Classes offered for Head Start, kindergarten

By Sandy Morris

Registration for Head Start classes will continue and a pre-registration process for kindergarten for the 2021-2022 school year will get underway at Nancy Smith Elementary School next week on Tuesday, May 4.

Parents or guardians who are unable to attend that day can check on options for registering their child for NSES programs by calling 325-762-3384.

Kindergarten Class

Kindergarten Round-Up will be held at NSES on Tuesday, May 4, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Students must be five years of age as of Sept. 1 in order to be eligible to start kindergarten.

Required documentation needed at the round-up include the child’s birth certificate, shot record,  and social security card, along with proof of residency and a copy of the parent’s drivers license.

Due to updates to the Ascender software, parents will only need to provide documentation at this time.

Kindergarten parents will be contacted in the beginning of August during new student registration to complete the process at that time.

Parents who are unable to be present on May 4 may bring the required paperwork anytime between now and the end of school.

Head Start

The Head Start program’s second registration opportunity for the 2021-2022 school year will be held at the Nancy Smith Elementary School lobby on Tuesday, May 4 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Head Start is a free, full-day, pre-school program for economically disadvantaged children that are three or four years old and who qualify for free meals.

 Head Start also is open to students with specified disabilities.

Eligible students are provided educational foundations in pre-reading and writing, science, math, social development, and more, all in a classroom setting.

In addition, children receive vision, health, and dental screenings.

Head Start can provide support for families including help with getting better jobs, establish family goals, obtain medical assistance when needed, obtain career training, housing assistance, and other available assistance.

Returning students in Head Start must be recertified by their parent and a new registration packet must be completed.

Parents of new students will need to certify their child and fill out a registration packet.

Required documents include a birth certificate, Social Security card, immunization records, proof of income (tax return or pay stubs), proof of residency (parent’s driver’s license), and any Medicaid, CHIPS, or private insurance cards.  

Those who need more information can contact AISD Head Start Family Service Worker Stephanie Jaco at sjaco@albany.esc14.net or by calling the NSES office at 325-762-3384.