On October 11, 2012, the Redwood City School District held a Kindergarten Information Night to provide information to parents about kindergarten in the Redwood City School District, about what your child will experience during his first year of school and how to prepare them for success in kindergarten. We also presented information about how to register your child for kindergarten and apply to attend a school of choice. If you missed the presentation, you can access the presentation by clicking
here.
Kindergarten Options for Incoming Students
The Redwood City School District offers a variety of
school options for incoming kindergarteners. You may register your child to attend kindergarten at your assigned neighborhood school, you may fill out a Schools of Choice application for one of the two Schools of Choice without neighborhood boundaries (
Adelante,
Orion), or you may fill out a
Schools of Choice application to attend a neighborhood school other than your assigned neighborhood school.
Please read the information below carefully so that you understand the steps you need to take to register your child for kindergarten.
Kindergarten Cut-off Dates for 2013-14: California law recently changed regarding kindergarten cut-off dates. Your child must be 5 years old on or before October 1, 2013 to register for kindergarten in 2013-14.
If you want your child to attend your
assigned neighborhood:
• School board policy gives priority to neighborhood students for all schools that have neighborhood boundaries. Schools with neighborhood boundaries are Cloud, Clifford, Fair Oaks, Henry Ford, Garfield, John Gill, Hawes, Hoover, Roosevelt, Selby Lane and Taft.
• Families who live within the school boundary can register at their assigned school at Kindergarten Pre-Registration from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, February 2, or they can register at their assigned school from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday-Friday during the month of February, except February 1 and 21.
• Students are enrolled in their neighborhood school in the order in which they register. In the event that all spaces at a neighborhood school fill before all neighborhood students are registered, students are assigned a number on the waitlist according to time and date. (e.g. the earlier you register, the higher your student will be on the waitlist)
• Please note that the only school that has not been able to accommodate all neighborhood families in recent years is Hawes School. Roy Cloud and Clifford, as well as all other district schools, have been able to enroll all neighborhood families who register during February.
• Families can confirm their placement at the neighborhood school after March 15 by calling their assigned school office.
If you want your child to attend Adelante or Orion:
• Please submit a Schools of Choice application, available at www.rcsdk8.net/enrollment, to the District Office, 750 Bradford St, Redwood City, on any business day between October 15, 2012 and January 9, 2013.
• Please visit the school prior to submitting your application. Students will not be admitted unless their parent/guardian visits the school first. Please contact the school to arrange a visit.
• You are no longer required to register at your assigned neighborhood school prior to submitting a Schools of Choice application. However, you should still register at your assigned neighborhood school during the February kindergarten registration period if you plan to send your child to any other RCSD school if they are not placed at Adelante or Orion.
• If the number of applicants exceeds the number of spaces available, students will be assigned a number on the waitlist according to the district’s priority order of enrollment and a random computer lottery process. (Please refer to www.rcsdk8.net/enrollment for more details.)
• The District will now inform families by February 15 if their student has a place in the kindergarten class at Adelante or Orion. If parents do not receive a letter notifying them that their child has a space, they may call the District Office at 423-2237 to find out their child’s place on the wait list.
• If a child is placed at Adelante or Orion, they must register at that school office from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday-Friday, February 15-28, except February 21.
Please Note: The School Board voted, if possible, to increase the number of kindergarten and first grade spaces offered at Orion, and to open a second Spanish Immersion school similar to Adelante at a site to be determined. If these changes occur, it will increase the number of spots available for kindergarteners in 2013-14. The District will have more information on this by February 1.
If you want your child to attend a neighborhood school other than your assigned neighborhood school:
• Please submit a Schools of Choice application, available at www.rcsdk8.net/enrollment, to the District Office, 750 Bradford St, Redwood City, on any business day between October 15, 2012 and January 9, 2013. In accordance with school board policy, we cannot offer placement to students who live outside the school boundary until all neighborhood children have been placed.
• Please register for kindergarten at your assigned neighborhood school from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, February 2, or from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday-Friday during the month of February, except February 1 and 21.
• If the number of spaces available after all neighborhood students are placed exceeds the number of students who apply, students will be assigned a number on the waitlist according to the district’s priority order of enrollment and a random computer lottery process. (Please refer to www.rcsdk8.net/enrollment for more details.)
• Placement for kindergarten students who apply to attend a neighborhood school other than their neighborhood school is ongoing after March 15 – the District will notify families if a space for their child becomes available. Families may call 423-2237 to find out their child’s place on the waitlist after March 15.
When registering your child, you are required to bring one copy, plus the original of the following documents:
1. Birth Certificate, Baptismal certificate or passport.
2. Proof of residence: Current, original utility bills or original rental receipt with manager or owner phone number, plus one of the following: Sales contract, grant deed, or current property tax bill (home owners) or rental agreement or original rental receipt with manager or owner phone number (renters), or notarized letter from owner or renter or your residence and a utilities bill in their name (renting a room).
3. Health records: Immunization record: polio, diphtheria, measles, mumps and rubella required; Hepatitis B is required for kindergarten only; TB is optional. Booster for measles, mumps and rubella also needed before kindergarten.
