Teachers, children and their parents, are gearing up for kindergarten registration.
The first one in this area is at Batesville Primary School Thursday. Thirty minute sessions will be held between 8:15am- 2:15pm and 5-7:15pm in the BPS school cafeteria and gym areas.
Parents may be anxious as it could be the first time their child is put in a structured environment. They wonder how they will perform, react. BPS longtime kindergarten teacher Kathy Kerker puts parent’s fears to rest, by explaining their assessment, which is pretty standard throughout the state. “Various skills are checked. Some of the items checked include color recognition, letter knowledge, reading, counting numbers, expressive language skills, printing their name, drawing shapes and following directions,” she said. This helps the school in student placement.
Teachers realize there is a wide range of ability with the students, but the only real eligibility criteria is age. What is helpful upon entering kindergarten? Kerker responds, “Just their ability to leave their parent that first day or shortly thereafter, and show some independence of taking care of their personal needs. Just being able to interact with their peers, listening and following directions…”
As a kindergarten teacher for over 30 years, she says its most rewarding to see young children enter school, and 9 months later leave, knowing how to read. “They are actually sounding our words, reading simple texts, in math understanding addition and subtraction…”
Kerker says the move this year to full-day kindergarten has helped greatly in mastering the state’s common core standards. Contact the Batesville Primary School office at 934-4509 to schedule a half hour session.
S. Ripley’s kindergarten registration will be March 14 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunman Elementary’s is April 3, with four time available, 8:45, 10, noon and 1:15 with each session lasting one hour and includes a short school bus ride.
Milan and JacCenDel’s schools will hold their registration April 4. Milan will be at 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. with half hour screening sessions. Call 654 2922 to register for a time. JacCenDel’s begins at 1 p.m. and ends at 6 p.m.
Birth certificates and current immunization records are needed, even if they are not yet completed. Immunizations required are 2 doses of chicken pox vaccine, or a record of the disease; two doses of Hepitatis A is recommended but not required; five doses of DTAP, 4 polio vaccinations, 2 doses of MMR and 3 doses of Hepatitus B. The Ripley County health department schedules appointments for immunizations daily, but children who have insurance coverage must contact their provider for it. The health department is located in the new annex building. MMCH wellness clinic schedules appointments for Tuesdays and Thursdays and Decatur County also does at that time.
