Tag: Kindergarten admissions

Manhattan Borough President Wants to Improve NYC Kindergarten Admission Process

Posted on by Admin

An email on one of my parent listserves a few weeks ago said "Help!  Confused about the K admissions process."  This is not uncommon feeling  at this time of year as many parents are knee deep in the private school applications process.   However, many are surprised to hear that, with the exception of Hunter and G&T programs, the public school application process doesn't happen until the beginning of the next year, long after the private school process has ended.

The public elementary admissions timeline for 2012 is:

January 9, 2012 – March 2, 2012 Kindergarten Application Period
March 19, 2012 – March 23, 2012 Families Notified About Assignment Offers
March 26, 2012 – April 20, 2012 Offer Acceptance Period

Recently, Scott Stringer, Manhattan's Borough President, has  undertaken an initiative to help simplify the kindergarten admission process, something near and dear to all New York City parents.   Nothing casues more anxiety to NYC parents than where to send their child(ren) to kindergarten and how to go about getting in and registering.  In a letter to School Chancellor, Dennis Walcott, Mr. Stringer provides suggestions about how to simplify the process for  both families and schools.  These include adjusting admissions timelines to eliminate waitlists, automating admissions, standardizing applications and offering school directories tailored to each district.

Full story and copy of letter can be found at Gotham Schools, here.

We want to hear your comments.  Tell us your suggestions on how to make the process better for all involved below in our comments section.

Applying to Schools? Then Come to Our School Information and Networking Night

Posted on by Admin

'Tis the Season...the school application season...and everyone is talking about schools -- at the playground, on anonymous online message boards, at the supermarket-- but are you talking to the right people and are you getting the right information?

  • How do you know what the right school is?  What do you really need to know about tours, play dates, thank you notes, lottery schools, testing, etc.?
  • Financial aid for private schools – is it real?

We have done the research for you and have put together a group of parent experts from the schools that you want to attend, who are ready to share their experiences.  Let’s Talk Schools is having a social mixer, to provide parents applying to schools an opportunity to connect with other parents in an informal setting to 'talk schools’ with each other.

Come mix and mingle at our School Information Speed Date Night with parents that will give you the real, unedited scoop on schools and answer your questions live, one-on- one.  Our Parent Experts have knowledge of ongoing schools*, experience of successfully completing the application process and they don’t mind talking about schools all night long!

Come join our conversation.

*Schools represented include the following:-

  • Fieldston Lower / Dalton / Trevor Day / Riverdale Country /
  • Bank Street / Columbia Grammar & Prep / St Hilda’s and St Hughe’s / Spence
  • NEST+m / PS 166 G&T / Hunter /PS 180 /Manhattan School for Children / Ascension
  • New York French-American Charter School / Upper Westside Success Academy
  • Weekday Preschool / Claremont (now MontClare) / Twin Parks Schools – Riverside, Central Park and Park West Montessori
* Final list of schools subject to change

Hunter College Elementary Date Change For Round 2 Kindergarten Admissions

Posted on by Admin

Hunter College Elementary School (HCES) has announced that it has added a second weekend to its kindergarten Round 2 admission dates and has eliminated the two weekdays.

HCES had originally set January 28, 29, 30, 31 as the days that parents should save for Round 2 onsite assessment.  Round 2 sessions will now be held on the weekends of January 21/22 and 28/29.

If you have a child that scores high enough on the modified Stanford-Binet V test that HCES uses to screen applicants during Round 1 of the application process, (in recent years the cut off has ranged from 143 to 149) such that the child MAY be invited to Round 2, please take note of this change.

Families with an unchangeable conflict on January 21/22, including scheduled DOE Gifted and Talented (G&T) OLSAT testing, should send an email to HCESAdmit@hccs.hunter.cuny.edu noting the conflict.  HCES will not take special requests for appointment times, but will ensure that all qualified children are able to attend a Round 2 assessment session.

Also note, the deadline to apply to HCES is this Friday, November 4, 2011.  Hunter is accepting applications from children who are born in 2007 and reside in Manhattan only.

2010/2011 Kindergarten enrollment deadline is today!

Posted on by Admin

Today is the last day to enroll your child in public kindergarten for this coming September.  Here's the reminder from the DOE:

The last day to submit your Kindergarten application is Friday, March 12. Families should go directly to their zoned school and any other school for which they are eligible to apply for Kindergarten. Parents/guardians should bring proof of address (two documents) and proof of birth date for their child when they visit a school to apply. They do not have to bring their children with them.

For additional information on Kindergarten Admissions, please visit our Elementary School Admissions page.

If you have any questions about the application process, please e-mail the Office of Student Enrollment at ES_Enrollment@schools.nyc.gov.