Kindergarten Registration

• Monday, March 18th - 10:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
• Tuesday, March 19th - 10:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
• Wednesday, March 20th - 10:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
• Thursday, March 21st - 10:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. and 4:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• Friday, March 22nd - 10:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.

If you have a child or know a neighbor, relative, or friend that may have a child entering kindergarten for the 2024-2025 school year, please be sure you/they complete the form below to receive a registration information packet. Please be sure to include the name of any siblings attending our school so that this packet can be sent home with them. If no siblings currently attend Freedom Elementary, the packet can be emailed, mailed or sent with a neighbor. Please let us know which method you would like to receive the packet using the form below.

Staffing for classes is determined by the school’s official enrollment of students. It is very important that all children be enrolled sooner rather than later in order to receive the best possible staffing to keep class sizes small. Please share this information with anyone you know that has an incoming kindergarten student at Freedom.

We look forward to seeing our returning families and meeting new families to Freedom.

Jessica Smith, Principal

jessicasmith@carrollk12.org

Students may only be registered by their custodial parents or court appointed guardian. (A step-parent or other family member may not enroll students.)

The materials in the packet can be completed prior to coming to school in March to register a child. However, the registration form must be signed at school in the presence of school personnel and the parent or guardian signing the registration form must present photo identification (such as a driver’s license) at the time of registration.

Acceptable Documents for Legal Evidence of Birth/Age

Parents/guardians must provide:

• Birth certificate
• Birth registration notice
• Passport/Visa
• Physician’s certificate-signed statement by physician or midwife in attendance at birth as to the date shown on their records.
• Baptismal or church certification
• Hospital certificate – gives child’s full name, parent’s(s) name, DOB, signed by physician.

Acceptable Documents for Proof of Residency

• SIGNED Lease/Rental Agreement on a home/apartment in which the parent/legal guardian is currently residing (expired lease is not acceptable)
• Current Rent Receipt *
• Recent Bill for a service delivered to the residence (e.g., BGE, land-line phone, cable, oil, water) *
• Mortgage Statement/Bill *
• SIGNED Settlement Document
• Property Tax Bill from the current fiscal year indicating “Primary Residence”
• Deed (must show house number, street name and name of parent/legal guardian)
• Residence Verification Statement accompanied by an acceptable proof of residency for the owner/ lessee of the property.
• Real Property Data Search Report listing parent/guardian name and "principal residence."

*DATE ON DOCUMENT MUST BE WITHIN 60 DAYS OF ENROLLMENT

Maryland's law requires that a Kindergarten-age child who lives in Maryland must attend a public or nonpublic Kindergarten program unless the parents request a Level of Maturity Waiver. This allows parents/legal guardians to submit a one-year level of maturity waiver if they believe that a delay in Kindergarten attendance is in the best interest of the child. The child, however, must attend Kindergarten the next year.

Kindergarten Level of Maturity Waiver applications are available in all elementary schools. The waiver must be filed with the Principal of the school his/her child is eligible to attend.

Early Entrance Packets will be available after March 1st at your local elementary school.

If a parent or guardian requests a waiver for his/her child to enter Kindergarten early, the child must be 5 years old on or before October 1. No request will be honored for early entrance for any child whose birthday is after October 1.

Procedure for Early Entrance

A parent request for consideration for early admission to Kindergarten can be made by securing and then completing an application and questionnaires for early Kindergarten admission. Applications are available from each child’s home elementary school. There are two required parts to the application process:

1. Application completed by a parent/guardian and
2. Prior Care form completed by a child care provider. All forms must be totally completed and submitted/postmarked before April 30 for an assessment to be scheduled.

Student with completed early entrance applications will be scheduled for an assessment in May. The test will take place in designated location under the supervision of Carroll County Public Schools’ professional staff.

In addition to the test results, the following key indicators will be considered along with identified pertinent information when making the decision regarding early entrance to kindergarten.

Early entrance into Kindergarten is intended for children who excel in meeting the Kindergarten readiness standards and are capable of working in a classroom setting with children who are up to 13 months older.

The needs of the whole child should be considered including social/emotional and physical factors as well as cognitive. A child should exhibit a level of intellectual, physical, social, and emotional maturity that is commensurate with that of children who are up to 13 months older.

Timeline for the Early Entrance Process

• April- Parents complete and submit the application packet.
• May- Assessments are scheduled.
• June- Parents are notified of status.
• There are no exceptions to this timeline.