June/July 2010
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STARTING KINDERGARTEN: A guide to enrollment By Nicole Oliver 
Step 1: Applications and EnrollmentLike any other major parenting milestone, enrolling your first child in Kindergarten will involve research and planning. Even if you are enrolling your child in your neighborhood elementary school, there is paperwork to prepare and deadlines to note. In Bend, there are three primary options for Kindergarten outside the home: public schools, public magnet schools, and private schools. PUBLIC SCHOOL ENROLLMENT Bend La Pine School District Bend La Pine public schools will begin their "Kindergarten Roundup" in early April. Each elementary school will advertise the dates of their enrollment period. During the Roundup, parents will be required to bring their child’s proof of address, immunization record, and birth certificate to the school they will be attending. Parents will fill out the necessary application and enroll their child at this time. Please note that Bend La Pine schools will be announcing some boundary changes this spring, so double check with the school district if you have questions about what school your child will be attending. Daily Schedule Most Bend La Pine public elementary schools are on the following schedule:
Morning Kindergarten 9 - 11:40 AM
Afternoon Kindergarten 12:50 - 3:30 PM Except on early release Wednesdays, when the schedule changes to: Morning Kindergarten 9 - 11 AM Afternoon Kindergarten 12 - 2 PM Check the Bend La Pine school district website for more information: http://www.bend.k12.or.us Or call their information line: 541-383-6004 Or contact your neighborhood elementary school directly: http://www.bend.k12.or.us/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectionid=126 MAGNET SCHOOL ENROLLMENT In Bend there are four magnet elementary schools, each with a different school philosophy and teaching style. Parents interested in the magnet schools are encouraged to attend an open house or informational meeting. Parents can then apply to the magnet school of their choice. Note that students can only apply to one of the four magnet schools. >> Magnet School Brochure (PDF, 163k) Magnet school acceptance is based on a lottery system: after parents apply to the one magnet school of their choice, Kindergarten students are chosen based on a random selection process. No students are given preference over others, except where their siblings are already enrolled in the magnet school. Please note that there is currently discussion underway about changing the magnet school acceptance procedure to allow students living a magnet school neighborhood to attend that magnet school without going through the lottery system. More details on this will be announced this spring. Tours and Information Applications are available at the schools during information sessions and tours. All Bend area magnet schools will hold their information sessions and tours during the first week of March. Update on 2008 Parent Information Meetings. For contact information see our Magnet Schools Directory. Application Deadline The magnet school application deadline for 2008 is March 21, 2008. The lottery process will begin immediately following spring break, and students will be notified of their acceptance or denial via mail starting April 10, 2008. Daily Schedule Public magnet schools are on the same schedule as the rest of the Bend La Pine school district. However check with your magnet school to get their specific schedule information.
General Schedule:
Morning Kindergarten 9 - 11:40 AM Afternoon Kindergarten 12:50 - 3:30 PM Except on early release Wednesdays, when the schedule changes to: Morning Kindergarten 9 - 11 AM Afternoon Kindergarten 12 - 2 PM PRIVATE SCHOOL ENROLLMENT See our Private Schools Directory for a list of private schools in Central Oregon. There are many secular and religious private Kindergarten options in Central Oregon. Each school will have their own application and enrollment process. Many of them, including Cascades Academy and Seven Peaks School in Bend, are offering tours and information sessions in February and March. ........................................ A note on immunizations According to the State of Oregon website, children entering Kindergarten need the following immunizations:
5 DTaP
4 Polio 1 Varicella (chickenpox) 2 MMR 3 Hepatitis B 2 Hepatitis A However, parents can claim religious or medical exemption if they have chosen to not immunize their children or to immunize them at a slower pace than what is recommended by the State of Oregon. Definition of Religion: Oregon Administrative Rule 333-050-0010 defines "religion" for the purpose of immunization requirements to be "any system of beliefs, practices, or ethical values." — State of Oregon Religious and Medical Exemptions Brochure This means that any parent can claim a religious exemption to immunizations, for "any system of beliefs, practices, or ethical values." Parents claiming religious or medical exemption must sign Section C of the Certificate of Immunization Status, available from your child’s school. Note that "in case of an outbreak of vaccine-preventable disease in a community, the county health department has the legal authority to exclude from school or child care attendance any child who has not been appropriately immunized, including children with a religious or medical exemption." — State of Oregon Religious Exemption Brochure ........................................ For more information: Public Schools Private Schools Magnet Schools |
