By Jessica Cabeen

Woodson Kindergarten Center Principal

Can you believe it? Your little one is about to start kindergarten! If you have a child turning 5 years old before Sept. 1, 2018, now is the time to begin the process of enrolling your child for kindergarten.

At Austin Public Schools, all kindergartners attend Woodson, an all-day, everyday kindergarten center.

Families of kindergarten-aged students for the 2018-19 school year will be receiving information in the mail and/or through their preschool regarding kindergarten registration. We ask all families to contact Woodson by March 21 to confirm their contact information. You can call the school at 507-460-1400 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Families will receive a registration packet in April. We ask families to complete this packet and bring it, along with a birth certificate and immunization records, to registration on April 12 or 13. Parents and their kindergarten-aged child will be scheduled to attend a one-hour registration session on one of these dates.

During this time, parents will complete the registration process and learn more about the kindergarten center, while their child will spend time in a kindergarten classroom with teachers. In the classroom, he/she will experience a few kindergarten activities with new friends and get to take a ride on a school bus!

By state law, all children must complete an early childhood screening before they can begin kindergarten. Parents are encouraged to get this completed as soon as possible if they have not already done so. Children may be screened any time after their third birthday.

To schedule a preschool screening, call 507-460-1700.

According to the Minnesota Department of Health, children are required to be properly immunized before they can enroll in a public school. Children cannot begin kindergarten unless they are up-to-date with their shots.

Immunization information is available from your family doctor, public health, or online.

We look forward to meeting our new kindergartners in the near future. As a parent, you are your child’s first teacher. We are excited to join you as a partner in your child’s academic and social development.