Kindergarten Registration 2008
Montville Township School District
Eligibility
A child is eligible for entrance into kindergarten in September if he or she attains the age of five years
on or before October 1 of that year. No child will be admitted to kindergarten who has not met the age
requirement set by this policy.
Board of Education Policy 5111 Entrance Age
Screening
Upon completion of registration, school lists will be generated and parents will be contacted by respective
school secretaries to arrange appointments for kindergarten screening. Your child will have
his or her picture taken and complete a few tasks with kindergarten teachers. Screenings usually take
one hour and include a series of activities that give teachers an indication of the developmental level
of your child. No preparation is necessary. This is NOT a test.
Required Documents
The following documents must be provided at the time of screening:
•
Original birth certificate with raised seal OR passport•
Four proofs of residency•
Immunization RecordsRegistration
Kindergarten registration will take place on line at www.montville.net and will be available late February
2008.
Elementary Schools
• Cedar Hill Elementary School, 46 Pine Brook Road, Towaco, NJ 07082 973-331-7130
• Hilldale Elementary School, 123 Konner Avenue, Pine Brook, NJ 07058 973-808-2040
• Valley View Elementary School, Montgomery Avenue, Montville, NJ 07045 973-331-7125
• William Mason Elementary School, 5 Shawnee Trail, Montville, NJ 07045 973-331-7135
• Woodmont Elementary School, 30 Woodmont Road, Pine Brook, NJ 07058 973-808-2030
KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION AND SCREENING FAQ’S
REGISTRATION QUESTIONS
If
my child misses the cutoff date for Kindergarten by only a few days, can s/he go
to Kindergarten anyway?
There are no exceptions to the age cutoffs. Montville Board Policy 5112
states that a child must be 5 years old by October 1 in order to be eligible to
attend kindergarten.
Is Kindergarten mandatory?
School attendance in New Jersey is mandatory for students who have attained the
age of 6 years old. We encourage participation in an established Kindergarten
program before entrance into First Grade.
If my child is not ready for
Kindergarten, may we withhold him/her until next year?
The decision not to send your child to Kindergarten even if he/she is age
eligible is an individual one. Before you make this decision, you may wish to
consider his/her performance on the screening, and reports from the current
preschool teacher.
If my child registered for Kindergarten
in Montville last year and then attended a private Kindergarten, do I need to
register him/her for Grade One?
Yes! Your child is considered a new student in the Montville school system and
must register for Grade One.
G QUESTION
S
SCREENING QUESTIONS
What is involved in Kindergarten Screening?
The screening will last approximately one hour. Parents will be asked to complete a parent questionnaire and registration materials while children are involved in a variety of short assessments and an observation of social skills and interaction with other children and adults. Your child will have his/her photo taken by a parent volunteer. Children are interviewed by three kindergarten teachers, one at a time, and are asked to respond to questions about where they live, who is in their family, etc. The children are asked to perform simple tasks such as letter identification, counting, replicating a pattern or shape, and gross motor activities such as hopping, skipping, or jumping.
Who does the screening?
The kindergarten teachers at each school conduct the screening for incoming kindergarten students.
When and where is the screening?
Screening dates are held at the elementary schools as follows:
Cedar
Hill School – May 5 -9
Hilldale School – April 28, 29, 30 and May 1 and 2
Valley View School - April 21-25
William Mason School – April 28 – May 1
Woodmont School – April 21-25
Once registration information has been collated, you will be contacted by a school secretary to establish the date/time of your child’s appointment
What do I need to bring to the screening?
You will need to bring your child’s original birth certificate with the raised seal, copies of health and immunization records from your pediatrician, four proofs of residency, and proof of custody (if applicable).
Can I prepare my child for the screening?
No. The screeners will be looking for readiness skills that come naturally to children. You can't prepare for this type of screening as you might for a traditional test.
Why do we screen children?
We screen all students to gain information about their developmental skill levels. The screening is also useful in identifying students who may have potential learning difficulties and need additional services.
If I receive a notice that my child needs
to be re-screened, can he still go to Kindergarten?
All
age eligible students attend Kindergarten, regardless of performance at the time
of screening. Your child may simply be rechecked in the fall at his home
school, or he may be evaluated for special needs. This decision will depend on
how well he transitions to the Kindergarten program.
What happens if my child cannot make his
screening appointment?
You may be able to reschedule a screening appointment. Otherwise, your child
will be screened in the fall at his home school.
If my child doesn't do well on screening
day, should he be screened again?
On a case-by-case basis, the screening teachers may recommend a recheck in the
fall.
