In our small rural school we have grades K thru 8. Half the school has the grade schoolers and the other half has the middle schoolers plus kindergarten. Each child in kindergarten is assigned an 8th grade 'buddy' who watches over them. They help them put their things away in their lockers and get to their classroom. They will sometimes eat lunch with their buddies and if they have a free period when the kindergarteners have recess, they can even go out for a little while to spend time with them. They watch over them to make sure the older gradeschoolers aren't picking on them and help them learn the ropes of school. For me it was MUCH easier letting my oldest go off to kindergarten knowing that my older niece was her buddy and would be watching out for her. Good luck Laylee in the coming school year! And good luck mom!