About Kester
Kester Avenue Elementary, in the heart of Sherman Oaks, is a diverse learning community of 1,040 students, from kindergarten through grade five. Our school, which is in District 3 of the Los Angeles Unified School District, is comprised of a home school as well as a gifted/high ability magnet school (grades 1-5). We emphasize the importance of learning in core academic subjects, as well offer an enriched curriculum of art, music, and physical education. Our 2012 API of 904 reflects our school-wide educational strength.
Academic Performance Index (API) information
Students at Kester Elementary do very well on standardized tests. Performance on standardized tests for last year is available from the California Department of Education’s Academic Performance Index web page.
LAUSD school report card
Each year the Los Angeles School District conducts a detailed survey of the employees and students between grades 3-12 of all of its schools. The report gives schools feedback from the entire school community to inform their planning efforts. Results are published in Kester’s school report card.
Architecture
Kester Avenue Elementary was designed in 1953 by Richard Neutra, one of modernism's most significant architects.
General information
Office hours
School office hours are 7:30am to 4:30pm Monday - Friday.
Admissions
Pre-enrollment packets are available in early May. Applications are processed by appointments that begin in May. To enter kindergarten children must be five years old by November 1. (Children born between 10/2/08 and 12/2/08 are eligible for Transitional Kindergarten.) First preference goes to all pupils residing within the school’s attendance boundaries and siblings of current pupils.
Please bring:
1) Birth certificate or baptismal certificate
2)
Current utility bill (LADWP or gas only) with name and address
3) Immunization record
Kindergarteners must also provide:
5) Five-year checkup
6) Dental health assessment
All documents must be originals only, and proof of residency must be current and include name and home address of parent or guardian. There will be an informational meeting for new kindergarten parents in the Spring.
Check our contact page for a map to our location.
Enrollment form in English (pdf)
Enrollment form in Spanish (pdf)
Gifted/High Ability Magnet Program
For information about applying to the Kester magnet program consult the CHOICES brochure, which is mailed directly to parents/guardians at home to help assure receipt. The application in each mailed brochure is pre-printed with personalized information for each student (name, address, birth date, etc.). Students must be verified as meeting specified criteria to be eligible to apply. For more on eligibility and the application process, please see the e-choices website. Call or visit the Magnet Office for more information: 818-787-3026.
New school year
Students should be on campus by 7:50 a.m. School starts at 8 a.m. on August 13, 2013.
New students and kindergarteners should report to the cafeteria area for their classroom assignments. Rosters will be posted with kindergarten assignments.
Incoming first graders should go to their old kindergarten rooms to be given new classroom assignments.
Second through fifth grade home school students will line up in the yard with last year’s classmates. They will be escorted to their old classrooms, where they’ll be given new classroom assignments and then taken to their new classrooms. Parents are welcome to come along.
Magnet school students should look for rosters posted near magnet classrooms 16, 17, 18 for classroom assignments.
Click on the link to our campus map to find your child’s classroom. A full list of faculty and their classrooms will be posted on our website when it is available.
Due to changes in enrollment over the summer, all class assignments are tentative for the first few weeks of school.
Transitional Kindergarten
Children born between November 1 and December 2 are eligible for the Transitional Kindergarten class. This is a two-year program, with the first year focusing on kindergarten readiness and the second being traditional kindergarten. For more information call the front office: 818-787-6751.
Cafeteria
Parents can pre-purchase lunches at the cafeteria every morning from 7:30-8:00am. You can deposit any amount, but anyone purchasing 20 lunches at a time will receive two lunches for free. Or, you can send payment in with your child in an envelope that is clearly marked with child’s name and room number. When your child goes to buy his lunch, he will just need to give his name. View monthly menu online.
Regular prices: Breakfast $1.00 Lunch $1.50
Reduced prices: Breakfast - $0.30 Lunch $0.40
The district sends lunch applications to residences before the school year begins. All students MUST submit a meal application (even if you might think you do not qualify). It is important that you return the application promptly so that Kester may continue to qualify for Title I funding. Students who do not meet the eligibility may purchase lunch or breakfast at the regular prices.
Breakfast is served in our cafeteria from 7:30am to 7:50am. Children may not be fed after 7:50am for the first breakfast. It is very important to arrive on time. Kester Elementary also offers the 2nd Chance Breakfast Program. This program provides a breakfast meal at recess time for those who did not get an early breakfast at 7:30 a.m.
Children who qualified for free breakfast or lunch the previous year will continue to be eligible for one week (the first week of classes), at which time all lunch applications should be turned in.