THUNDER BAY – Lakehead Public Schools is hosting a kindergarten registration night on Monday.
The event will be held at Ecole Elsie MacGill Public School from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Heather Harris, superintendent of education with the school board, said it’s a super exciting night for families and students.
“It’s the start of their educational journey,” said Harris.
“It’s a drop-in evening, so we will have school staff, board staff from our different departments, as well as community partners and the whole goal is to get students started on the right foot. So to get them excited about school, but also to provide any supports, information that they might need to get them off to a good start.”
The drop-in event has no formal agenda and will have different activity areas set up for families to visit different tables and talk to community partners and board staff. Kids can also join in some activities, including getting a class of 2039 t-shirt.
Harris said it depends year to year on how many students were born, but normally, around 500 enroll across the board.
Lakehead Public Schools has their registration online and is available anytime.
“You can do it right on your phone from home, or you can do it in the evening. We’ll have some laptops set up, but all you need is an ID, proof of residence and then a four-year-old,” said Harris.
Harris said for some families, if this is their first child going to kindergarten, it is really their first glimpse of their educational journey.
“It’s the start, so it’s a chance to meet all of our elementary school principals (that) will be there, to talk to transportation about bussing. We’ll have all of our different departments there, such as the special education department and our early years department,” said Harris.
“There’ll be a chance to take some photos, which is always exciting. We’ll have some fun giveaways and prizes, and it’s really a chance for families to get in the mindset of, ‘OK, in September, we’re going to be starting school.’”
She said they also can answer any questions that parents have.
“I think families, what they really want to know is that their students are going to be safe, that they’re going to make friends, that they’re going to have fun, and they’re going to get a great education,” said Harris.
“So, anything that we can do to help set parents’ minds at ease to provide them the information that they’re looking for, we’ll be ready to do that on Monday.”
Harris said staff are really excited to see and welcome their youngest learners.
“It’s pretty exciting to think about the journey that these kids are starting on and where they’re going to go, it’s endless possibilities,” said Harris.
The school board will have a second event for students to see classrooms and meet the educators at its schools once students have registered at their neighbourhood schools in April.
