Pre-reg for Kindergarten Next Year

Call the school district they can help you. If your child is only 3 1/2 then you have another year to go, they have to be 5 on or before Sept 1 to start.

This link will show you which school your child will go to in the Ft. Worth ISD. http://www.schoolsiteonline.com/schoolsitelocator/?distri... . Then I would contact the school to ask about after school care if you need it. Good luck! :)

You could call any one of the elementary schools and ask them. More than likely, they will be able to tell you. You can also ask them for after-care options. They may or may not be able to give you recommendations, but they should be able to give you a list of providers.

Do you belong to a church? I talked to several people at our church and almost all of them recommended a particular after school provider. It was a daycare center in town, and they all gave it fabulous reviews. I was starting back to work full time, and we have an almost 3 year old, so I was looking for a provider for him and for the 5 year old after school.

Our school has pre-registration for kindergarten some time in the spring (March, I think). You can register after that, but it helps them and it helps you to do the pre-registration. Just makes things easier all around.

Try not to stress!!! I asked so many questions this year. It was all so overwhelming, but I kept reminding myself that they see first-time moms every year. They know that many of the kindergarten moms have never had a kid in grade school and are going to have lots of questions. Really, as long as you are polite and patient with them, they will be wonderful and helpful to you.

the district website should be able to help you. I think they usually do K registration between March and May???

Try the link given to you. You should also be able to go to the school district's website and find out. Mansfield has a way to put in your address and it tells you all the schools your child will attend.

As others have said, there should be a map of the school district somewhere on the web. You can also call the school, they are very helpful. I wasn't sure, in our neighborhood, if there was one bus for all the schools or a bus for the elementary school, high school, etc. So, I called and asked what bus # my son should be getting on and they were very helpful.

I'm not sure how busy it is in Fort Worth, but most after school programs here (Tyler) have plenty of room for after school kids. You need to start finding out what your options are for afterschool though. Which daycares in your area pick up from the school? Does someone provide care on site? Does one daycare have to drive on a busier road than another to get the kids back to the daycare? How long a drive is it? I didn't want my son on a bus for a LONG time - if there was another daycare that was closer and he could play for longer, rather than sitting on a bus for an hour. Start calling the daycares and asking them if they provide transportation, how much they cost, do they provide a snack, do they provide homework time. Do they separate smaller kids from bigger kids during playtime, etc. Also, definitely ask your friends and neighbors which daycares they use - other moms definitely know which places are the best. Also, you can ask the school which daycares provide care. Our school sends out an email about which daycares provide transportation, but they don't send that email out until August. Personally, I like to have all of that taken care of before August! Oh, and you also need to find out what the daycare does when the school releases early or has Spring Break. Does your daycare provide care during those times? The daycares around here follow the school's schedules and so they will pick up at 1:00 PM if the school releases at 1:00 PM. However, I changed my son again from a public school to a charter school. He now goes to the Boys and Girls club afterschool - provided right at the school - which I love that he does not have to get on a bus. But, they provide NO care during Christmas Break or Spring Break. I have to make alternate arrangements during those times (my daughter attends a daycare that provides afterschool care and so my son can go there when he needs to).

As others have said, K registration is in the spring. Call the school or look on the website - there is a lot of paperwork you need to take in. Things like SS card, immunization record, tax records/proof of residence. You will want to know what you need before registration so that you can take all of the items in with you.

One other thing you might want to ask about, if you need it, is a gifted and talented program at the school and how your child would get tested/qualified for it. My son transferred from a private school to public school and I made arrangements for him to be tested for the gifted and talented program in the summer - before school started. If he had not had the testing, he would have missed a full year of the program. I have no idea if the program is available to Kindergarteners or not. But, now is the time to find out all the information you need to know about Kindergarten!

Good luck!
L.