Union Public School District is calling all parents of 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds to get their appointments set for pre-K and kindergarten registration next month. Students turning four by September are eligible to go into pre-K, while students turning five will make up the 2019-20 kindergarten class.
Dr. Lori Wilcher, principal of Union Elementary School, said Kindergarten and pre-K registrations will be held Feb. 18 at the school. However, she said parents of pre-K students will need to call beforehand to make an appointment.
“We will not be accepting walk ups,” she said.
Union’s pre-K program is paid for with Title funds, Wilcher explained. Due to funding limitations, Union Elementary School is only able to hold one pre-K class per year. That limits the program to 20 students, she said.
To make the selection process fair for all students, Wilcher said pre-K students will need to take a screening assessment to see what they know, what they need to learn and help inform UES staff on how well pre-K might be able to prepare them for kindergarten.
“Based on that screen, we then notify parents of the children that are able to come to the class,” she said.
However, Wilcher said, just because a child isn’t accepted into the pre-K program, doesn’t mean they will miss a year of learning. After screening, she said, results will be shared with the parents to show them where they can help their child learn, whether that is identifying shapes, recognizing sounds or learning colors.
Additionally, Wilcher said, many of the daycare programs in and around Union coordinate with the school district to make sure every child is prepared for kindergarten.
Superintendent Tyler Hansford echoed Wilcher, adding local daycare programs go above and beyond for the children in their care.
“What we see is, whether they come through our program or other daycares in the city or close by, they’re way more prepared for kindergarten than those who haven’t been through any sort of formal structured daycare,” he said.
To make an appointment for pre-K screening, Wilcher said parents can call Union Elementary School at 601-774-8257 anytime 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 4-13. Screenings will take place alongside kindergarten registration Feb. 18
“They will go from noon through 7 p.m.,” Wilcher said. “We know there are some people, they don’t get President’s Day off and, you know, we want to make sure we have appropriate time slots for them.”
Although there is no way to know how many students will apply, Wilcher said Union Elementary will do everything it can to help every child, both those in the pre-K program and those in other settings. Whether it’s this year or next, Wilcher said she looked forward to meeting every new face and welcoming all to the Yellowjacket family.
