Whether you're a family considering enrollment at Arco Iris or your child just got their spot, and you're wondering what the first day looks like, you're in the right place! 

Kindergarten at Arco Iris Spanish Immersion School isn't just the first year of school. It's the foundation for a bilingual, biliterate education that sees your whole child and sets them up for a lifetime of possibilities.

A lot of schools offer Kindergarten. Only Arco Iris offers this: 

• Completely tuition-free. As a public charter school, Arco Iris charges no tuition. Every family has access to this exceptional bilingual education at no cost.
• Open to all families. We welcome students from across the greater Beaverton area, regardless of district boundaries. If you live in SW Portland, Tigard, Tualatin, Lake Oswego, or anywhere in between, your child qualifies to apply. (Fun fact: We are looking to expand Arco Iris in Tigard, learn more here!) 
• A genuinely multicultural community. Nearly half of our families and approximately 75% of our staff identify as multicultural. Diversity at Arco Iris isn't a talking point. It's the fabric of everything we do.
• A small school with big outcomes. We are a small, tight-knit school. Your child's teacher knows them by name before the first bell rings, and so does the rest of the staff. That personal connection carries your child through every grade. It also helps explain why we rank as a Top 10 Best Elementary Charter School in Oregon.
• Adventures beyond the classroom. Even Kindergartners get in on the field trip fun. Our youngest learners visit the Oregon Zoo, a local pumpkin patch, and other hands-on destinations throughout the year, all completely free for every student.

Now, let's take a peek inside a day in our kindergarten and to see why our students love school so much!

A Warm Welcome Every Morning

Each student receives a smile and a personalized greeting at the door from their teacher. Some kids prefer a fist bump. Others go straight for the hug. A few are high-five people through and through. Our teachers know the difference, and they greet every child exactly how that child wants to be greeted.

You'll notice that our Kindergartners wear uniforms, following the same dress code as the rest of our K-5 students. The one delightful exception? On Fridays, students swap uniforms for their brightly colored Arco Iris spirit gear.

Once students settle in, they get to work on small-group or individual activities alongside an instructional assistant. Routine matters deeply in Kindergarten, and by the end of the first month, our students move through their mornings with confidence and independence.

Morning Meeting: Building Community Every Day

Every morning, we gather on the carpet for our morning meeting. Students share about the day ahead, celebrate big moments (lost a tooth last night? ¡Qué emocionante!), and work through the class calendar and weather together.

The morning meeting looks casual, but the learning happening in this circle runs deep. Vocabulary grows, friendships form, and students build the kind of community that makes Arco Iris the special place it is. This is where our Kindergartners learn to listen, take turns, and show up for each other every single day.

The Immersion Difference: Learning in Two Languages from Day One

Here's what makes Arco Iris Kindergarten unlike any other Kindergarten in the greater Beaverton area.

Our native-Spanish-speaking teachers deliver 80% of the school day in Spanish. That means science, math, social studies, and more all happen in Spanish. Students don't just study a second language. They live it, think in it, and grow into it naturally.

From the first day of Kindergarten through 5th grade, students learn in a fully immersive Spanish-language environment, with 80% of the school day happening in Spanish. That high percentage of Spanish instruction gives the language time to take root, building the deep fluency and cognitive foundation that makes true bilingualism possible, while still creating space for English to grow alongside. By the time our students graduate, they read, write, and communicate fluently in two languages, and that changes everything. Our alumni prove it year after year.

Don't speak Spanish at home? That's completely fine! The majority of our families don't. Children at this age absorb language with remarkable ease, especially when it surrounds them all day long.

Singapore Math: A World-Class Foundation Starts in Kindergarten

After the morning meeting, students dive into subject-area learning, including math with our Singapore Math curriculum, which begins in Kindergarten and continues through 5th grade.

Singapore Math builds deep mathematical understanding through concrete, visual, and abstract approaches rather than rote memorization. Our teachers regularly watch students have those wonderful "ah-ha!" moments as they grasp numbers, patterns, and problem-solving at a young age. The results show up in our test scores, too. Arco Iris students consistently perform above average in math across the state.

A Full Day of Learning Through Movement, Music, and Play

We know that five-year-olds learn best when they stay active, engaged, and having fun. Students rotate through small-groups, large-group activities, and project time throughout the day. Singing, rhyming, storytelling, and hands-on play all have a place in our Kindergarten classroom.

A specialist teacher visits our classroom for Language Arts instruction. Students travel to the gymnasium for 30 minutes of daily PE. Art weaves naturally through classroom activities all week, and students visit our beautiful library regularly. Our Kindergarten classroom stays lively because an active classroom is where real learning happens.

Everyone's Favorite: Lunch, Snacks, and Recess

All that learning works up a serious appetite! Kindergartners enjoy a daily hot lunch (or a packed sack lunch) right in our classroom. We also build snack breaks into the day because five-year-old tummies need regular fuel to keep those growing brains going. After lunch, students head outside for 20 minutes of recess to burn energy, breathe fresh air, and simply be kids.

Want to know more about our lunch program? Visit our lunch page for details.

Closing the Day with Responsibility and Pride

As the day winds down, students move into their end-of-day routine. Each Kindergartner takes on a rotating classroom job, cleaning up, helping set things right, and taking pride in their school community. Students pack their own backpacks and say their goodbyes to teachers and friends.

Kindergarten dismissal comes a bit earlier than the rest of the school, giving our youngest students a little extra runway to wrap up their day. We find that a slightly shorter school day makes the transition to full-time school smoother for both students and families.

And for families who need care before or after school, our Before and After School Program runs from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., giving you flexibility and peace of mind.

About Arco Iris: 

Arco Iris Spanish Immersion is a small tuition-free public charter school providing a rich, immersive Spanish language experience and robust academics in a true multicultural setting. Centrally located off 217, between SW Portland and Tigard, we serve K-5 students in the greater Beaverton area to become bilingual and biliterate leaders of the future. Get to know us on Instagram @arcoiris_spanishimmersion and on the web at www.arcoirisschool.org. We’re enrolling for Fall 2026-27.