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Region 15 Streamlines Kindergarten Registration Process (See bottom of article for "Parent Orientation Nights") Region 15 is piloting a new Kindergarten registration process. Parents with children entering kindergarten in the 2005-06 school year will now be integrally involved in the registration process. Incoming students will not attend a Kindergarten screening in the spring, as had been done in past years, however parents will be scheduled to come to school for a comprehensive registration process. “The primary purpose of our former Kindergarten screening process was to identify students with special needs,” said Donna Popowski, Region 15 Director of Student Services. “Since state and district changes in Child Find methods have been improved, our Kindergarten screening is no longer essential. We believe a more comprehensive parent registration process will be more effective in helping us receive our incoming Kindergartners.”
Upon contacting their child’s elementary school, parents will be sent a Kindergarten information packet, which will include registration and parent permission forms. The school will then schedule parents in groups of three for an hour-long meeting with school personnel. Elementary schools also hope to strengthen communications with community preschool providers.
“We look forward to continuously building stronger relationships with our new parents,” said Marion Bouffard, Kindergarten teacher at Gainfield Elementary School. “Parents are a child’s first teacher and have a wealth of information about our prospective students.”
Parents will be invited to an informational meeting in the evening with the school principal and Kindergarten teachers. At that meeting, parents will have the opportunity to schedule an appointment with school personnel. Parents who are unable to attend that evening can call the school office to schedule an appointment.
“Given what we know about the importance of a child’s early learning years, it only makes sense for us to work as collaboratively as we can with parents and preschool providers,” added Jami Richardson, Kindergarten teacher at Long Meadow Elementary School. “The collective knowledge of the adults who best know the children entering Kindergarten will help us better prepare for their arrival in the fall.”
To begin the registration process, parents of incoming Kindergartners should call their school for a registration packet.
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