Schools

Bensalem Schools Open Registration for Kindergarten, First Grade

Students must meet age requirements and have had their shots.

Kindergarten and first grade registration for the will be held on April 19-20 from 9:30 a.m. until noon and from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m.

Parents/guardians are asked to register their child at the elementary school closest to their home.  Registration packets may be picked up at the elementary school for completion at home prior to the registration date.

To be eligible for kindergarten, a child must be 5-years-old on or before Aug. 31.

Find out what's happening in Bensalemfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Students currently enrolled in a Bensalem Township School District kindergarten program do not need to register for first grade.

Those students who are new residents to Bensalem will be admitted to first grade if they have completed kindergarten in another district and have met the age requirements for that school district.

Find out what's happening in Bensalemfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Children who have completed a kindergarten program in a private kindergarten will not be able to be enrolled in first grade unless they meet the chronological age requirement.

Students who have never completed kindergarten and wish to begin their formal schooling as a first grader must be six years old on or before Aug. 31.

Pennsylvania state law requires that all children must have the following immunizations before they may ENTER school:

  • DIPTHERIA AND TETANUS: 4 or more properly spaced doses of DPT, DtaP, Td or DT, or any combination of the three with 1 dose administered on or after the fourth birthday.
  • POLIO: 3 or more properly spaced doses of polio vaccine.
  • MEASLES (Rubeola): 2 properly spaced doses of measles vaccine (preferably MMR) with the first dose administered at 12 months or older.
  • GERMAN MEASLES (Rubella): 1 dose of rubella (preferably MMR) administered at 12 months or older.
  • MUMPS: 2 doses of mumps (preferably MMR) administered at 12 months or older.
  • HEPATITIS B: 3 properly spaced doses of hepatitis B vaccine.
  • VARICELLA (Chicken Pox):  2 doses of varicella administered at 12 months or older, laboratory evidence of the disease, or signed immunity statement.

Children can not be registered for kindergarten unless they have a minimum of 1 DT, 1 polio, 1 measles, 1 German measles, 1 mumps, 1 hepatitis B, and 1 varicella or proof of immunity. Children can only enter school provisionally until they have received 4 DT’s, 3 polio, 2 measles, 1 German measles, 2 mumps, 3 hepatitis B, and 2 varicella or proof of immunity. 

NOTE: Children who are considered to be provisional should receive additional immunizations over the summer, prior to the start of the school year.  Parents are asked to furnish proof of all immunizations at time of registration and after receiving any additional immunizations.

By state mandate, all kindergarten children must have a physical and dental examination. Included in the registration packet are forms for these examinations.

At registration, an acceptable document should be presented stating the child’s legal name and date of birth. 

Acceptable documents are:

  • Birth Certificate
  • Baptismal Certificate
  • Passport
  • Affidavit of age and physician’s statement

Any deviation from the legal name must be verified by a bona fide court document authorizing the legal name change. 

Four Proofs of Residency must be presented at the time of registration and recorded on the registration form. Two of the four must be a current electric or cable television statement and proof of home ownership or lease agreement (Agreement of Sale/Lease, Property Deed, Statement of Homeowner’s Insurance) along with two of the following:

  • Internal Revenue Statement
  • Letter from Employer (if not self-employed)
  • Bank Statement
  • Driver’s License
  • Vehicle Registration Card
  • Voter Registration Card
  • Bill Receipts Showing New Address
  • Utility “Turn-On” Service Statement
  • TV Cable/Satellite Activation/Billing Statement

NOTE: ALL FOUR PROOFS OF RESIDENCY MUST HAVE THE SAME ADDRESS INFORMATION.  NO PHOTOCOPIES WILL BE ACCEPTED.

For additional information, call the elementary school closest to your home. 215-750-2800

  • Belmont Hills – Ext. 1100
  • Cornwells – Ext. 1200
  • Samuel K. Faust – Ext. 1300
  • Benjamin Rush – Ext. 1400
  • Russell C. Struble – Ext. 1500
  • Valley – Ext. 1600

If you are not sure which school your child should attend, please call the Pupil Services Office at (215) 750-2800, Ext. 4047.

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.