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DPS Kindergarten Roundups let parents learn about schools, enroll students in the spring for next year

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Photo courtesy of the Dearborn Public Schools
A Long Elementary student poses for a photo on the first day of school in August 2021. All 22 Dearborn Public Schools with elementary students will hold a Kindergarten Roundup during March, April or May. Roundups allow school staff to greet parents and provide information about having their child start kindergarten in the fall.

 

Parents living in the Dearborn School District with students planning to start kindergarten in the fall are invited to Kindergarten Roundups at their local elementary school. Parents and guardians also can start enrolling now through the district website at www.dearbornschools.org/enroll.

Each of the district’s 22 schools with elementary students will hold a roundup between March and May. Events will be live this year with most schools holding events in-person.

Kindergarten Roundups provide parents of our future kindergarteners with important information about starting school, the special kindergarten schedule, required student assessments, and how to help prepare your child for class. Enrolling students in the spring, if possible, allows the district to have accurate information to make staffing decisions for the fall.

To enroll in kindergarten, students must be 5 years old by Sept.1 and live in the district. Waivers are available for students who will turn 5 between Sept. 1 and Dec. 1. For parents already living in the district, the waivers need to be submitted by June 1. See the district website at https://dearbornschools.org/enroll for the waiver and more information.

DPS also offers a free Young 5s program for students who will turn 5 between June 15 and Dec. 1 this year. That all-day program is offered at select schools and follows the kindergarten curriculum. The extra year allows those children to better develop the academic and emotional skills they need to succeed in school. The following year they would enroll in kindergarten at their neighborhood school.

Space is limited for Young 5s, so interested parents should check for availability at the school they are interested in attending. Young 5s will be held at DuVall, Haigh, Lindbergh, Maples, Salina and William Ford elementary schools. For more information, contact Student Services at 313-827-3005. Busing is available only if the student will attend their home elementary and lives in an area where busing is provided. In most cases, parents will need to provide transportation for their child.

For students still a year away from kindergarten, the district also offers the Great Start Readiness Program. This state-sponsored preschool is free to families who qualify and is available at 13 locations around the district.

For more information about the programs go to www.dearbornschools.org/ welcome.

DPS, this year, will again use a special schedule for young students. Kindergarteners will have a soft start, meaning half days of school for the first two weeks of class from Aug. 29 to Sept. 9. This allows students a more successful and gradual transition to school.

Parents have the option of completing student enrollment entirely online. Enrollment can be started at https://dearbornschools.org/enroll, but will not be complete until required paperwork is submitted.

Parents who wish to see which school their children would attend can look at the elementary school enrollment map or call Student Services at 313-827-3005. Kindergarten students are expected to attend the school for their neighborhood, unless they opt into Howe School’s Montessori program or the DPS Virtual K-12 online school.

The Kindergarten Roundup schedule is below. Unless otherwise noted, events are in-person at the school. Check school websites closer to that building’s event for more information. Parents also may contact the elementary school to request more information.

Kindergarten roundup schedule