Show and Tell: Schools and youths in the news

Tacoma kindergarten, preschool registration opens Tuesday

Pre-registration for kindergarten and preschool kids who want to attend Tacoma Public Schools in the fall starts Tuesday — six weeks earlier than in previous years.

Families with kindergarten and preschool-aged children can attend open houses taking place throughout January and February. Or they can check the district’s website for information on each district’s elementary schools, including before- and after-school programs.

With Choice Enrollment, parents may choose the school they think best fits the needs of their family. Choice Enrollment is based on space availability and parents/guardians must provide transportation to schools outside their neighborhood attendance area.

The priority deadline for choice enrollment is March 1. Even if you opt for Choice Enrollment, the district encourages families to first enroll at their neighborhood school to guarantee a spot in case their choice school is full.

Kindergarten registration

Parents with children who will be 5 years old before Sept. 1 may go online for step-by-step kindergarten enrollment instructions and forms. Parents with children who will turn 5 years old between Sept. 1 and Oct. 31, may request an early entrance screening.

Beginning Tuesday, parents/guardians can bring completed enrollment packets to their neighborhood school along with:

▪ Birth certificate or other document (baptismal certificate, hospital records, insurance records) to verify age.

▪ Proof of immunizations

▪ Proof of address (mortgage, phone or utility bill)

Preschool registration

Tacoma offers five preschool programs for 3- and 4-year-olds at 32 locations across the district. Enrollment criteria varies between programs. Some are for aimed at low-income families, while others focus on children with disabilities. Parents/guardians can explore the different programs through the district’s Early Learning website.

For more information on kindergarten or preschool registration, call 253-571-2620 or e-mail earlylearning@tacoma.k12.wa.us.

Full-day Montessori preschool is available at Bryant and Geiger elementary schools for a monthly fee. For information contact the Bryant office at 253-571-2800 or the Geiger office at 253-571-6800.

Learn about Peninsula school levy

The Peninsula School District will host a levy information session from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, at the Boys and Girls Club, 8502 Skansie Ave. Gig Harbor. The school district is proposing a levy that would raise between $23 million and $28 million in each of four years, beginning with 2017 tax collections. The levy will fund an estimated 24 percent of district operating costs.

Compiled by Debbie Cafazzo, staff writer

This story was originally published January 18, 2016 at 12:15 AM with the headline "Show and Tell: Schools and youths in the news."