|
Post by ladyandrearose on Nov 27, 2011 8:45:39 GMT -6
My DD starts kindergarten next fall. She is my first. Is there anything I need to do now? (I know one school needs their applications in by February.) We are looking at four schools, Earle Browne (our disctrict), Emerson Spanish Immersion, Robbinsdale Spanish Immersion and Oddysey Charter school.
We missed out on pre-school because I had no idea we had to register six months early. I don't want to miss anything.
Thanks in Advance!
|
|
|
Post by sharon on Nov 27, 2011 9:00:46 GMT -6
How exciting!
Has she had her preschool screening?
Each of those districts/schools likely have their own procedures, so I would make sure to ask each what they are so you don't miss any deadlines. Are they 4 separate districts? If any are the same district, you should ask about how first choice vs. second choices listed on forms are handled, so you can figure out what order to list them in. Is Emerson Minneapolis? Minneapolis does not notify parents if they do not get into any school (unless they have changed that policy), so if you don't hear by the expected time you should call and check.
Also, you could ask each about not doing preschool. They might have a lead on somewhere she could go for the second half of the year, or some suggestions of what you might do if not.
|
|
|
Post by JazzyMaxie on Nov 27, 2011 9:59:50 GMT -6
Get applications in to every one of them! Also, I believe that out of district schools require two applications. There is an application to Open Enroll, which is due January 15th (this is a statewide deadline). education.state.mn.us/MDE/Academic_Excellence/School_Choice/Public_School_Choice/Open_Enrollment/index.html The other application will vary depending on the school and *must* be turned in on time. I would also attend any and every open house/parent meeting available. Some districts will have Kindergarten specific open houses...some may even have an Open Enrollment meeting. Remember, you are hopefully making a decision regarding Kindergarten, Elementary, Jr. High, and Sr. High all at once. While you are not required to stick with the district, the less educational mobility the better. Also, as many Moms know...I am huge on Language Immersion Schools, and that is a whole other topic for discussion! But, when entering a Language Immersion school, reading to your child in English becomes more important than ever! Langston still does not read as well as I would like him to read in English, but he has every pre-reading skill down that he needs. I think that he is just being stubborn. He insists that reading and writing in Chinese is much easier than reading and writing in English. Go Figure! Good Luck!
|
|
|
Post by ladyandrearose on Nov 27, 2011 13:40:21 GMT -6
Thanks for the input. I didn't know about the 1-15 deadline. Earl Browne and Oddysey are in the same district, Emerson is Minneapolis, and Robinsdale is of course Robbinsdale. Jazzy, don't answer if you don't want to, but is Langston school charge a tuition? Robinsdale does for kindergarten only.
|
|
|
Post by JazzyMaxie on Nov 27, 2011 13:56:15 GMT -6
The great state of Minnesota feels that children only need half day Kindergarten! Some districts only offer half day. Some districts find the money to provide whole day Kindergarten. And some districts give you the option to pay for the other half of the day to have whole day Kindergarten! Langston's Immersion school only offered full day Kindergarten, and therefore required tuition payments for Kindergarten. No charge past first grade! We had a student transfer in to full day Immersion first grade after only having half day Immersion Kindergarten. She couldn't keep up, and had to transfer out. What does that say about how much is covered?!?! Make sure that you submit Open Enrollment Apps to Minneapolis and Robbinsdale. I would get them done now, so that you don't have to worry about it later. You are not committing yourself to either...you are just getting your ducks in a row. Thanks for the input. I didn't know about the 1-15 deadline. Earl Browne and Oddysey are in the same district, Emerson is Minneapolis, and Robinsdale is of course Robbinsdale. Jazzy, don't answer if you don't want to, but is Langston school charge a tuition? Robinsdale does for kindergarten only.
|
|
|
Post by ladyandrearose on Nov 27, 2011 14:10:19 GMT -6
Thanks for the info Jazzy, I will start that process this week!
|
|
|
Post by sharon on Nov 27, 2011 16:29:03 GMT -6
Good luck! And keep us posted. I'd love to hear more.
