Kindergarten Registration
Frequently Asked Questions
When can I complete enrollment forms?
2012-13 kindergarten registration will begin the week of February 13. Parents of students with last names that begin with the letters A through M may begin calling the New Student Welcome Center (NSWC) on February 13. Parents of students with last names that begin with the letters N through Z will begin calling the NSWC on February 16. During that call parents will obtain a personal identification number (PIN) that will be used to access the online registration system, where you will enter basic demographic, health and emergency contact information about your child. You will also be prompted to schedule the second step of kindergarten registration, which is an appointment at the school your child will attend.
Which school will my child attend?
Olentangy is currently going through the process of updating its elementary attendance boundaries. This change is necessary because in 2012-13 Heritage Elementary School (HES) will transition from an all-kindergarten building to a traditional elementary school, housing kindergarten through fifth grade. The new attendance boundaries will be announced during the board of education work session on Thursday, February 9 at Olentangy High School, 675 Lewis Center Road, at 6 p.m. Information on the new boundaries will be available on the district website on Friday, February 10.
Will the timing of my initial phone call affect my student's status in the event of an overflow situation?
No, if your student’s building were to go into overflow status, neither the numeric value of your PIN nor the time of your call for that PIN would affect your child’s status.
When are Kindergarten registration appointments?
The second step of kindergarten registration consists of attending an appointment at your child’s school. Appointments will be held at the schools on the following dates:
| Alum Creek Elementary School (ACES) | May 14 and 15 |
| Arrowhead Elementary School (AES) | March 12 and 13 |
| Cheshire Elementary School (CES) | April 2 and 3 |
| Freedom Trail Elementary School (FTES) | May 10 and 11 |
| Glen Oak Elementary School (GOES) | March 26 and 27 |
| Heritage Elementary School (HES) | March 12 and 13 |
| Indian Springs Elementary School (ISES) | April 17 and 18 |
| Johnnycake Corners Elementary School (JCES) | April 19 and 20 |
| Liberty Tree Elementary School (LTES) | March 28 and 29 |
| Oak Creek Elementary School (OCES) | May 1 and 2 |
| Olentangy Meadows Elementary School (OMES) | April 4 and 5 |
| Scioto Ridge Elementary School (SRES) | May 3 and 4 |
| Tyler Run Elementary School (TRES) | May 16 and 17 |
| Walnut Creek Elementary School (WCES) | April 11 and 12 |
| Wyandot Run Elementary School (WRES) | April 30 and May 1 |
What is the birth date requirement for kindergarten students?
In Olentangy Local Schools, a child must be five years old by September 30 of the year he/she begins kindergarten.
Do you screen kindergarten students and make recommendations on whether or not they should attend or wait a year?
We recommend that children who are not five by September 30th do not attend kindergarten. Our process is one of registration, not screening out students. If you have questions regarding the readiness of your child, building principals, teachers and guidance counselors are available to talk with you to help you make the decision whether your child should attend or wait a year.
What does the kindergarten schedule look like?
For the 2012-13 school year, Olentangy will once again schedule kindergarten students on an all-day twice each week with alternating Friday attendance calendar. Students will be assigned to either every Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday and will also attend every other Friday. This schedule was first implemented for the 2009 –10 school year and provides at least eight and one-half days of additional instructional time compared to the previous half-day schedule. It also saves the district approximately $100,000 in fuel and transportation costs each year.
Once kindergarten registration is complete, students will be assigned to a specific schedule. Generally, parents will be informed of their child’s schedule by the end of June.
What do I need to bring to registration?
- Proof of residency in one of these forms:
- Lease or rental contract
- Settlement statement
- Tax statement
- Copy of property card from the Delaware County Auditor’s web site http://www.delawarecountyauditor.org
- Warranty deed
- Copy of building or purchase contract if you have not yet established residency
For persons living with family or friends – please contact the NSWC (740-657-4030) for information on how to prove residency
- Child's birth certificate – Ohio law requires we see an original or attested copy of the birth certificate. You may bring, in place of the birth certificate, the child's passport or baptismal record.
- Divorce or dissolution decree if applicable – in accordance with Ohio law a complete copy of all documents must be provided
- Guardianship documents if child is court-placed and not living with his/her parent(s)
- Immunization record (please note there are new immunization requirements from the Ohio Department of Health for kindergarten students beginning with the 2010-11 school year.)
- Parent photo ID
What happens at kindergarten registration?
When kindergarten students come to registration, they are given screenings for speech, hearing and basic preschool skills. The results of these screenings help identify students’ needs so schools can be prepared to facilitate maximum learning for every student – they are not used to identify which students are ready or not ready to attend kindergarten.
The registration process takes approximately 45 minutes to one hour. The screenings are required by state law and are administered by school personnel.
How can I get my child ready for kindergarten?
The most important thing to prepare for kindergarten is to help your child develop a positive attitude about school and the wonderful things he/she will be learning. Other activities that will stimulate learning include:
- reading to your child and sharing picture books every day develops an interest in reading;
- practice writing his/her name with crayons, pencils or markers;
- counting with picture books, snacks (pretzels, fish crackers, etc.) or while setting the table for dinner;
- reading and enjoying alphabet books and recognizing letters of the alphabet in everyday life (ex. restaurants, cereal boxes, road signs, etc.);
- recognizing, naming and drawing basic shapes;
- practicing your phone number and address;
- coloring; and,
- cutting.
It is necessary that children participate in these activities in a natural, relaxed environment. Enjoy the time spent with your child.
The district has included information in our kindergarten packet, available online and at the kindergarten registration, that suggests activities to help prepare for kindergarten.
What immunizations are required for my child to start school?
The Ohio Department of Health issued new vaccine guidelines beginning with the 2010-11 school year. These requirements are posted online. For additional questions regarding vaccinations, please contact your child’s healthcare provider or the Ohio Department of Health’s immunization program at 1-800-282-0546.
Will the school staff dispense medications if my child needs them?
As parent or legal guardian you may authorize school personnel to administer medications or procedures to your child as instructed by a physician. A physician must complete the Physician’s Medication Procedure Request form and the parent must complete the Parent’s Medication Procedures Request Form in order for the district to dispense medications/procedures. Both forms are available online.
Other useful links on this web site:
- Curriculum Maps - Curriculum at Olentangy is developed through a process called mapping. This three-step process includes teachers and administrators that would like to participate in mapping, a curriculum committee review and the board of education’s review and adoption of the maps. All Curriculum Maps are available online.
- 2012-2013 Annual Calendar (pdf)
- School web sites - A building directory is available online with information specific to each school, including links to each building’s Web site.
- Sign up to get email news and information from your new school or the district: Olentangy Listserves