Incoming 6th Grade Family Night- Nov. 13

Greetings from Kinard Core Knowledge Middle School! We are excited to invite you to learn more about Kinard through our upcoming events aimed at fostering a healthy middle school transition for your child. At Kinard, we believe that a positive middle school experience is created with a focus on the whole child. We are committed to a culture that ensures a high level of learning for all, where students feel engaged, supported, and challenged.  

As an “option school” in Poudre School District, Kinard does not have a neighborhood boundary. Therefore, all families who would like for their child to attend Kinard must apply through the school choice process. Students who currently attend PSD Core Knowledge elementary schools (Bethke, O’Dea, Traut, and Zach) and live within the district boundaries receive first priority for admission through the school choice process due to the programmatic connection as Core Knowledge schools.

Information about the 2026-27 school choice timeline and process can be found on the PSD School Choice Website at www.psdschools.org/schools/school-options-choice. If you are interested in learning more about Kinard Core Knowledge Middle School, the following options are available to you:

• Attend a Core Knowledge Information Night: If your 5th grader currently attends a PSD Core Knowledge elementary school, join us at your school to hear from our principal about the curricular connection between our Core Knowledge elementary schools and Kinard Middle School.
  • Thursday, October 30, 6:00-7:00 p.m. at O’Dea Elementary
  • Monday, November 3, 6:00-7:00 p.m. at Zach Elementary
  • Wednesday, November 5, 6:00-7:00 p.m. at Traut Elementary
  • Thursday, November 6, 6:00- 7:00 p.m. at Bethke Elementary

• Attend our Incoming 6th Grade Family Night on Thursday, November 13, 2025 from 6:00-8:30 p.m. This evening is designed for parents/guardians and 5th grade students to learn about Kinard’s curriculum, culture, and overall student experience.

Overview of Incoming 6th Grade Family Night

We are looking forward to meeting you and sharing information about Kinard Core Knowledge Middle School at our Incoming 6th Grade Family Night on Thursday, November 13, 2025 from 6:00-8:30 p.m. This night is for parents and current 5th grade students who are interested in learning more about Kinard to better inform an enrollment decision for the 2026-27 school year. Hope to see you there! Please see below for a detailed outline and overview of the event. If you have any questions about Incoming 6th Grade Family Night, please contact Erin LaRue at elarue@psdschools.org or 970-488-5410.  

Agenda

*Please note: This is not an open house format, and both parents and 5th graders will rotate through four different informational sessions.

Parking

Please plan on coming a few minutes early for parking and to pick up your schedule for the evening.  Both front and back lots, including the overflow parking in the north field, will be open. Please keep our north and south ovals free of cars to allow for emergency vehicles. We appreciate you parking in the designated areas and observing no parking signs to keep everyone safe.

• We are also hosting Friday Talk and Tours for parents to learn more about our state-of-the-art facility and to observe a school day in action. We invite parents to meet our administration team for a brief presentation and to tour our school. Click here to sign for one of the upcoming Friday Talk and Tours.
  • Friday, November 21, 9:00-10:30 a.m.
  • Friday, December 5, 9:00-10:30 a.m.

• We have a limited number of Student Shadow Opportunities in December, where 5th grade students can experience a morning in the life of a Kinard middle schooler. Due to the limited number of spaces for student shadows, we ask that only students who are still undecided about their middle school selection sign up. Be on the lookout for sign-ups- they will be posted on our Kinard website mid-November.

For questions about enrollment, registration, or anything related to attending Kinard Core Knowledge Middle School, please contact our school counselors:

• Students with last names A-G: Patti Young, pyoung@psdschools.org or (970) 488-5406
• Students with last names H-Z: Karen Irvine, kirvine@psdschools.org or (970) 488-5408

For more information about enrollment at Kinard, visit our website at https://kin.psdschools.org/. You can also follow us on social media for additional updates and information: facebook.com/kinardmustangs or instagram.com/kinard_mustangs/.