|
|
|
Post by sharon on Jan 11, 2013 5:37:11 GMT -6
I know Debbie is in the Kindergarten selection process for next year. Anyone else?
|
|
|
Post by irish on Jan 11, 2013 8:21:43 GMT -6
We are! I'm excited but really nervous! I'm nervous for DS to ride the bus, but most of all I'm scared he's going to get lost in the shuffle. His pre-k class has 5 kids in it, so to go from that to at least 20 kids, is a little nerve-wracking. I know he'll be fine, I just don't think that I'M ready for this next stage!!!
|
|
|
Post by bumblebee23 on Jan 11, 2013 8:29:41 GMT -6
Call the schools and ask for a meeting with the principal and tour of the school. I did this when DS1 was going into 2nd and DS1 was starting K.
DS1 was in our local public school and things where not working out. He was behind in his reading and wasn't getting the necessary help he needed then trying to force hours of homework on him because of it. I finally got pissed off enough to look into alternative schools. My boys now go to a charter school and we have been so much happier with the switch!
I think my co-workers kids to to that Roseville immersion school and they seem to really like it.
|
|
|
Post by apryllraye87 on Jan 11, 2013 9:01:01 GMT -6
Ahh the joys of starting Kindergarten!
I agree with Jazzy, get all your apps in right away. I'm not sure how schools in other districts work but there is a charter school that offers free all-day every day Kindergarten near me. However, it is out of district so we had to enter a drawing and we didn't get picked. I didn't realize that by the time I was notified that we didn't get picked the open-enrollment for all the other districts around us had already passed.
Our district also has a drawing for full-time Kindergarten that you pay for and I got his paperwork in a day before the cutoff for that drawing. Since his dad and I both work full-time if he hadn't gotten picked for full-time Kindergarten we would have had no option but to put him in preschool for another year, which I definitely didn't want to do. It worked out for us because we were picked for full-time and DS loves his school and his teacher is great but it was stressful trying to get everything figured out.
|
|
|
Post by jrose on Jan 11, 2013 9:48:49 GMT -6
We got kindergarten registration from DD1s preschool yesterday! We are on the edge of the Robbinsdale district but if we moved a block over we would probably be in your district! There is a night in Feb where we bring everything in an get a tour of the school and ask questions. We are only doing half days...we could do free full days but thats based on a lottery and DH doesnt want her in full days yet because of his work schedule.
I need to get her birth certificate too...eeekkkk.
|
|
|
Post by deannemdm on Jan 11, 2013 10:16:24 GMT -6
Our district recently (within last two or three years) switched to all day everyday kindergarten at no cost. Muy 3 yeat old son can be in the same school as his 11 year old sister for this year only then never again (unless college, doctoral program overlap). The elementary they go to has gifted magent program with the school and half the students come from outside the distract for that program. I love that this will be available, but it doesn't start til 2nd grade-- just hope he will qualify. Good luck with all the choices.My sister has her kids in spanish immersion school and with her son she did full day kindergarten since her daughter got behind in first grade having only the half days
|
|
|
Post by lilmermaid on Jan 11, 2013 10:17:30 GMT -6
We got an email about our registration night coming up in February! A letter is supposed to follow too. I'm super excited that we will have FREE all day every day Kindergarten for DD2!!!!! Our school board just voted on it. A few things I am not excited about is that they will not have any specialties with the specialty teachers......PE, Art and Music. The regular classroom teacher will have to plan some of those extras. Also they will get out an hour earlier than the rest of the Elem. classes and have to ride the Middle School bus home. I'm thinking I will be picking her up instead. I'm not ready for her to be on the same bus as the middle school kids!!!! I guess these things had to happen due to funding.
|
|
|
Post by dara1012 on Jan 11, 2013 12:03:05 GMT -6
So Jealous Lil! We just found out Full Day kindergarten for DS will be $2700 for the year, which is much cheaper than his Pre-K program now, but it's what he needs for his development.
Our registration is next Thursday night.....we are debating between 2 schools and need to figure it out. The school we looked at last night has Parent led art, but they do have Spanish starting in Kindergarten and Music. No PE for Full day kindergarten because of conflict w/ gym and lunch time.
|
|
Back to the Top