Plan Ahead: March 28-31 Registration Fair For 2011-12 Kindergarten/Prekindergarten

A Registration Fair to enroll students in kindergarten and prekindergarten for the 2011-12 school year will take place March 28-31 in the lobby of the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center.

The Registration Fair is for families of children who will start prekindergarten or kindergarten next year, and children not in public kindergarten now who will be enrolled in the first grade for the 2011-2012 school year. The Registration Fair will be open in the Civic Center lobby from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on the following schedule:

Monday, March 28: Willards Elementary, Charles H. Chipman Elementary, West Salisbury Elementary and Prince Street Elementary

Tuesday, March 29: Beaver Run Elementary, Pemberton Elementary, Fruitland Primary

Wednesday, March 30: Delmar Elementary, Westside Primary, Pinehurst Elementary, Northwestern Elementary

Thursday, March 31: For any family that has not been able to register on the assigned day

Individual schools will not handle enrollment for prekindergarten and kindergarten students. (The March 24 date published in the 2010-11 school system calendars is no longer valid; no registration will take place on that date.)

Any parent or guardian who is not able to enroll a child during the Registration Fair should contact the Centralized Enrollment Office at 410-677-4448 or 410-677-4476 to schedule an appointment after the Registration Fair. The Centralized Enrollment Office is located in Annex 2 of the Board of Education Office.

What to Bring

For the Registration Fair, parents or guardians will need to bring immunization records (please see a doctor or the health department to ensure that the child’s vaccination record is complete), birth certificate, Social Security card and proof of residency (utility bill with address served, or a lease or property tax bill) for each child. Income verification is needed for prekindergarten registration ONLY.

The flier on prekindergarten/kindergarten registration is posted online at www.wcboe.org, under Quick Links. Forms for registration (in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole) will be available online at www.wcboe.org, and in the Centralized Enrollment Office, after Feb. 28. Other forms and information, such as immunization requirements, Early Entrance Request and Kindergarten-Level of Maturity Waiver Form will also be posted online and available in the Centralized Enrollment Office.


Kindergarten

Children must be 5 years old by Sept. 1, 2011. Kindergarten is mandatory for all Maryland children who are 5 by this date unless the parents or guardians have completed a Kindergarten-Level of Maturity Waiver Form. Forms will be available at the schools or the Board website after Feb. 28. Completed forms should be forwarded to the attention of Mrs. Susan Jones, Director of Elementary Education.

Prekindergarten

Prekindergarten is not mandatory, and is offered to qualified children who will be 4 by Sept. 1, 2011. (For families in the Judy Center catchment areas of Beaver Run and Pemberton elementary schools only, prekindergarten services are also available to qualified children who will be 3 by Sept. 1, 2011.)

Maryland and Delmar, Del., neighborhood children who come from low-income or at-risk situations, have prior participation in Head Start or who experience challenges like emergency or health problems, limited English proficiency, homelessness, or other home or family circumstances, will be given priority admission to prekindergarten. Children may also be recommended for the program by government or court referral.

Parents or guardians whose child does not meet those criteria can put the child’s name on a waiting list, which will be used to fill any remaining slots. Documentation must be submitted prior to a child’s acceptance into the program.

Early Entrance Requests

Parents/guardians may seek early admission to prekindergarten, kindergarten or grade 1 for a child whose birth date falls between Sept. 2 and Oct. 15. The parents/guardians must submit an Early Entrance Request Form giving a reason for the request. The request form must be submitted to the Director of Elementary Education by July 31st of the year in which the parents/guardians would like the child to begin school. The child will be assessed and a determination will be made on eligibility for early admission as outlined in the Board of Education policy for the requested grade level.

The Board policy on early admission to kindergarten and prekindergarten is on the web site at http://www.wcboe.org/; Look for Board of Education in Quick Links and click to go to Policies.