UTK, or Universal Transitional Kindergarten, is basically (but not quite) an amalgamation of ETK and TK -- but with UTK at all public schools, expanded age criteria, and no limit on family income.
So now, any student who turns 5 between September 2 of the current academic year and September 1 of the subsequent year qualifies for UTK for the current year.
So, if you have a munchkin who will turn 5 between September 2, 2022 and September 1, 2023, your munchkin qualifies for UTK during the 2022-2023 school year. (If they turn 5 before then, they qualify for kinder, and currently, we are combining UTK and kinder.)
While both of our UTK classes are currently also combo kinder classes, if enrollemnt surges, we will be allowed to open a new kinder class. (So, let's recruit!)
In the meantime, we will put the youngest among us with Ms. B in what would have been an ETK class. They will be in Rm 1. We will put the older kiddos with Ms. Zeena in Rm 4. However, this is just our initial goal. If 20 kindergarteners walk in and only 10 UTK, then we shall see. Then one UTK class and one K class. It all depends on who walks in the door. We will also take into consideration parent preference based on their knowledge of their child/ren.
The good news is that both Ms. Zeena and Ms. B are fantastic teachers who will do great regardless.
(So is Ms. Chin who will be teaching first grade!)
