Kindergarten

Norwood Public Schools Kindergarten Program

Kindergarten hours:  Monday-Friday: 9:00-2:30

All Norwood Public Schools kindergarten classes are located at The Willett Early Childhood Center, 100 Westover Parkway. 

Children living in Norwood who are five years old on or before August 31 are eligible to enter kindergarten in September.  Kindergarten registration for September  will be held at the Willett Early Childhood Center during the week of February 10-14, 2020.  Registration packets will be mailed to families in late January.  Registration materials can also be downloaded from the Norwood Public Schools website,  click on Student Registration.Parents are invited to register between the hours of 8:30 A.M. and 3:00 P.M. and on Tuesday and Thursday evening,  from 5:00 - 7:00 P.M.  No appointment is needed.

Please bring the following information to registration:

• A copy of the child's birth certificate, an original passport, or Visa.
• Proof of Norwood residency--(see Norwood Public Schools website).
• A copy of the most recent physical examination with all up-to-date immunizations.
• Parent/Guardian photo identification.

Please contact the school for more information, (781)-440-5902.

Once you have registered your child, you will receive an appointment for Kindergarten Screening.

What is Kindergarten Screening?

In accordance with Massachusetts Special Education Law (603, CMR 28), all students entering kindergarten must be screened to assist in identifying any issues that may require special education services.  Students registering for school in August will be screening during school hours in September.

An educator will work with your child during the screening.  Areas on the screening instrument include visual motor, language and cognition, speech development and fine and gross motor development. 

Results of the kindergarten screening are sent home approximately one month after your child has been screened.    If there are concerns after the screening process is completed, staff may re-screen your child once school starts in the fall, or the staff may refer your child for a special education evaluation.

Please call the school with any questions.

(781) 440-5902 or email

Kindergarten Bus Information

• Kindergarten students ride the school bus without charge.  Color-coded bus tags will be given out to students on Orientation Day in September.  Please make sure to attach this tag to your child's back pack, regardless of whether he or she rides the bus.
• Students residing in a bus district may take the school bus from the neighborhood to the elementary school in your district.  A Willett aide will meet that bus when it arrives at the elementary school.  She will assist the students onto the kindergarten bus and travel to the school with the children.
• Students who do not live in a bus district may board the bus at the elementary school which serves your neighborhood.
• Parents may prefer to drive students directly to the Willett.  Student drop-off is behind the building at Door 4 beginning at 8:45 am.   

Neighborhood Schools Arrival and Dismissal Procedures for Willett Students

Supervision begins at 8:25. Buses will leave the school at 8:40.  Parents will be responsible for transporting late arriving students to the Willett.

Balch School— 

Morning Arrival
All kindergarten students will meet in the gym beginning at 8:25am. Please enter the school through the side entrance by cafeteria.

Afternoon Dismissal
During afternoon dismissal, Vehicle Pick-ups and Walkers will be dismissed directly from the bus in the bus circle. Bus students will wait in the school until their bus is called. 

Cleveland School— 

Morning Arrival.
Children should be walked to the gymnasium no earlier than 8:25 and no later than 8:35.
Bus students will exit their bus and will be directed to a designated area of the Gym.

Afternoon Dismissal
Kindergarten students will be dismissed from the buses.  Please wait for the instructional aide to dismiss your student.

Oldham School—

Morning Arrival
Bus students will exit their bus and will be directed to a designated area of the library.
Walkers or car riders will be directed to a designated area of the library.

Afternoon Dismissal
All students will exit the bus and will be directed to designated spot to await parents or the neighborhood bus, if provided.

Callahan School—

Morning Arrival
Kindergarten students will meet our aide on the front sidewalk, to the right of the main school door.  School buses will pick up and drop off students in the lot to the right of the building.  In inclement weather, all kindergarten students will enter the Gym and sit in front of the stage.

Afternoon Dismissal
The aide will dismiss walkers to their parent from the bus lot.  Please do not leave with your child until notifying our aides.  Bus district students will be placed directly on their bus for the ride home.

Prescott School—

Morning Arrival
All students meet our instructional aide in front of the building.  During inclement weather, students meet our aide in the auditorium and wait on the steps of the stage.

Afternoon Dismissal
The students are dismissed from the bus at the front of the school to parents or caregivers.  Students who change to the neighborhood bus are led into the auditorium until the next bus arrives.