Kindergarten registration starts April 16th

Find out where you need to go and what you need to bring.

April 6, 2015; 12:00 PM • by Valerie Catrow

Kindergarten registration for the Greater Richmond and Petersburg area begins Thursday, April 16th. Kids who will be five years old by September 30th are eligible to start kindergarten this fall.

Registering your child for school requires quite a bit of documentation. Take a moment to review this list of what you must bring with you so you don’t find yourself scrambling the day before.¹

Child’s certified original birth certificate²
Child’s Social Security number³
Photo ID for parent or legal guardian
Proof of residency, such as a utility bill, mortgage statement, or lease agreement
School Entrance Health Form⁴ completed by a licensed medical provider. This includes: Health Information Form; Certification of Immunization; Comprehensive Physical Examination Report (completed within the 12 months prior to the date the child first enters kindergarten)

Got all that? Great! Now make your way over to your elementary school and sign that kiddo up. But be warned: the school’s office will give you approximately one squadzillion additional emergency contact info forms to fill out, so make sure you’ve got those important numbers saved in your phone.

School systems vary as to whether the soon-to-be kindergartener needs to accompany you for registration–some do literacy screenings at or around registration while others wait for school to start–so be sure to check out your district’s website (or call your school) for additional details and updates.

If you’re unable to make it to your child’s future school on the date of kindergarten registration, call the school and set up an appointment as soon as possible. The sooner the kids register, the better the school can prepare for the coming academic year!

Photo by: matsber

Which is Tax Day this year! How fun! ↩
Copies of birth certificates can be obtained at the Virginia Department of Health’s Office of Vital Records for $12. There’s an office right behind Colonial Downs on Broad Street. ↩
If you don’t know your child’s Social Security number, contact or stop by your local Social Security office. You will need to provide two “Identity documents” for your child, such as a health insurance card, records from his/her preschool or daycare, and/or copy of medical records. ↩
You can download a copy at the Virginia Department of Education website, but your pediatrician/medical provider should have it on hand as well. ↩