It's Time for Kindergarten and Preschool Registration for the 2018-2019 School Year!
McDowell Mountain Elementary School is preparing for the annual Kindergarten Round-Up, an event common in many school districts throughout the country. The goal is to introduce parents and kids to kindergarten, and to register as many students as early as possible. From the district's perspective, early kindergarten registration allows us to better estimate enrollment and assists in planning for teachers and resources. For parents, getting their children registered for kindergarten early gets an important item off of their plates and Round-Up is a great opportunity to do so! Early registration for preschool is also important because it allows parents to secure a spot as space is limited.
Parents of incoming kindergarten and preschool students can come any time on either Thursday, February 22nd between 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM or on Friday, February 23rd between 9:00 AM and 11:30 AM or between 12:30 PM and 2:30 PM. Parents should allow for up to an hour for this event.
Parents should bring their 2018-2019 kindergarten children to this event and they should also bring a birth certificate, immunization records, and proof of residency, which could be a utility bill, lease agreement, or driver's license that has their name and address on it. At the Round-Up, they will be able to complete our 2018-2019 enrollment packet and have copies made of the aforementioned documents. MMES office and health staff will be available to provide enrollment information and answer parents' questions. Parents and students will meet our principal Mrs. D, kindergarten teachers, and other staff. Mrs. D will be giving tours of the school.
While parents are registering, their students entering kindergarten will complete pre-assessments with the kindergarten teachers. These pre-assessments allow the staff to get to know our new kindergarten students and assess their strengths and needs before school starts. The pre-assessments will help us determine the best possible classroom placements for the students and ensure a happy beginning to their K-12 school experience. This is also parents' first opportunity to sign up their new kindergarten students for summer orientation provided by our preschool staff at the Boys and Girls Club in June.
Despite only being funded by the state for 1/2-day kindergarten,
McDowell Mountain offers free, full-day kindergarten! Parents may choose the half-day kindergarten option, which is available for morning instruction.
Of note, children must be 5 years old before September 1, 2018 to enroll for the 2018-2019 school year.
Registration will also take place at the Round-Up for our preschool program offered to three- and four-year olds, and for children who turn five after August 31, 2018. Preschool staff, including our certified teachers, will be available to provide program information and answer parents' questions. It is not required to bring your preschool children to Round-Up, but all children are welcome at the event. They will be able to play under staff supervision while parents complete enrollment packets in our central kindergarten area.
I encourage all of you to pass this information along to anyone you know who has a child of preschool or kindergarten age. We believe McDowell Mountain Elementary School is the best choice for these littlest learners and we appreciate your help in spreading the word.
Regards,
Patrick Sweeney, Ed.D.
Superintendent
