Santa Maria Sun / School Scene

It's never too early to get ready for school

BY AMY ASMAN

Santa Maria-Bonita School District officials are recommending parents get a head start on registering their children for kindergarten. Early registration for the district begins Feb. 17 and will be held at all district elementary schools every weekday from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 3 p.m.

Parents are advised to register their child at the elementary school closest to their home. Office staffers will be able to tell parents which school their kindergartner will attend next year based on their home address.

Children must be 5 years old on or before Dec. 2, 2010, to be eligible for kindergarten in the upcoming 2010-11 school year. To register, parents must provide proof of address (such as a utility bill), legal proof of the child’s age (such as a birth certificate), and the child’s complete immunization records. State law requires that children have a chickenpox vaccine to enter kindergarten. DTaP (diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus), Polio, Hepatitis B, and MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) immunizations are also required for school entry.

While registering, parents will also receive information about a state law that requires children to have a dental checkup before or during their first year of school.

For more information about kindergarten registration, call a nearby elementary school or the Santa Maria-Bonita School District at 928-1783.