Full-Day Kindergarten Lottery Applications Available Jan. 8

Submitted by Plainfield School District 202

PLAINFIELD, IL — District 202 parents will be able to apply online for the district’s full-day kindergarten lottery starting at 7 a.m. Friday, Jan. 8, 2016, through 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 22, 2016.

The lottery is the first step in the process to identify the 408 students who will be given the chance to attend full-day kindergarten in 2016-17 as part of the district’s pilot program.

The District 202 community identified full-day kindergarten as a priority through the 2011 Strategic Planning process.

The district does not have enough space in its schools to provide full-day kindergarten to all students who may want it. However there is enough room now, following several years of shrinking elementary enrollment to allow one full-day kindergarten classroom in each of the 17 elementary schools.

Therefore district officials and the Board of Education agreed to pilot a modified program and continue to study long-term options to eventually provide a complete full-day kindergarten program.

A random, computerized lottery will be held on Feb. 3, 2016 to pick 24 students per elementary building. Families will be notified no later than Feb. 5, 2016 whether their child has been accepted or put on a waiting list.

OTHER KEY POINTS

***All students must be five years old on or before September 1, 2016, to attend kindergarten, per state law.

· Each family can complete only one online lottery application. Families with multiple kindergarten students will complete one online application including the names of all prospective students. This online application will create individual lottery entries for each child.

· Families without Internet access may register online at their child’s home school on any regular school day from 9 a.m. January 8, 2016 to 3 p.m. January 22, 2016.

· Families will apply for the lottery with the intention of them attending their home school based on their primary home address. However, the actual classroom for your home school may be housed at another building depending on available space.

· Students chosen for this program must complete the normal school registration process by March 4, 2016 or they will lose their slot.

· Full-day kindergarten tuition will be $100 per month in addition to the normal one-time $88 kindergarten registration fee. The $100 monthly tuition will help offset the cost of the additional staff and resources needed to offer the full-day kindergarten program.

More information, including an updated “Frequently Asked Questions” and a video of the public forum held December 2, 2015 is posted under “Announcements” on all 17 elementary school web sites, and the web sites for the Bonnie McBeth Learning Center and District 202.