The folks over at North Richmond News have reminded us that preschool registration is quickly approaching for next year. Make sure that you get your paperwork together now, so that registration is easy. Also, new this year, is in the Near West End, due to high demand an additional preschool classroom will be opened at Community High School at Libbie and Patterson.

Richmond Public Schools will hold citywide preschool registration beginning March 20 for its 2008-2009 preschool programs. Beginning March 20, preschool registration will be held every Thursday at all Richmond City elementary schools (except George Mason and Fairfield Court). Registration will continue at the schools until June 12.

Beginning April 1, preschool registration will be held every Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the following community locations:

East End District Initiative Building, 701 North 25th Street
Parent Resource Center, Richmond Technical Center, North Building, Rm. 205
Humphrey Calder Community Center, 414 North Thompson Street
Beginning April 2, preschool registration will be held every Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Southside Community Service Center, 4100 Hull Street.

Parents must bring proof of residency at the time of registration. Parents must also bring their children’s birth certificate, Social Security card, a physical exam completed within the last 12 months and an up-to-date immunization record.

Parents who want to register their children for Head Start must also bring proof of income, health insurance cards and a copy of their child’s dental exam.

Children must be four years old by Sept. 30 to attend Virginia Preschool Initiative classes. Head Start serves students who will be three or four years old by Sept. 30.

For more information, call 254-6181 (English) or 254-6180 (Spanish).

I’m so happy that the City of Richmond School Board is considering Universal Preschool for all city residents. Basically, it sounds like they would extend the Virginia Preschool Initiative program to all the kids who parents want them to attend. That means free preschool from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Monday through Friday in a public school setting for tons of children who aren’t getting preschool at all. What that also means is kids OUT of daycare. Kids away from the T.V. and kids learning how to learn, before they enter Kindergarten and HAVE to learn.

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