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Transitional Kindergarten

Transitional Kindergarten (TK)  is a play-based, educational program for Groton children who turn five years old between September 2 and December 31 of the current school year.  

Our TK program supports some of our youngest learners, who aren't eligible for Kindergarten under the new Connecticut law. Groton is the first Connecticut public school district to offer a TK program and the program has become a model for other districts.

TK students experience a full-day program in a traditional classroom and elementary school setting.  Teacher-led instruction is based on the Connecticut Early Learning and Development Standards and introduces Connecticut Core Standards to support students in developing academic and social-emotional skills.  Students who participate in the TK program develop the maturity, social skills, and early academic skills to succeed in Kindergarten.

* Effective for the 2024-2025 school year, students must be five years old on or before September 1 to be eligible to begin Kindergarten. Learn more on our Kindergarten page. 

Groton's TK Program Featured in The Day

"Transitional kindergarten, a full-day program in Groton, has a primarily play-based approach to teaching children skills, such as self-regulation, pre-literacy, pre-math, and social skills, which are a major focus of early education programs," Nadine Macklin, Supervisor of Pupil Personnel and Early Education told The Day.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Transition Kindergarten