Pre-k lottery enrollment set for Feb. 27 through March 25

Beginning Feb. 27 through March 25, parents of 4-year-old children who live in Catoosa County may enter their child’s name in the drawing for the lottery-funded Georgia pre-kindergarten classes.

A public drawing to award available Pre-k assignments will be held at the Catoosa County Board of Education Office, 307 Cleveland St., Ringgold, on Tuesday, April 28, at 9 a.m. Applicants, parents and/ or guardians do not need to be present for the drawing but are welcome to attend.

Parents or legal guardians who would like to have their child’s name entered in the drawing must complete and return a “Request for Enrollment” form between Feb. 27 and March 25. Any request received after March 25 will be placed on the school system’s waiting list after the lottery drawing is completed.

The Request for Enrollment form is available at all primary and elementary schools in Catoosa County (8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.) and may also be completed at the Student Enrollment Center, 108 High St., Ringgold, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed for lunch from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.) Monday through Friday.

Pre-k enrollment is open and nondiscriminatory, based on a public lottery among those eligible to participate. Children will not be denied participation on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, or disability.

Eligibility for Georgia Pre-k services

Currently, a child must be born between Sept. 2, 2015, and Sept. 1, 2016, to be eligible for Georgia Pre-k services, and the child must be a Catoosa County resident at the time of the drawing.

Georgia residents outside of Catoosa County will be placed on a waiting list until all children within the district are enrolled.