Kindergarteners to get an early start
Contact: Lisa Deffendall • First Posted: Wednesday, July 30, 2008
All students entering kindergarten in Fayette County this fall are encouraged to come to a special orientation and screening just for them this Friday, August 1.
The orientation will give the kids a taste of what to expect on the first day of class. They will have a chance to visit their new schools, and teachers will spend a few minutes asking the children to show them what they already know.
For years, individual schools have had different ways of getting to know their incoming students and assessing their skills. This year, a committee of Fayette County kindergarten teachers has developed a uniform screening tool to check the children’s awareness of numbers, letters, shapes and colors. And for the first time, every school in the district will host their kids on the same day.
The sessions are staggered according to students’ last names: 10 a.m. to noon for A-I; 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. for J-Q; and 3 to 5 p.m. for R-Z. To schedule a different time or get more information, call the school where your child will attend kindergarten.
Nearly 3,000 kindergartners are expected to enroll this year. Fayette County families can register their kids through Aug. 13, the first day of school. To enroll a child, families should go to the school their neighborhood is assigned to and fill out a registration packet. To find out your school, use the online street directory (http://webapps.fcps.net/street/2.2/default.asp) or call (859) 381-4315. If you want to enroll your child in a different school, you must complete an out-of-area request.
Parents or guardians also are reminded of what they need to bring to registration:
- Child’s legal birth certificate
- Two proofs of residence, such as a property deed, sale agreement or current lease agreement in your name and a secondary document such as a current utility bill or a current tax bill or receipt
- Child’s immunization records
- Proof of an eye exam
- Proof of a preventive health care exam
- Court documents pertaining to your child (if applicable)
Go to /dpp/enrolling.htm for more details on enrollment.