Schools To Conduct Screenings For Kindergarten, Pre-K Program

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This spring, once again, the Cannon County School System will conduct a comprehensive screening along with registration for all students who will enter kindergarten or who wish to enter a pre-k classroom this fall.

Children are eligible to enter kindergarten if they will turn 5 years old by September 30th, 2012; children may be eligible to enter pre-k if they will turn 4 years old by that date. 

The screening and registration will be held this year on Monday, May 14th from 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M, on Tuesday, May 15th from 11:00 A.M. until 7:00 P.M., and on Wednesday, May 16th from 8:00 A.M. until 3:00 P.M.  It will be conducted at the First Baptist Church located at 405 West Main Street in Woodbury. 

Parents will need to bring the following items to registration: child’s official birth certificate, immunization record, social security card, proof of residence, and proof of custody if needed. There is an added stipulation for pre-k registration. These parents must bring verification of their family’s income because the funding for this program requires that income eligible children receive the first placements.  

Parents, please bring your child with you to registration. While you are completing the enrollment forms, our team of professionals will be working with your child. Among other things, your child’s vision, hearing, speech/language, and motor development will be screened. All of these screenings are conducted so our school system will be ready to begin working with your child in the fall. 

Also, various agencies, such as the Tennessee Early Intervention System (TEIS), Health Department, and REACH Program will have booths for the families to preview. You will be able to get information on child nutrition, safety, future summer events, and other good information as you prepare to enroll your child in our school system.  

During screening and registration, we will begin the process of identifying students who may be eligible for the voluntary pre-k program. Tennessee’s Voluntary Pre-K Program began in 1998 with the establishment of pilot classrooms across the state. Former Governor Phil Bredesen was committed to the advancement of this program, and under his leadership, the Tennessee General Assembly enacted the Voluntary Pre-K for Tennessee Act of 2005. At that time, there were only 148 classrooms serving approximately 3,000 students. Today, in 2012, there are 934 classrooms serving over 18,000 young children.

These voluntary pre-k programs are located in all of Tennessee’s 95 counties. In Cannon County, we have 4 classrooms which are located at West Side School, Woodbury Grammar, and Woodland School. Our fourth classroom is housed at the Mid-Cumberland Head Start Center and serves students from the Short Mountain area. While these classrooms operate under the directorship of the Cannon County School Board, they are completely funded by the State of Tennessee.  

Guidelines for the operation of these classrooms have been established by Tennessee’s Department of Education’s Office of Early Learning. First, the guidelines stipulate that participation in pre-k is optional. While kindergarten in our state is mandatory, parents may choose not to participate in the pre-k program, or they may place an application for enrollment.

To be eligible for Cannon County’s Voluntary Pre-K Program, children must live in Cannon County and be 4 years old on or before September 30th. The grant governing the administration of this program stipulates that children whose family’s income is at the 185% poverty level are automatically eligible for this program. Other criteria for placement in this program include the social, physical, and academic development of the child.

If you have any questions regarding the Cannon County’s Pre-K Program, or if you have general questions about screening and registration, please contact Dr. Regina Merriman at the Offices of the Cannon County School Board by calling 615-563-5752. We are looking forward to meeting you and your child in May at the Pre-K and Kindergarten Registration.

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