District Announces Kindergarten Registration Dates

Kindergarten and first grade registration for the will be held on Thursday and Friday, April 19-20 from 9:30 a.m. until noon and from 1-3 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, 2012.

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.

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 6 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.

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 (4) Proofs of Residency must be presented at the time of registration and recorded on the registration form. Two of the four (4) 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 (2) 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/FiOS/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

• – Ext. 1100
• – Ext. 1200
• – Ext. 1300
• – Ext. 1400
• – Ext. 1500
• – 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.