Registration for children who will be attending kindergarten for the first time will be held Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, February 3, 4 and 5.
Registration times will be 9 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. each day at the district’s two elementary schools, Apalachin Elementary School and Owego Elementary School East.
Parents and guardians whose children are on the school census list have been sent individual letters informing them of the school to which they should report for this preliminary registration.
Which school building a child will attend will depend on transportation routes, which are modified after the school census has been completed and the number of children registered at each school is determined.
Parents who are unable to register their children on these designated days should contact the school principal where they believe their child will attend, and arrange a time that is convenient for both parties. The contact numbers for both elementary schools are listed below.
Children who will be 5-years-old on or before Dec.1, 2015, are eligible to enter kindergarten for the 2015-16 school year. This means that a kindergarten child would be four years and nine months old on or before Sept. 1, 2015. All registered children will be screened in May or June in the areas of speech, language, vision, hearing, fine motor and gross motor skills. This screening is required by the New York State Department of Education and will help the OA district identify any special needs a child may have.
Parents or guardians should bring their child’s birth certificate or its equivalent. New York state laws require written proof that all students have immunization against polio, measles, diphtheria, mumps, rubella, varicella (chicken pox) and hepatitis B, or medical verification of any of these listed illnesses. The need for accurate information concerning birth dates and ages cannot be stressed too much, as schools are frequently required to use and provide this type of information.
Parents or guardians will also need to provide two forms of proof of residency, such as a current tax bill or rent receipt, a most-recent pay stub, current phone or electric bill, etc.
Registration prior to the beginning of school is very important, as it enables school authorities to estimate time needed for school readiness screening, classes and transportation needs. Additionally, it provides an opportunity for school visitation before the opening session in the fall.
Parents and guardians of elementary school children who do not receive an individual letter and do not know where to register their child, or have any other questions regarding registration may contact Robert Farrell, assistant superintendent at (607) 687-6227.
The Elementary School in Apalachin is located at 405 Pennyslvania Ave., Apalachin, N.Y., you can call (607) 687-7304; Owego Elementary School East is located at 1201 Union Center-Maine Highway in Endicott, N.Y.
