Incoming kindergarteners and students of all grades who are new to Seattle Public Schools can get a head start on the enrollment process for next year starting on Monday. Early Enrollment goes through Jan. 31, 2012.

SPS enrollment facilitators will be at several Seattle Public Library locations and neighborhood community centers from Oct. 3-25 to help parents fill out forms and answer questions. You can also enroll your child during Seattle Public Schools’ Family and Community Symposium on Saturday, Oct. 15, at Garfield High School (interpreters provided).

Early enrollment allows families to avoid long lines during the busy spring and summer enrollment periods. While early enrollment does not impact where a student is assigned to school – under the new student assignment plan, assignment is based on the student’s home address – it is offered as a convenience to families, enabling them to get the enrollment paperwork completed ahead of time.

In addition, families who have students enrolling early – as well as existing students – will receive their school assignment notification in early 2012, prior to the Open Enrollment period in the spring. Students may apply to attend a different school of their choice during Open Enrollment.

The nearest enrollment events to Fremont are:

• Monday, Oct. 3: 5:30-7 p.m., Ballard Library, 5614 22nd Ave. NW
• Thursday, Oct. 13: 5:30-7 p.m., Broadview Library, 12755 Greenwood Ave. N.
• Monday, Oct. 24: 5:30-7 p.m., Green Lake Library, 7364 E. Green Lake Dr. N.

The full list of all early enrollments sites is here.

Fremont parents can enroll their kids in Seattle Public Schools (SPS) today at the Wallingford QFC (1801 N 45th St) or tomorrow at the Crown Hill Safeway (8340 15th Ave. NW). SPS is traveling around to nine different locations around the city for the “Community Resources on Wheels” tour.

At the event which runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., parents can register kids for preschool, elementary, middle or high school and get information on a variety of Seattle-area resources for families. Just look for the yellow school bus.

From SPS:

Parents and caregivers who plan to enroll their student in school should bring the following: Birth Certificate (K-1st grade only); immunization information; current proof of Seattle residence (utility bills, lease, DSHS; shelter/transitional housing letter); admission form (parents can fill out in advance at seattleschools.org or it will be available on the bus) and photo ID of parent/guardian.
For more information, click here or call the SPS Service Center at 205-252-0760.

This story originally appeared on MyBallard.com

Right now parents who have children in full-day kindergarten are charged $207 each month of the school year. With an estimated $35 million budget gap for next year, Seattle Public Schools wants to know what you think about raising that rate to $310.

Although SPS will continue to accept survey responses through Friday, those filled out by Wednesday at 3 p.m. will be reviewed by the School Board during their work session that evening.

From SPS:

The state of Washington funds only half-day kindergarten (there are a few exceptions to this for high poverty schools). For many years our district has added funding for a further half day to ensure there would be one full day kindergarten available in every school. Over the years schools added “pay for K” programs as more and more families wanted full day K for their children. For the 2010-11 school year, we implemented a standard $207 per month Pay for K program across the district. Students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch receive tuition waivers.

With the severe budget crisis, we are considering various options to balance the budget and one is related to Kindergarten services. We want your feedback about these options. Thank you.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HYTDGHZ

Seattle Public Schools is holding a series of community meetings about proposed changes to its Transportation Plan for the 2011-12 school year.

The first meeting is from 7-8:30 p.m. tonight (Thursday) at Aki Kurose Middle School, 3928 S. Graham St.

The second meeting is from 6:30-8 p.m. next Thursday, Feb. 3, at Hamilton International Middle School, 1610 N. 41st. The third meeting is from 6:30-8 p.m. Wed., Feb. 8, at Chief Sealth International High School, 2600 SW Thistle.

The proposed Transportation Plan changes would save the district $4 million by creating new Transportation Zones for bus routes for attendance area elementary and K-8 schools.

[Read more →]

Under the new Student Assignment Plan, all students will be assigned to the school within their boundary area (look up your school here.) If the attendance area school isn’t your first choice, you can apply for your child to go to another school within the Seattle Public School system. The open enrollment period runs from today, March 1 through the end of the month. The school district stresses that all the applications will be processed at the end of March – there is no advantage to applying on March 1 vs. March 31.

If you’re interested in sending your child to an option school, such as Salmon Bay K-8, there will be a “Family to Family Option School Fair” from 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, March 13 at the John Stanford Center (2445 3rd Ave. S.)

On March 16th, enrollment staff will be on hand at the Green Lake Library from 5:30 – 7 p.m. to help answer your questions. You can use this opportunity to enroll new students and/or submit School Choice Forms for next school year. Make sure to bring all necessary documents to register your child. The staff will also be at the Ballard library on March 24th from 5:30 – 7 p.m.

On the other hand, if you’re satisfied with the school that was noted in the letter sent out by the school district last month, no other action is needed.

The newly adopted School Assignment Plan (.pdf) will affect many families and children who are entering kindergarten, 6th and 9th grades this coming fall for the 2010-11 school year.  (You can find schools in your area here.)  School assignments will be sent out in late February.  In the meantime, parents will get a chance to learn about the schools in their assigned area, as well as option schools, at open houses that have been scheduled over the next few weeks.  Unless otherwise noted, weeknight open houses will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.  Saturday open houses will take place from 10 a.m. to noon.  Many of the events will include a formal presentation so you are encouraged to arrive at the beginning.  Families interested in applying to another attendance area school will be able do so during Open Enrollment (March 1-31, 2010).  For a complete list of open house dates, click here (.pdf).