Kindergarten registration for the 2019-20 school year for children who will be 5 years old on or before Sept. 1 will soon be underway in local school districts.

The Portola Valley and Woodside Elementary school districts also offer a two-year transitional kindergarten program for children who turn 5 between Sept. 2 and Dec. 1, while Woodside Elementary and Menlo Park City school districts offer preschool programs.

Preschools

The Menlo Park City School District began registering incoming preschoolers in November.

Registration is open at the Early Learning Center (ELC), a fee-based preschool, for families with children born between Sept. 1, 2014, and Dec. 1, 2016. The center opened on the Laurel School Lower Campus, located at 95 Edge Road in Atherton, in August and serves children just under 3 years old to 5 years old.

The program offers scholarships for 25 percent of students, and the school has full-day and part-day options.

The application period closes Feb. 1. Parents can apply on the district’s website at mpcsd.org. For more information, email ELC Director Jessica Mihaly at jmihaly@mpcsd.org. For information in Spanish, email Wendy Valencia at wvalencia@mpcsd.org or call 650-324-0186, ext. 8900.

More information on ELC registration is here.

Woodside Elementary will hold its preschool open house on Feb. 1 at 8:30 a.m. at 3195 Woodside Road in Woodside. Feb. 1 will kick off the district’s two-week "priority enrollment" period.

The Woodside Preschool application will be available online and at the orientation. Minimum preschool age is 3 years old by Feb. 1, 2020, and the minimum age for prekindergarten is 4 years old by Dec. 1, 2019.

Transitional kindergarten and kindergarten programs

Portola Valley School District

Ormondale School at 200 Shawnee Pass in Portola Valley begins the registration process on Jan. 23 for children entering transitional kindergarten and kindergarten. Transitional kindergarten is open to children who turn 5 between Sept. 2 and Dec. 1, while kindergarten is open to those with fifth birthdays on or before Sept. 1.

The district will host an adults-only kindergarten information meeting at 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 23 at the school and a meeting about transitional kindergarten at the same time and place on Jan. 25.

Online registration procedure packets will be available in the main office beginning Jan. 23.

Call 650-851-1777, ext. 2652, for more information.

Las Lomitas Elementary School District

Las Lomitas district registration begins on Jan. 28.

Parents should bring the following information to the Las Lomitas Elementary office at 299 Alameda de las Pulgas in Atherton between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. weekdays: an original birth certificate or passport, proof of residency (the originals of two utility bills or a utility bill and lease or mortgage contract) and immunization records. Cellphone bills do not qualify as proof of residence.

Families will then register online through InfoSnap, the district’s online registration system. Parents must bring a copy of the forms to the school to finalize registration. Students will not be placed in a class until all immunizations are completed.

The school will host a tour for parents of incoming kindergarten students from 9:15 to 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 1.

For additional questions about the registration requirements, call Las Lomitas Elementary at 650-854-5900.

Menlo Park City School District

Families of incoming kindergartners can begin the registration process on Feb. 1. Priority registration ends Feb. 28.

Encinal Elementary at 195 Encinal Ave. in Atherton will host a kindergarten information night at 6 p.m. on Jan. 24. Laurel School Lower Campus at 275 Elliott Drive in Menlo Park will host its kindergarten information night at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 7. Oak Knoll at 1895 Oak Knoll Lane in Menlo Park will host its kindergarten information night at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 23.

For more information, contact the district registrar at 650-321-7140, ext. 5600, or email registrar@mpcsd.org.

Woodside Elementary School District

Woodside school district kindergarten registration begins March 1.

The school will host a transitional kindergarten and kindergarten informational meeting and tour on Feb. 6 from 8:45 to 9:45 a.m. It will also host tours March 13, April 10 and May 15 from 9:30 to 10 a.m. Call 650-851-1571 to reserve a spot.

Go to the district's website to find the packets and more information.

A birth certificate, proof of residency, immunization records and a physician’s report will be required before a child enters school in the fall.

For more information, contact Monique Hunt at mhunt@woodsideschool.us or 650-851-1571, ext. 4003.

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