Kindergarten Round-Up

It’s hard to believe, but Kindergarten Round-Up (KRU) is just a month away!  If you have a child ready to start Kindergarten this fall, you’ll want to be getting prepared now. If your child is a few years from this phase of life, stick with me-there are things you can be doing or thinking about now that can help make this whole process easier!

Which school will my child attend?
Each school has its boundaries mapped out and by going to your district’s website you can see where your neighborhood school will be.. If you are a few years away from sending a child to school, consider checking the boundaries just to be sure you are happy with the school. Each school has its own report card for how well they are doing and can help when choosing the school that’s best for your child.

When is Kindergarten Round-Up?
Once you know where you are going, find out when they will be hosting KRU. Some schools in our area have theirs listed already, while some have not yet posted, but keep checking back as I’m sure it will come up very soon. Bettendorf has it set for March 2nd so it really is just around the corner!
Bettendorf Community School District
Davenport Community School District
Moline School District
East Moline School District
Rock Island School District

What do I need to bring?
This is the most stressful part of KRU, or it could be the easiest, depending on how organized you are!
I thought I was super organized until 5 years ago when I couldn’t find my daughter’s birth certificate and had to send(and pay a ridiculous fee!) for it from Missouri. Of course the day it came in the mail, I found my original copy-yup-not cool. If you can make copy’s of these documents before hand this helps, but usually the secretary is available to make copies for you. Here’s a list of what you’ll need:
1. Birth Certificate
2. Proof of Residency: a utility bill, etc, needs your  name and address
3. Immunization records: call your Dr. and ask for the up-to-date copy
These items you will need, though not necessarily that day:
1. Dental screening: forms will be handed out to take to your dentist to bring back with a verification this was done.
2. Lead Screening: forms will also be given for this, or if your child has already done this, just ask your Dr. for signed verification.
Having these items ready will ensure the enrollment process to go very smoothly.

What do you do at Kindergarten Round-Up?
At our school it is usually set on a school day in the morning. The Kindergarten teachers are ready to meet your child and will take them to a classroom where they will be tested on your child’s knowledge of colors, shapes, letters, sorting, etc. It’s basically a quick assessment of what your child  knows, what your child may yet need to work on.  They usually have a lot of fun playing in the classroom and meeting new friends. As the parent you will get to hear from the Principal about the school, services offered, school schedules, and get to ask any questions you might have.

Is my child ready for Kindergarten?
If you really don’t know whether your child is ready( must be age 5 by Sept 15th, 2012) attending KRU can help you decide. Once your child  has had the basic assessment done you can talk to the Kindergarten teacher to see what they think. You will also be given a list of what your child should know or needs to work on and by testing your child on these things at home.  If your child is attending pre-school now, try to set up a conference with the teacher within this next month. KRU is very different than when I  attended, amazingly enough I do remember it! I remember being asked to hop on one foot, skip and if I could tie my shoe, which seems silly compared to what they are learning in Kindergarten now!

Having a child starting school can be a mixture of emotions for parents, hopefully some of these tips will help make it easier. Do you have a child starting Kindergarten this year? If you’ve had children in school already do you have any other advice to share?