Parents of kindergarteners can visit schools

DURHAM / MIDDLEFIELD — Parents of children living in Durham and Middlefield who will be five (5) years old on or before Jan. 1, 2020 must register them to attend kindergarten in September 2019 or apply for a waiver of attendance.

In Regional School District #13, children may attend kindergarten in either the Contemporary Program or the Integrated Day Program. Parents need to choose the appropriate program for their child prior to kindergarten registration. School visits and information available at the schools will assist parents in making their choice.

“The Contemporary Program serves children in grades K-3 and is housed at Brewster School. Grade 4 students currently attend Memorial Middle School,” officials said in a statement. “The Integrated Day program serves students in grades K-4 at John Lyman School. The Contemporary Program and Integrated Day Program adhere to the same curriculum and utilize similar assessments. While the two programs share many similarities, they also have some distinct differences that you may want to consider when deciding which program is best for your child. The best way to understand the differences between the programs is to visit both programs. We encourage you to visit the schools. Only by visiting can you get the true flavor of the two instructional programs. You will receive additional information about the two programs during your visits. If you are unable to visit and would like the information on the two programs, please contact the school offices.”

Parents may visit the schools until Jan. 31 to observe classes and to discuss any specific questions or concerns. Visits, which are designed for adults, should be scheduled ahead of time to allow for optimum opportunities to observe the programs.

Appointments to visit can be made by calling the individual schools. Schedules vary by school and not every date within the visitation window will be available. Call Lyman School at 860-349-7240 to visit the Integrated Day Program. To visit the Contemporary Program, call Brewster School at 860-349-7227.

According to District #13 Board of Education policy, the program choice decision must be made by Feb. 1. Any child not registered in a specific program by that date may not be able to attend the program chosen by his/her parents(s). To register a child for the Contemporary Program, please call Brewster School at 860-349-7227. To register a child for the Integrated Day program, call John Lyman School at 860-349-7240. The school will then send you information and instructions for online registration. The online registration must be completed before Feb. 9 to guarantee your child’s place in the school that you selected.

Share this information with others you may know who have children eligible for kindergarten in the fall of 2019. Any parent of an eligible kindergarten child who wishes to hold his/her child out of school for another year must sign a form at the Office of the Superintendent of Schools.