2010 Kindergarten Screening & Registration Information

It’s time for kindergarten screenings and registration at Joplin Schools! Children must turn five years old prior to August 1, 2010 and must reside within Joplin School District boundaries in order to attend kindergarten during the 2010-2011 school year.

Kindergarten Screenings

Kindergarten screenings begin March 1. Screenings are important to help determine a child’s readiness for kindergarten. Parents of incoming kindergartners may contact the Parents as Teachers program at 417-625-5294 or 417-625-5290 to make an appointment for their child's kindergarten screening. Screenings are conducted at the Parents as Teachers office located at Washington Education Center (1112 E. 2nd Street) in Joplin. Screenings will NOT be conducted during the week of spring break, March 15–19.

Kindergarten Registration

Kindergarten registration will be held the week of March 22–26, between 7:30 AM – 3 PM. Additionally, an evening registration session will be held on Tuesday, March 23 from 5-7 PM. Registration must be completed at the elementary school that serves the attendance area in which the child resides. To verify the assigned elementary school for a specific address, please contact Joplin Schools’ Transportation Department at 417-625-5300.

What to Bring

Parents/guardians are asked to bring the following documents for kindergarten registration:

• Your Photo ID
  (Any valid state or federal government-issued photo ID is acceptable, such as a driver's license, state ID card, U.S. passport, military ID, or tribal photo ID.)
  
  
• Child's Legal, State-Issued Birth Certificate
  
  
• Child's Up-to-date Immunization Records as required by the State of Missouri
  Missouri School Immunization Requirements for 2010-2011 is available here. (multiple pages; pdf)
  
  
• Child's Social Security Card (if available)
  
  
• Proof of Residency
  [Examples of acceptable documents include: property tax statement, mortgage documents, house closing documents, lease/rental agreement, construction contract with proposed occupancy date, current utility bill (water, gas, electricity), or current charge card statement.]
  
  
• Evidence of comprehensive vision exam performed by a state-licensed optometrist or physician.
  The official Missouri Eye Exam Form is available here. (pdf)
  
  
• Proof of guardianship if the student lives within district boundaries with someone other than a parent.

JumpStart Program

During registration, incoming kindergartners may also be enrolled in JumpStart – a free kindergarten readiness program that is held concurrently with Joplin’s elementary summer school program.

Questions?

For more information about kindergarten registration, screenings, or the JumpStart program, please contact Barbara Brown, Early Childhood Coordinator, at 417-659-8004.

posted 1/20/10