Bend-La Pine kindergarten registration begins
Parents of future Bend-La Pine Schools kindergartners are urged to register their children for the 2014-15 school year beginning Wednesday, April 23.
Schools have scheduled their own special kindergarten kickoff events, so parents need to contact their neighborhood school for specific times. After April 23rd, parents may register their students between 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM any school day.
More than 1,200 new students are expected to enter the Bend-La Pine Schools at the kindergarten level when school begins in September.
“In such a quickly growing community, it is essential that we have students pre-registered for kindergarten so that we can properly plan for teachers, classroom space and materials,” says Lora Nordquist, Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Programs for Bend-La Pine Schools.
In addition, Nordquist says the registration and school visits provide a time for students and parents to get acquainted with their new school.
“For many this will be the first time that one of their children is making the transition from home to school,” she says. “We want to provide every opportunity for both parents and students to learn more about our programs and schools and meet teachers and staff.”
To be eligible to enroll in Bend-La Pine Schools kindergarten, the student must be five years old on or before, September 1, 2014.
Parents must bring the following documents with them in order to register: the child’s birth certificate, immunization record, social security number, proof of address and the names and phone numbers of two local emergency contacts.
“It is not necessary for a student to have all of their immunizations up-to-date at the time of registration,” says Nordquist. “But they must have them up-to-date by the first day of school.”
For more information about immunization needs, parents are encouraged to contact their family physician or the Deschutes County Health Department.
Proof of address may include a driver’s license with current address, rental agreement or utility bill – to name a few. These documents allow the district to determine the correct attendance area for the student.
Maps outlining school attendance areas are available at the district web site at www.bend.k12.or.us. Attendance area information is also available by calling 541.355.1000.
