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“My son was so excited about kindergarten registration that he wore his Batman costume to the school,” said Bergen Nelson, whose 6-year-old son, Harper (pictured), started school in September in Henrico County.
Harper is one of more than 14,000 children who are in kindergarten this year in the Richmond region. Nelson registered him on kindergarten registration day last April so the school could prepare for her child. But, more than 4,000 families in the area registered their children late and many children missed the first day of school.
Children who are five years old by Sept. 30 can start kindergarten in the fall. But first they need to be registered. This year, Henrico and 14 other local school divisions will host kindergarten registration day April 19.
Registration will be held at every elementary school in the area. Families can visit www.smartbeginningsrva.org or dial 2-1-1 to learn about times for registration and information for their specific school district.
“It’s a nice time because you’re able to ask questions, see the school and start getting everything ready,” said Nelson, who made registration day a fun family outing.
In addition to being a mother of two young children, Nelson is an assistant professor and a pediatrician at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU and is passionate about early childhood development. She makes sure all her patients' families are aware of regional kindergarten registration.
“It’s really important that parents register their child on April 19,” said Jacque Hale, Director of Programs and Community Impact for Smart Beginnings Greater Richmond. “If parents wait until the summer, then it’s a scramble – both to gather the paperwork and to make sure the child has the necessary skills to be successful in school.”
At registration, schools will identify any missing paperwork, provide information about summer activities and other chances to visit the school. Even if parents don’t have all of the paperwork, they should still come to registration. The school will guide parents to resources to help complete the process.
“It was better than I expected," said Nelson, whose son started a countdown to kindergarten after the event. "It was more of a celebration event than registration. They made it really fun, and it was a great chance for the kids and parents to meet the teachers and administrators.”
Families should bring the child’s certified original birth certificate, two proofs of address, the school entrance health form and a photo ID of the parent or legal guardian. Families are encouraged to come to registration even if they are missing a form or don't have their physical yet because the school can start the process.
Registering children for kindergarten in April helps school divisions hire the appropriate number of teachers and prepare for the necessary space and materials.
“Children love seeing their name on their cubby on the first day of school and their name on the bulletin board. But, they may not see that if you don’t register on time,” added Hale. “These things really matter to the child and sets them on the right path to succeed in school.”
Smart Beginnings Greater Richmond recommends parents, grandparents and caregivers start preparing their children for kindergarten long before those children reach the classroom. In the Richmond region, one in seven children enter kindergarten already behind in language and literacy skills.
“Parents, including expectant parents, need to know they are the first and most important teachers for their children,” Hale said.
To help prepare their children for kindergarten, parents and caregivers should read to their children daily; establish and stick to regular bedtimes and wake-up times; practice counting real objects; meet and play with other children their age; find and name letters of the alphabet throughout the day; visit and explore libraries, parks and museums.
On the first day of school, Bergen Nelson's son was ready. “He got up earlier than he had to and he was excited to ride the bus for the first time,” said Nelson. “It was harder for me. It was my baby going to kindergarten, but I was so happy he had a good day."
