Ready, Set, Kindergarten!

Welcome to the Class of 2039!

We are so excited that you have registered your child for kindergarten! Parents and caregivers are a child's first and most important teachers.

Fine motor skills might sound fancy, but they’re just the small but mighty movements that let kids do big things like button their jackets, cut with scissors, or draw a dinosaur with way too many teeth. In kindergarten, fine motor development is a huge deal. It’s the foundation for writing letters, coloring, and using scissors.

Think of fine motor skills as the “handwriting helpers” and “snack-time superheroes.” Whether it’s zipping up a backpack or holding a pencil without it flying across the room, strong fingers and good hand-eye coordination make a kindergartner feel capable and confident. Plus, fine motor play like building with blocks, playing with playdough, or stringing beads isn’t just helpful… it’s fun! It builds focus, patience, and independence, one little grip at a time.

Starting kindergarten is a big adventure, and one of the best ways to prepare little learners is by helping them master some important self-help skills. Imagine a classroom full of curious kids confidently washing their hands like pros—scrub, scrub, scrub with soap and a splash of water—keeping those germs away and staying healthy. Knowing how to independently handle bathroom needs is also a huge win. From flushing to washing up afterward, these skills help kids feel proud and in control.

Let’s not forget the lunchtime hustle! Being able to open their own lunch containers, juice boxes, and snack packs without help turns every meal into a little victory. And when it’s time to go outside, being able to zip up their own coat or manage their shoes means more playtime and less waiting. These daily tasks might seem small, but they build independence, confidence, and a strong sense of “I can do it!” — which is exactly the energy we want our kindergarteners to bring with them every day.

• 2 boxes of tissues
• 1 pair of blunt tip scissors
• 1 plastic pocket folder
• 1 box sharpened pencils
• 2 primary journals
• 15 glue sticks
• 4 black Expo markers
• 3 boxes of 24 crayons
• 1 pair of corded headphones
• 1 soft, 3 holes, zippered pencil pouch
• 1 art smock
• 1 complete change of clothes (labeled in ziplock bag)
• 2 packs of baby wipes
• 1 bottle of hand sanitizer
• Roll of paper towels
• Last name A-L: 1 box of gallon ziploc bags
• Last name M-Z: 1 box of quart size ziploc bags
• Suggested item: 1 pack of Crayola twistable crayons

• 6 - Boxes Small Crayons (16 or 24 count)

• 6- Glue Sticks

• 1 - Small Supply Box (about 5” x 8”)
• 1 - Speckled Composition Book (not spiral)
• 1 - Pair Fiskars BLUNT tip scissors
• 1 - Book Bag (large enough to hold folders/papers)
• 1 - Pack: Highlighters
• 1 - Box quart size Ziploc bags (girls)
• 1- Box gallon size Ziploc bags (boys)
• 1- Pkg. baby wipes (boys)
• 1 - Box of Tissues

• 1- Art smock or oversized shirt(labeled with name)

• 1 -Complete set clothing in a Ziploc bag with student’s name on it (for any time of year)
• 1 -Water bottle (please label clearly and fill at home each day)
• 1 - Pair of headphones (in a labeled zip-loc bag)
• 1- Hand soap (girls)
• 1- Lysol wipes (girls)
• 1- Roll of paper towels (girls)
• 1- Pack of napkins (boys)
• 1- Hand sanitizer (boys)

• 1 full-size backpack
• Extra change of clothes (including socks & underwear), labeled with the child’s name in a large Ziploc bag
• Headphones - Wired (no earbuds, no wireless headphones)
• 2 basic 1-subject spiral notebooks
• 4 boxes of Crayola crayons (24 count)
• 1 plastic 2-pocket folder with prongs
• 20 Elmer’s glue sticks
• 1 pack of black-only fine-point Expo dry-erase markers
• Water bottle
• 2 boxes of tissues
• 2 packs of baby wipes
• 1 box gallon-size Ziploc Bags (no sliders)
• 1 box quart-size Ziploc Bags (no sliders)
• 2 containers of disinfectant wipes
• 2 bottles of hand sanitizer

• 1 full-size backpack
• 1 set of headphones
• 1 complete change of clothes labeled in a ziplock bag
• 2 containers of disinfectant wipes
• 2 boxes of tissues
• 1 pack of #2 pencils
• 12 glue sticks
• 1 pack of Expo dry erase markers (black only)
• 2 boxes of 24 count Crayola crayons
• 1 refillable water bottle
• Boys: 1 box of gallon ziplock bags
• Girls: 1 bottle of hand sanitizer

Now that you have registered your child for kindergarten, it is time to schedule an appointment with the school to complete the Kindergarten Screener. The screener will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. The information obtained on the screener will be shared with you and provides information to the school and you on what your child currently knows and how to support him/her when school begins.

Note: Current Bright Stars' students do not need to register for Kindergarten or complete the Kindergarten Screener. Students are automatically enrolled in their home school for Kindergarten.

Schools:

• Dinwiddie Elementary
• 13811 Boydton Plank Road, Dinwiddie, Virginia 23841

• Phone: (804) 469-4580
• Principal: Raymonda Rhoades; Assistant Principal: Charles Moss
• Midway Elementary
• 5511 Midway Road, Church Road, Virginia 23833
• Phone: (804) 265-4205
• Principal: Sheri Culbreath; Assistant Principal: Richard Spence
• Southside Elementary
• 10305 Boydton Plank Road, Dinwiddie, Virginia 23841
• Phone: (804) 469-4480
• Principal: Georgette Mickens; Assistant Principal: TBD
• Sunnyside Elementary
• 10203 Melvin B. Alsbrooks Ave., McKenney, Virginia 23872
• Phone: (804) 478-2313
• Principal: Danielle Hawkins; Assistant Principal: Richard Spence
• Sutherland Elementary
• 6000 R. B. Pamplin Drive, Sutherland, Virginia 23885
• Phone: (804) 732-4168
• Principal: Lloyd Page; Assistant Principal: Tammy Bartlett

• Email: pbrooks@dcpsnet.org
• Phone: 804-469-4190
• Address: 14016 Boydton Plank Road, Dinwiddie, VA 23841

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