Story provided by Stillwater Public Schools

Stillwater Public Schools has set a date for enrollment of Pre-K students and kindergarteners who are new to the district. May 4 at 8am, parents and guardians can visit http://sps.blue/prek to complete an online form to secure their student’s spot.

“I know pre-K enrollment in Stillwater has a reputation for being a little stressful,” says Dana Renner, SPS Assistant Superintendent of Operations. “For a lot of parents, it’s their first interaction with the district; there’s required documentation, and space is limited. We’re working to make it as stress free as possible.”

Pre-K space at each school site ranges from 42 to 66 students with 378 total spots available throughout the district. “Based on our estimates we should have enough space in the district for our expected pre-K enrollment,” says Renner. “But it is still important to enroll early to reserve your child’s spot and placement at your school of residence for pre-K.” There is no limit on the number of kindergarteners at each site.

Typically lines form outside of schools on enrollment day as parents hope to get in at their school of residence. “Pre-K students will be placed into the program in the order completed applications are received,” says Renner. “For those whose school of residence is full, students will be placed at other sites with available space.”

SPS Director of Technology Kevin Calvert says, “This is the first time the PK enrollment process has been online. The pandemic may have necessitated it this year, but it’s been something we’ve been planning to do for everyone’s convenience.” 

Before beginning the online registration, the district recommends having an electronic copy of a state certified birth certificate, immunization records, and one proof of residency document, such as a current utility bill, mortgage, or lease agreement. An application is not considered complete until all documents have been received by SPS. “This form should be easy to complete from any computer or smartphone,” says Calvert, “as long as you can get a picture or PDF of your required documents onto your device.” When completing the form via smartphone, users will have the option to enable their phone to take pictures of any required documentation.

Those without access to an internet connected device can call their school of residence for details on alternative enrollment methods. A district map is available at http://sps.blue/elem-map.

To participate in Pre-K for the 2020-2021 school year, children must be 4 years old on or before September 1, 2020.

Families will be notified of their pre-K enrollment acceptance status by the end of June.