Pre-K and Kindergarten Enrollment Information

The countdown is on as the Shawnee Mission School District gets ready to welcome new Pre-K students and Kindergarten students in 2026-2027!

Families are encouraged to get ready as online enrollment opens at 8 a.m. on Dec. 1, 2025. Links will be available on the www.smsd.org website.

We invite everyone in our school communities to join us in inviting families to take this important step in their child’s educational journey in the Shawnee Mission School District.

How to Enroll Enrollment links will open on www.smsd.org at 8 a.m. on Dec. 1, 2025. Enrollment applications help secure placement in the Pre-K program. Kindergarten has an unlimited number of slots.

Please note:

• Use a desktop, laptop, or tablet to complete your application (mobile phones are not currently supported).
   
• If you do not have access to one of those devices, please make an appointment to enroll in person.

For Pre-K, contact the Early Childhood Department at 913-993-6441.

For Kindergarten, contact your area school for assistance. If you do not know your area school, use School Finder. Click here for a link to School Finder.

About Pre-Kindergarten in the Shawnee Mission School District Pre-Kindergarten is offered in 21 elementary schools across the district.

What does Pre-K in the SMSD Offer?

-With the help of qualified, caring educators, Pre-K students gain interactive learning experiences that promote their language, cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development to build a strong foundation for success!

-Morning (8:10 a.m. to 10:55 a.m.) and afternoon (12:25-3:10 p.m.) sessions are available

-Fee and no-fee options are available

-Wraparound care is provided at select locations through Johnson County Park and Recreation and the YMCA.

-Pre-K welcome events will begin this spring, giving families a chance to become familiar with their child’s school and learn more about the Pre-K experience.

Who is able to enroll?  

-Students must reside in Shawnee Mission School District boundaries. (Type your address in School Finder to determine your area school. Click here for the School Finder Link).

-Students must be 4 years old on or before August 31, 2026 and not eligible for Kindergarten

-Attendees must be be independent with toileting (fully potty-trained with no more than one accident within a two-week timeframe)

-Learn more about Pre-Kindergarten in the SMSD here.

About Kindergarten

Full day Kindergarten is offered in all of Shawnee Mission’s 34 elementary schools.

What does Kindergarten in the SMSD offer?

-Talented, compassionate educators support students in a literacy-rich environment, engaging students in STEM-focused learning, offering interactive learning opportunities, and extending learning in student areas of interest.

-Full-day Kindergarten school days run from 8:10 a.m. to 3:10 p.m.

-Kindergarten kickoff events will begin this spring, giving families a chance to become familiar with their child’s school and learn more about the Kindergarten experience. In the summer, Jump Start to Learning is offered to incoming Kindergarten students at select school sites to help students transition to their new classroom experience.

Who is able to enroll?

-Students must be 5 years old on or before August 31, 2026

-Type your address in School Finder to determine your area school. 

Click here for the School Finder Link

Click here to learn more about Kindergarten in the SMSD!

Please share this announcement with friends and neighbors so everyone knows how to enroll. Shawnee Mission is excited to welcome our new classes of students next school year.