Kindergarten registration is now open, so we are re-posting Jennifer Marx’s column from last month as a reminder for parents.

Of the traditional milestones that come with being a parent, signing up for kindergarten and the subsequent drop off on the first day have probably brought me the most angst and dismay. It is an event that seemed to bring forward all of the feelings one can possibly have. Feeling grief and relief at the same time can be confusing. It is sad that they are old enough to be in school and less under your wing and, at the same time, having someone else to field endless questions where the answers only count if you get them wrong, is just plain good. Along with the worry, kindergarten brought out a “School’s Out For Summer” feel, but for parents.

The first foray into public school is also daunting. I had a million questions about how/when/where to sign up, feeling clueless about what was expected. The good news was, and still is, I found a lot of help at the Edmonds School District, as well as at our home school.

If you have a child going into kindergarten next year, you may not even be sure which is your “home” school. To find out which school you are assigned to, you can plug your address into the Neighborhood School Finder. This is where you will get the registration information for your child.

Per Shelley Roehl at the Edmonds School District, packets will be available at your child’s home school as early as Feb. 2, but cannot be accepted until registration opens on Feb. 11. Roehl says, “To obtain a packet, parents should bring proof of residency with them (a recent PUD bill, lease, rental or mortgage paperwork.)” In addition, the school will also need to see “a registered birth certificate issued by the state the child was born in and a recent immunization history; however, if those items aren’t available now the parent should start the process. Schools will follow up with parents who are missing that information.”

Now, if you are choosing to try to enroll your child in full-day kindergarten, you will need to enter the lottery. This varies from school to school, as some have only full-day kindergarten, while others have half-day kindergarten with an option for full-day kindergarten, which involves paying tuition. Most times, there is also a lottery due to the demand for the full-day spots. Parents should register between Feb. 11 and March 6 to be eligible for the full-day kindergarten lottery. While I asked Roehl if there was any advantage to being the first to turn in your paperwork, she said, “There is no advantage in the lottery based on the date the packet is turned in.” I was there the first day with both kids, as soon as humanly possible, and I still wasn’t the first person there.

If this all seems like too much information to digest, I have a lot of options for you. Not only can you find a review of registration requirements HERE, you can contact Shelly Roehl at roehls@edmonds.wednet.edu or by calling 425-431-7176, or The Edmonds School District. The Edmonds School District is also offering a FREE series of classes called “Parents as Partners.” Not only will this series of classes walk you through the registration process, they will help you get your child kindergarten-ready, AND they are providing child care on-site, also free, for each event.

The series kicks off Thursday night, Jan. 15 from 6 -8 p.m in the Beverly Elementary Gym, 5221 168th St. S.W., Lynnwood. Part 1 is called “Are You Ready?” and parents will “Learn activities to share and kindergarten skills needed along with kindergarten registration information.”

Part 2 will be held on March 19, also from 6 -8 p.m., but this time at the Lynnwood Elementary Gym, 18638 44th Ave. W., Lynnwood. This class is called “My Grown Up and Me” and features “further activities to share with your child with materials provided.”

Part 3 will be held on May 21. Like Part 2, it will be from 6-8 p.m. at the Lynnwood Elementary Gym. This class is called “Fun for Summer Learning” and will go over “Activities to share, information about summer activities and Kindergarten Jump Start.” Kindergarten Jump Start is a few days where children, at select schools, spend a few short days in class before the chaos of the first day of school begins.

To register for one or all of the classes in this series, you can visit your home school or register online HERE. For additional information on the classes you can either click here for the invitation or contact Karen Schreiber at 425-431-2024 or email her at SchreiberK@edmonds.wednet.edu.

Jen Marx, an Edmonds Mom of two young boys, is a traffic reporter by dawn and writer and PBJ maker by day. She is always looking for a fun place to take the kids that makes them tired enough to go to bed on time. You can find her trying to make sense of begging kids to ” just eat the mac n cheese” at SnackMomSyndrome.com. If you have a kid-friendly event you’d like to share, email her at play@myedmondsnews.com.