has been found to be a reliable indicator of a child’s well-being that has been used to monitor populations of children over time; report on populations of children in different communities; predict how groups of children will do in elementary school; and, inform systems and policies concerning young children and their families.
For more information about the Early Development Index, please visit First 5 Orange County's website at Early Development Index - First 5 Orange County (first5oc.org)
Community Resources
2-1-1 (Orange County)
Website: 211OC.org
Phone: 211 or (888) 600-4357
"2-1-1 Orange County runs a comprehensive information and referral system for Orange County, CA. 211OC provides a resource database of health and human services and support, accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week online and through our multi-lingual hotline, connecting people quickly and effectively to existing programs and disaster response information. Just dial 2-1-1."
Childrens Home Society of California
Website: chs-ca.org
Phone: (714) 456-9800
"Children’s Home Society of California (CHS) helps families find and pay for child care and offers programs and services to support families and child care providers so that children can thrive in their development."
Healthy Children (American Academy of Pediatrics)
Website: healthychildren.org
"The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 66,000 pediatricians committed to the optimal physical, mental, and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. In 2009, the AAP launched HealthyChildren.org to provide parents with health information from a trustworthy source."
Healthy Smiles
Website: healthysmilesoc.org
Phone: (714) 537-0700
"The mission of Healthy Smiles is to improve the oral health of children in Orange County through collaborative programs directed at prevention, outreach and education, access to treatment, and advocacy. Healthy Smiles offers a wide range of dental services – including clinical operations, Mobile dentistry, Telehealth, Teledentistry, and Education and Outreach."
Help Me Grow
Website: helpmegrowoc.org
Phone: 1-866-GROW-025
"Help Me Grow connects children and their families to
developmental services to enhance the development, behavior and learning of children birth through eight years. By calling the toll free number 1.866.GROW.025, (1.866.476.9025) or using the online link, parents, caregivers, child care providers, early educators and health care providers have a point of access to developmental services for all young children who live in Orange County."
Regional Center of Orange County
Website: rcocdd.com
Phone: (714) 796-5100
"The Regional Center of Orange County (RCOC) is a private non-profit organization that, as mandated by the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act, collaborates with persons with developmental disabilities, their families and the community to secure individualized services and supports that enhance the quality of life for the people we serve and assist them in realizing their full potential."
Women, Infants and Children (WIC)
Website: cdph.ca.gov
County of Orange Health Care Agency WIC
1725 W. 17th Street, Room 101 G
Santa Ana, CA - 92706
Phone: (888) 968-7942
"The WIC program aims to safeguard the health of low-income women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutirition risk by providing nutritious foods to supplement diets, information on healthy eathing, and referrals to health care."
Kid Builders
Kid Builders is a set of parent resource books that provide activities to help parents help their child grow up healthy and ready to succeed in school and life.
Each book is packed with easy-to-do activities that target six critical areas of child growth and development: body, health, mind, relationships, safety and words. The books are available online by age:
- Baby
- 1 Year
- 2 Years
- 3 Years
- 4 & 5 Years
All activities are available in English and Spanish. This amazing resource is provided by First 5 Orange County.
Click the picture below to access all Kid Builder Books.
Developmental Milestones
Developmental milestones are behaviors or skills most children can do by a certain age. They are important because they help families know that children are developing skills at an appropriate pace. Skills such as taking a first step or using words to communicate are just two examples of developmental milestones.
Milestones are usually categorized into five major areas: physical growth, cognitive development, emotional and social development, language development, and sensory and motor development.
Parents can learn more about developmental milestones by visiting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Learn About Us
Featured Video
This week in TUSD, kinder readiness students at Ladera are building their scientific vocabulary as they explore through all five senses, making slime together.
