Registration for Fall 2010 kindergarten in the Menlo Park City School District begins February 1, 2010.  Children who will be age 5 by December 2, 2010 are eligible for kindergarten registration.  A birth certificate or other legal proof of age must be presented at the time of registration along with family proof of residence in the District (Please click here for clarification of required documentation for residency).  In addition, proof of immunizations received (DPT, Polio, Hepatitis B, MMR and Varicella or a Doctor’s statement that the child has had chickenpox) is required at registration. (Click here for a copy of Registration Press Release)

New Attendance Boundaries

To plan for the future and deal with increasing enrollment, effective Fall 2008, the Menlo Park City School District implemented new attendance boundaries for its three Elementary Schools, Laurel School, Encinal School and Oak Knoll School.  Please review the following information carefully and the District map to determine school assignments.

Laurel School (Kindergarten through 3rd Grade): 

95 Edge Road, Atherton    650 324-0186 
Capacity:  100 Kindergarten Students (includes 20 in the Spanish Immersion Program)
Principal:  Linda Creighton

(Attendance Boundaries include residences in Flood Triangle, Willows, Menlo Oaks, Vintage Oaks, the portion of Lindenwood for residences accessed from Oak Grove and Ringwood and residences in southern part of Greenoaks Drive (see map), and all other areas south of Ringwood and east of Middlefield.)

Encinal School (Kindergarten through 5th Grade):

195 Encinal Avenue, Atherton    650 326-5164
Capacity:  80 Kindergarten Students (includes 20 in the Spanish Immersion Program)
Principal:  Allison Liner

(Attendance Boundaries include residences in Suburban Park and adjacent neighborhoods to the north, the portion of Lindenwood north of and including Linden, Catalpa and Acorn and northern part of Greenoaks Drive (see map), Atherton north of Marsh and east of the El Comino Real, Atherton east of Elena (not including residences on Elena) and west of the El Camino Real, all Atherton and Menlo Park areas between Middlefield Road and El Camino, and areas within Valparaiso, University and Middle Avenues with exception of Kenwood Morey Subdivision).

Oak Knoll School (Kindergarten through 5th Grade): 

1895 Oak Knoll Lane, Menlo Park    650 854-4433
Principal:  David Ackerman
Capacity:  120 Kindergarten Students

(Attendance Boundaries include residences in Atherton and Menlo Park west of Elena (including all residences on Elena) and north of Valparaiso, all areas south of Valparaiso and west of University to Middle Avenue, and all areas south of Middle Avenue west of the El Camino)

Grandfathering Provisions for Oak Knoll’s New Attendance Boundaries

To minimize disruption to current Oak Knoll School families residing in the new Encinal School attendance boundaries, the Board of Education directed that Oak Knoll students who were enrolled in 2008 and their incoming kindergarten siblings will be allowed to attend Oak Knoll School. (All other students residing in the new Encinal attendance boundaries, who are new to the District or without older siblings concurrently enrolled at Oak Knoll, will be assigned to Encinal School.)  Grandfathered families should register their incoming kindergarten children directly at Oak Knoll.

Kindergarten Spanish Immersion Program: 

A Spanish Immersion Kindergarten Program will be offered in the Fall of 2010.  Enrollment in the class is open to incoming kindergarten students throughout the district on a sign-up basis. Interested families should review the attached Spanish Immersion informational flyer, which describes the program and the registration and selection processes. Families who are interested in registering their incoming kindergarteners in Spanish Immersion must submit their application to the school within their assigned attendance boundary.

Registration Process

All incoming Kindergarten children must register at the school assigned to their attendance boundary.  Applications for the Spanish Immersion Program or requests for intradistrict transfers to another school within the District will be considered thereafter.

Parents who register their Kindergarten students within the District Priority Registration Period between February 1 and February 26 will have priority for enrollment in the school in their attendance boundary; if applied for, will receive consideration for the Spanish Immersion Programl and, if applied for, will receive consideration for an intradistrict transfer to a school outside of their attendance boundary.  Registration materials received after February 26th will be reviewed and accepted in the order received.

