Schools host kindergarten round-ups throughout May

Kindergarten registration for the 2018-19 school year is now open, and school leaders have set “kindergarten round-up” dates to help incoming students and their families tour their new school, meet kindergarten teachers and, hopefully, ease any first-day-of-school jitters.

The Washougal School District (WSD) will host a kindergarten round-up at all Washougal elementary schools from 5:30 to 7 p.m., Thursday, May 17.

Sarika Mosley, principal at Hathaway Elementary in the Washougal district, said the round-up is like a building orientation for families of incoming kindergarten students. Families can meet teachers and staff at the round-up, and become acquainted with the school’s family resources.

Hathaway kindergarten teacher Tiffany Gilbreath said parents who attend the round-up can get help registering their child for school, meet with the school’s parent volunteer group, and learn about before- and after-school care.

Fifth-graders will act as tour guides at the school and introduce younger students to the different parts of the building and the school day schedule, Mosley said.

Gilbreath added that the round-up is important for teachers because they are able to connect with parents and incoming students and make sure to answer any questions they may have.

Charlotte Stultz, a kindergarten teacher at Hathaway who has two children in elementary school, said sending your own child to kindergarten for the first time is both exciting and nerve-racking.

“Overall, I think (teachers) are here to ease all the anxieties of coming to ‘big kid school’ for parents and students,” Gilbreath said. “We want them to all know that we’re here to ease that anxiety. … We’re here to support them. We’re here to support their kids. And we’re just excited to meet them and have them join our school.”

In addition to this month’s kindergarten round-up, Washougal elementary schools will also have a separate orientation in August which helps teachers and staff get to know incoming kindergarten students on an individual basis.

The Camas, Mt. Pleasant and Skamania school districts also will host kindergarten round-ups throughout May and early June. Following are the round-up schedules for elementary schools in those districts:

Camas School District

Dorothy Fox: 4 to 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 16

Grass Valley: 9:15 to 10:45 a.m., Wednesday, May 23

Helen Baller: 2 to 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 23

Lacamas Heights: 5 to 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 30

Prune Hill: 2 to 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 30

Woodburn: 4 to 5:30, Wednesday May 23

Parents of future Camas School District students can call the registrar at 360-833-5410 to schedule a registration appointment or find out which school their child will attend.

Mount Pleasant School District

Mount Pleasant School: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 15.

For more information, call Marcy Harness at 360-835-3371.

Skamania School District

Skamania School: Round-up is on Wednesday, June 6.

For more information, visit skamaniaschooldistrict.org.

Washougal School District

All Washougal School District elementary schools — Cape Horn-Skye, Columbia River Gorge, Gause and Hathaway — will host a kindergarten round-up from 5:30 to 7 p.m., Thursday, May 17.

New student registration can be found at washougal.k12.wa.us/new-student-registration.