Kindergarten Registration
The ECCS works closely with Southington parents and the local schools to make the kindergarten registration process as seamless as possible.
Under CT State Law, children must be age 5 on or before January 1 to attend public school that year, and thus could start as early as 4 years and 9 months old. Unsure when to register your child for preschool or kindergarten? Check out this When to Start chart by birth year. If attending public school then parents also have the option to keep their children at home through age 6.
Southington Public Schools
UPDATE as of 2/17/2023 – The Southington Public School (SPS) system’s plans for the 2023 kindergarten information session are underway.
January 30, 2023– Southington Public Schools held an in-person Kindergarten Registration Information Session for all parents/guardians who have children entering kindergarten for the 2023-2024 school year. There is no pre-registration required. You will provide information about your child when you arrive and the presentation will start after everyone checks in. This presentation is for adults.
This was not recorded but they posted the slides at the Southington Public Schools site.
This was not recorded but slides are available on the ECCS Kindergarten Ready? page.
February 16, 2023 – Online registration opened at the Southington Public Schools site. The birth certificate, parent ID, residency and other documents needed to complete the registration process will be uploaded. If you have technical issues these can also be brought to the registrars office or to the in-person registration appointment.
March 2023 – In-person registration, which you attend with your child, will be held each school, call to make an appointment. The child will visit with literacy, math and other staff specialists who will do a brief developmental screening. This appointment, which takes about 15 minutes, will complete the registration process.
May 2023 – Orientation for your child, which usually includes a bus safety talk and a parent meeting. Each of the eight elementary schools will reach out to parents who have registered with school-specific information.
Late August – A letter is sent home to announce the Kindergarten teacher and classroom. Teachers will hold an open house or tour the week before schools starts. The bus schedule is published in the local newspapers and on the SPS website one week prior to the start of classes. Medical forms from a physical in the past year must be submitted by this time.
First day of school – Kindergarten students do have bus transportation. Don’t forget to take the first day of school photo in front of the school sign or at your home.
If you are unsure which school your child will attend, please refer to the SPS Street Directory.
Want to know what skills your child should have before they start kindergarten? Check out the “Kindergarten Ready?” page.
More information about the SPS registration process, handouts from the previous information session, forms and dates is on the Southington Public Schools site.
Parochial Schools
The parochial schools in town – Central Christian Academy and Southington Catholic – have their own registration process.
Southington Catholic School is accepting applications for their full day kindergarten program. Young students can be bused right from their Southington home to the school’s front door at 133 Bristol Street. After school care is available on site for busy, working parents. Parents are invited to come visit and explore the benefits of small class size. For more information, call 860-628-2485.
Central Christian Academy, at 1505 West Street in Southington, can be reached at 860-621-6701.
Extended Preschool Options
A few of the preschool providers also offer programs for children who meet the State age eligibility requirements but are not developmentally ready to attend kindergarten. See their listings under Preschool Options.
Choice and Magnet Schools
The Connecticut State Department of Education’s Regional School Choice Office (RSCO) coordinates the Open Choice and Magnet School programs. Southington children can attend a Hartford district school through the Open Choice program or apply to the lottery to attend a magnet school with a specialized educational theme. There are over 40 schools in the program across the Hartford region serving Pre-K 3 to grade 12.
The RSCO “on-time” application period runs from November until January/February with placements announced in the spring. “Late” applications are accepted into the summer. Learn more on the RSCO site.
Homeschooling
For some children and families, homeschooling may be a better option. In this case, the child should not register for public school.