(If registration of students during the Priority Registration Period exceeds the capacity of any of the District schools, a lottery will be conducted of those students who reside within the school’s attendance boundary and do not have siblings who attend the school.  Any student displaced from his/her “home school” will have priority for enrollment in the home school when space is available.

Enrollment for Kindergarten Spanish Immersion Class or Request for Intradistrict Transfer

Spanish Immersion Class

Families should submit application forms for the District’s Kindergarten Spanish Immersion Class (housed at Encinal or Laurel School) with their registration materials to the school in their attendance boundary.  Forms are available at each school.  Eligibility and participation in the Program will be determined using a lottery that will be conducted in March 2010. Parents, whose children are selected for Immersion, formally enroll and thereafter decline the enrollment, will forfeit priority for enrollment in the “home school.”

Click here for more information on applying for the Immersion Program.

Intradistrict Transfers

Families may submit request forms for an intradistrict transfer to another elementary school within the District (but outside an assigned attendance boundary) with their registration materials to the school in their attendance boundary.  Forms are available at each school.  Approvals of intradistrict transfer requests will be made based upon space availability and are for a one-year duration only.  Subsequent requests must be submitted and approved annually thereafter. Current Board Policy asserts that “intradistrict transfers will be granted on a random, unbiased basis” and “requests based upon child care needs and requests where siblings already attend the school will be given priority.”

Kindergarten Orientation Sessions

Orientation sessions for parents whose children will be beginning kindergarten in the fall will be held at all three elementary schools, Laurel, Encinal and Oak Knoll. 

Encinal School is offering three Information Sessions on January 11, January 21 and March 11. Please contact Encinal School to register for one of these sessions (326-5164). Laurel School will host parent meetings on April 7 at 6:30 p.m. or April 22 at 2:30 p.m. Oak Knoll School will host a parent orientation meeting on January 28 at 7:00 p.m.

Proof of Residency:

1.     PG&E BILL - in the name of the homeowner (parent) – This is the preferred form of proof. PG&E CONFIRMATION THAT HAS BEEN EMAILED WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. If a PG&E bill is not yet available, two other forms of “official” mail may be submitted to be followed by PG&E when it is available. Examples might be a bank statement, doctor’s bill, credit card bill, etc. PG&E will mail a hard-copy confirmation of service for the parent if the parent requests it.

2.     ESCROW PAPERS – with estimated date of closing (or a statement from the Escrow company) Once purchase is completed, the deed/title must be presented to complete the verification of residence. This must be followed by a copy of the PG&E bill when it is available.

3.     RENTAL OR LEASE AGREEMENT – If the family has just moved to the District, proof of deposit and/or monthly payment may also be requested along with the rental or lease agreement if deemed necessary by the secretary. This must be followed by a copy of the PG&E bill when it is available.

4.     NOTARIZED AFFIDAVIT OF PARENT RESIDENCE – (Affidavits must be completed by parents/guardians who are living at a residence where someone else is the primary resident.) This document must be completed, notarized, and living arrangements verified by the District Residence Validation Consultant, Nick Colasanti, before the new student is allowed to register and/or begin school. A copy of a current PG&E bill in the name of the primary resident must be attached. Affidavit forms are obtained by contacting the Superintendent’s Office. Affidavits must be approved by the Superintendent’s Office and will then be forwarded to the appropriate school with approval to register.

5.     CAREGIVER AFFIDAVIT – This document must be completed, notarized and living arrangement verified by the District Residence Validation Consultant. Caregiver Affidavits are required if a student is living with an adult other than parent. A copy of a current PG&E bill in the name of the primary resident must be attached. The affidavit will then be approved by the Superintendent’s Office and forwarded to the appropriate school.

PLEASE NOTE:

• If a family moves during the course of the school year, but remains in the District, updated proof of residence must be presented (see above). For example: Johnny’s family moves from Laurel Street to Encinal Avenue. Johnny’s parent must present documentation verifying they now live at the new location.
  
  
• Any change of address involving a Tinsley Voluntary Transfer Program student must be reported to the Superintendent’s Office.
  
  
• If a family moves out of the district during the school year, this MUST be reported to the Superintendent’s Office so that an interdistrict transfer can be considered, if appropriate.