Kindergarten At Queen Creek Unified School District: Building Foundations for Lifelong Learning

Kindergarten is a significant time in a child’s educational journey, setting the foundation for future academic and social success. At Queen Creek Unified School District (QCUSD), kindergarten teachers like Lori Sterenberg at Faith Mather Sossaman Elementary (FMSE) are dedicated to creating a nurturing and engaging learning environment that grows curiosity, independence, and essential skills.
“I love being part of a child’s first experience in education because they come in with a natural curiosity and an eagerness to learn,” said Sterenberg. “We start with the most basic foundations since many kids come in with very little early childhood skills. We work with manipulatives, and hands-on projects, and teach them social norms—how to talk to each other using complete sentences.”
QCUSD’s kindergarten curriculum blends structured educational blocks with embedded social skills, ensuring students develop academically while learning essential interpersonal skills. “We teach them how to ask and answer questions, share, take turns, and contribute to conversations with new ideas,” Sterenberg explained. “They come in operating on a singular level, but soon they are part of a larger community where they can bounce ideas off one another and build relationships.”
Beyond learning to hold a pencil and write their name, students engage in higher-level thinking activities through the district’s rigorous math curriculum. “They learn to show one-to-one correspondence in different ways and decompose numbers using special toys and tools,” Sterenberg shared. “It’s exciting to see them apply what they know in new ways.”
By the end of the year, QCUSD kindergarteners experience exceptional growth. “At the beginning, they are very dependent,” said Sterenberg. “By the end, they’ve learned so many academic and social skills that they don’t need their kindergarten teacher as much. They become independent learners, carrying their curiosity and eagerness with them into first grade.”
One key event that sets kindergarteners up for success is QCUSD’s Kindergarten Round-Up, an open house where families get a preview of the kindergarten experience. “My favorite part of Kindergarten Round-Up is seeing both fresh faces and returning families,” said Sterenberg. “It’s heartwarming to see older siblings proudly bringing their little brothers and sisters, excited to share the QCUSD experience.”
“What makes QCUSD so unique is its people,” Sterenberg emphasized. “We have amazing educators, support staff, and administration working with a collective vision to help students succeed. We also offer real-world learning opportunities, like community outreach programs and leadership roles, even at the elementary level.”
As families consider their options for kindergarten, events like kindergarten round up provide a glimpse into the enriching environment that QCUSD offers. Through dedicated teachers, innovative curriculum, and a strong sense of community, QCUSD kindergarteners gain the skills and confidence needed to excel.
Join us for QCUSD’s next kinder round up on March 27, 2025, from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. at an elementary school near you.
Stay up to date with QCUSD, follow us on Facebook.