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Preschool, Kindergarten and New Student Registration Begins May 18
For Immediate Release:
May 6, 2020
Contact: Darian Layes, Executive Director of Student Services, Fort Smith Public Schools
Preschool, Kindergarten and New Student Registration Begins May 18
For the 2020-2021 Calendar Year
Fort Smith, AR, May 6, 2020 – Fort Smith Public Schools Preschool, Kindergarten and New Student Registration for the 2020-2021 school year will begin Monday, May 18, 2020. Parents/guardians can visit the Fort Smith Schools Website: > Families > Enroll Your Student for detailed information, including an FAQs document, for each category. Parents/guardians can also access the same ‘Enroll Your Student’ page using this short link: bit.ly/enrollmystudent.
Preschool, kindergarten and new student registration practices will comply with current physical distancing guidelines directed by the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) and the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).
Preschool Registration Overview
Parents may pick up a hard-copy preschool registration packet beginning Friday, May 8, from 11 AM to 1 PM Monday-Friday, at any of the elementary schools where grab-and-go meals are being served. The enrollment packet MUST be completed and the parent/guardian MUST call the Parker Center at 479-784-8182 ext: 3518 to schedule an appointment. Appointments will be held at the Parker Center (811 North T) beginning May 18 in order to complete registration (by appointment only).
Online registration will be available beginning May 18. Please keep in mind that online registration is partial registration. An enrollment packet MUST be completed and brought to the Parker Center (811 North T) in order to complete registration (by appointment only).
More Preschool Registration Information can be found at bit.ly/enrollmystudent.
Kindergarten and New Student Registration Overview
Parents are encouraged to use the convenient online registration process for Kindergarten and New Students beginning May 18 to limit the number of people who have to make a trip to a school building for a reason other than to drop off registration documents.
The Kindergarten and New Student Registration online registration portal will open beginning May 18 and will be closed from May 29 until late July when school secretaries become available to help any parent or guardian who needs assistance.
Families who do not have internet services or devices at home will have the opportunity to use an alternative registration process that is both safe and fair. These families are invited to pick up a paper registration packet at the school beginning on May 18.
Upon arrival in the school parking lot, parents and guardians will be asked to call the school office to let the school secretary know of their arrival. A school representative will bring a paper packet to a table near the front entrance. Using appropriate physical distancing practices, the school representative will leave the paper packet for the parent to pick up. Parents will need to complete the paper documents and return them to the school as soon as possible.
Using the same practice noted above, parents and guardians can return registration documents to the school parking lot and a school representative will come out of the building to review the packet. Completed paper packets will be time and date stamped to maintain the registration order. Completed packets received by July 30 will retain registration rank order that is important if class-sizing becomes necessary.
Paper packets will be available at schools from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., from May 18 through May 28.
- Due to COVID-19 restrictions, parents are encouraged to come alone to pick up registration packets and to return completed registration packets.
- When picking up or returning packets to schools, please practice social distancing by remaining six feet apart and do not gather in groups of more than 10 people.
More Kindergarten and New Student Registration Information can be found at bit.ly/enrollmystudent.
Kindergarten is mandatory for all children in the state of Arkansas who will be five years of age on or before August 1, 2020, unless parents or guardians file a kindergarten waiver with the public schools. Children not attending kindergarten will be tested to determine if they will be placed in kindergarten or first grade upon entering school. All preschool students who attended one of the Fort Smith Public School District preschool programs must complete the Kindergarten Registration process.
PowerSchool is a state-provided online registration service being used by the Fort Smith School District.