2009 Kindergarten Screening & Registration Information

It’s time for kindergarten screenings and registration at Joplin Schools! Children must turn five years old prior to August 1, 2009 and must reside within district boundaries in order to attend kindergarten during the 2009-2010 school year.

Kindergarten Screenings

Kindergarten screenings begin March 2nd. Screenings help to determine a child’s readiness for kindergarten. To make an appointment for their child’s kindergarten screening, parents may contact Parents as Teachers at 417-625-5294 or 417-625-5290. No screenings will be conducted during the week of spring break, March 16th–20th.

Kindergarten Registration

Kindergarten registration will be held the week of March 23rd–27th, between 7:30 AM – 3 PM, and an evening registration session will be held March 24th from 5-7 PM. Following this initial registration week, parents may register their child on any regular school day. Registration must be completed at the elementary school that serves the attendance area in which the child resides. To verify which elementary attendance area a specific address is located in, please contact Joplin Schools’ Transportation Department at 417-625-5300.

What to Bring

Parents/guardians are asked to bring the following documents for kindergarten registration:

• Your Photo ID (Any valid state or federal government-issued photo ID is acceptable, such as a driver's license, state ID card, U.S. passport, military ID, or tribal photo ID.)
  
  
• Child's Legal, State-Issued Birth Certificate
  
  
• Child's Up-to-date Immunization Records as required by the State of Missouri
  The list of 2009-2010 Missouri State Immunization Requirements is available here. (pdf)
  
  
• Child's Social Security Card (if available)
  
  
• Proof of Residency
  [Examples of acceptable documents include: property tax statement, mortgage documents, house closing documents, lease/rental agreement, construction contract with proposed occupancy date, current utility bill (water, gas, electricity), or current charge card statement.]
  
  
• Evidence of comprehensive vision exam performed by a state-licensed optometrist or physician.
  The official Missouri Eye Exam Form is available here. (pdf)
  
  
• Proof of guardianship if the student lives within district boundaries with someone other than a parent.

JumpStart Program

During registration, soon-to-be kindergartners may also be enrolled in JumpStart – a free summer program designed to prepare students for kindergarten. Jumpstart will be held concurrently with Joplin’s summer school program at these elementary school locations – Cecil Floyd, Eastmorland, Kelsey Norman, and West Central.

Questions?

For more information about kindergarten registration, screenings, or the JumpStart program, please contact Barbara Brown, Early Childhood Coordinator, at 417-625-5290.

posted 2/26/09