School District marks Kindergarten Open House Week

PHILADELPHIA – The School District of Philadelphia celebrated the beginning of Kindergarten Open House Week with a celebration with Mayor Jim Kenney, Assistant Superintendent Deb Carrera, Principal Kimberly Newman, teachers, parents and kindergarten students at Chester Arthur Elementary School.

“Enrolling in kindergarten on-time so that students are ready to learn their first day of school is key,” said Carrera. “By enrolling students now, during Kindergarten Open House Week, we can ensure that parents and students are acquainted with their neighborhood schools and that teachers are better prepared that first day of class.”

During the District’s Kindergarten Open House Week, running May 7 through 11, schools across the city open their doors so that prospective students and parents can visit and get acquainted with their neighborhood schools, ask teachers and principals questions, and even register for school. A full list of Kindergarten Open House Week events and schedules can be found on the District’s website.

“Enrolling children in kindergarten sets them up for success later in life,” said Mayor Kenney, who also joined the celebration at Chester Arthur. “Kindergarten not only allows our students to build up their confidence and learn crucial social skills, but it also boosts academic achievement as they learn to read and write. I encourage all families to visit their neighborhood schools to see firsthand the quality kindergarten programming that can be found throughout the entire city.”

Families are encouraged to register their students for kindergarten by May 31, 2018. Children are eligible for kindergarten for the 2018-2019 school year if they will be 5 years old on or before September 1, 2018.

To register a child for kindergarten, a parent or guardian must bring the following documentation to their neighborhood school:

1. Parent/legal guardianship identification
2. Child’s immunization record
3. Proof of child’s age (including birth certificate, valid passport, etc.)
4. Two current proofs of address in parent’s or guardian’s name

Anyone who needs more information about which neighborhood school is closest should use the District’s School Finder tool at philasd.org/school_finder/. Additional information about kindergarten registration, including resources available in multiple languages, can be found at philasd.org/kregistration.

For the 2018-2019 school year, kindergarten students will begin school the same day as students in grades 1 through 12, on August 27, 2018.