By By JAMES COLLINS / Niles Daily Star
NILES -- With kindergarten round-ups drawing near, it is time for parents to begin preparing their children for school.
Niles, Brandywine and St. Mary's Schools' kindergarten round-ups are right around the corner.
St. Mary's will take place on Friday from 9 to 11 a.m. in the parish hall, Niles' meeting will take place at Northside Child Development Center on March 23 at 7 p.m. and Brandywine's round-up is scheduled on April 20 at 7 p.m. at Merritt Elementary.
Children must be five years old by Dec. 1, 2004 to be eligible for kindergarten for the 2004-2005 school year.
Officials from all schools mentioned the importance of attending these informational meetings.
The round-up serves as introductory, informational meeting to familiarize parents with the schools.
The programs will go over the requirements necessary to attend kindergarten and introduce the schools' principals and kindergarten teachers.
School officials will also discuss curriculum, the kindergarten readiness screening tests and immunization requirements.
While Niles and Brandywine ask parents to not bring their children along, St. Mary's is encouraging parents to bring their prospective kindergarteners with them.
While the parents attend an informational meeting, the students get to experience a mini-day of kindergarten. They will meet their prospective classmates, tour the school and have a snack of milk and muffins.
Bryant said it is the first time for many of the students to experience school, so it is important for them to see what it is going to be like.
She said the meeting will be open to both parents who are already registered and to parents still looking for a kindergarten.
She said the meeting will be very helpful for both parents and students.
Northside Child Development Center will be hosting the round-up for all Niles Community Schools students.
All of the schools' principals and kindergarten teachers will be on hand to answer any questions or concerns the parents may have.
Northside principal Cindy Wickham said the only thing the parents are required to bring with them is their child's social security number.
She said it is a necessary meeting for all prospective parents to attend.
Karen Weimer, principal at Merritt Elementary, will welcome the parents and introduce them to the Brandywine school.
Brandywine parents will also receive information about speech screening, counseling services and transportation.
Brandywine's district nurse, Bonnie Paustian, will be on hand to discuss the immunization requirements and vision and hearing tests.
Weimer said the April 20 round-up is primarily a registration night to provide parents with information, help them to complete registration forms and make appointments for testing.