Time to enroll kindergarten students for fall classes

Online enrollment opens in Battle Ground School District on Mon., Feb. 10

BATTLE GROUND — It’s time to enroll the Class of 2033. Online enrollment opens Mon., Feb. 10 for kindergartners who will attend Battle Ground Public Schools next year. Any child who will be five years old before Sept. 1, 2020 is eligible to enter kindergarten in the fall. Students who enroll in Battle Ground’s full-day kindergarten benefit from the advantages of a developmentally appropriate program.

Kindergarten teacher Diana Knauss and new students at last year's Jump Start. Photo courtesy of Battle Ground Public Schools — Kindergarten teacher Diana Knauss and new students at last year’s Jump Start. Photo courtesy of Battle Ground Public Schools

Parents will need proof of their child’s birth date (such as a birth certificate) and a signed and completed Washington state Certificate of Immunization Status form. Note that for students entering school in the fall, the State of Washington requires that immunization records be medically verified. More information about immunization requirements, including forms in English, Spanish, and Russian, is available on the district website at www.battlegroundps.org/health-services/immunization-information/.

Families can find out which school their child will attend by using the Clark County Property Information Center or by calling the district boundaries office at (360) 885-6577. Parents/guardians must enroll their children at the school assigned to their address, even if they plan to request a boundary exception.

Enrolled students and their families will be invited to attend a kindergarten orientation in the spring. These orientations are a time for you and your child to get to know your school and to learn more about the kindergarten program. Enrolling your child prior to these orientations is a key step in being prepared for the school year, and helps the district plan for the number of teachers it will need to serve our youngest students.

Kindergarten students at Tukes Valley Primary get a lesson from teacher Meadowlark Clark. Photo courtesy of Battle Ground Public Schools

Orientation Schedules

Enroll your 2020-21 kindergartner online now so that you can attend a kindergarten welcome orientation at your school. Orientations will be held on the following dates and times:

Captain Strong Primary, May 21, 5 p.m. (last names A-M) and 6 p.m. (last names N-Z)

Daybreak Primary, May 12, 6-7 p.m.

Glenwood Heights Primary, May 14, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Maple Grove Primary, May 7, 5-6 p.m.

Pleasant Valley Primary, May 28, 5:30-7 p.m.

Tukes Valley Primary, May 21, 6-7 p.m.

Yacolt Primary, May 28, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Kindergarten Jump Start

Jump Start is a free program offered to kindergartners in Battle Ground Public Schools prior to the start of the school year. The goal of Jump Start is to help new kindergarten students get acclimated to the school learning environment. Providing kids with an early introduction to their teachers, classrooms and classmates helps build confidence and ease the transition so the focus can be on learning once the school year begins.

Jump Start will be held August 17-20. While parents are strongly encouraged to have their children participate, enrollment is optional. More information about Jump Start will be available during kindergarten orientations in May. Jump Start is only available to parents whose children are already enrolled in kindergarten and have verified immunization records on file.

2020-21 School Calendar and Smart Start

School will begin next year on Wed., Sept. 2; however, kindergartners have a staggered start. Enrolled kindergartners will be invited to participate in an introductory program called Smart Start that allows small groups of students to get acclimated to the school environment, routines, their teacher and classroom, and other students on the first days of school. The Smart Start conferences are scheduled for September 2-4, and parents will receive a letter before the start of school about their child’s Smart Start date. A list of key dates for the 2020-21 school year, including breaks and holidays, is available on the district website: www.battlegroundps.org/school-calendars/.

Let’s Play & Learn Together provides early learning opportunities

Let’s Play and Learn Together is a free, weekly drop-in program for children up to five years old. Registration is not required in order to attend. Parents and grandparents are welcome to stop by with their children to engage in a variety of fun and educational activities designed to acclimate preschoolers to the classroom learning environment and provide parents/grandparents with tools to aid in their children’s development. For more information about the dates, times, and locations of this program, refer to the program flyer here.

Preschool options

Battle Ground and Prairie high schools and the BGPS Community Education Department offer tuition-based preschool programs for ages 3-5. Two and three-day programs called Tigerland are located on the campuses of Captain Strong Primary and Yacolt Primary, and a three-day program is offered at both Battle Ground and Prairie high schools. The preschools are designed to prepare early learners for their kindergarten experience. To register for Tigerland, contact Community Education at (360) 885-6584. To register for Battle Ground Preschool call (360) 885-5359 or for Prairie Preschool call (360) 885-5004.

The district also offers preschools for children with special needs. Contact the BGPS Special Services Department at (360) 885-5318 for more information. Information about BGPS preschool options is available on the district’s preschool web page at www.battlegroundps.org/preschool-and-daycare/.