Kindergarten

Begin on the path to endless possibilities.

Your child is about to embark on an exciting adventure to build the foundation of their education. They will be immersed in new friends, experiences and ideas. As you begin to navigate this journey, you will see the passion our staff has about children and learning. Your children are welcomed to the classroom every day with that positive spirit.

We know that children learn best when home, school and community work together harmoniously. We look forward to meeting you and welcoming you to the Sauk Rapids-Rice School District. Congratulations to you and your child for taking the first step into a great future.

Main Contact

Jenny Bushman
Director of Teaching and Learning
Phone: 320-258-1261
Fax # 320-253-1444
jenny.bushman@isd47.org

We are so excited to welcome our incoming kindergarten class of 2023. As hard as it is to believe, that makes their graduation year 2036! To help manage the number of people in attendance at one time, please attend at the designated times based on the staggered schedule at right. During your visit, you will be able to take a brief tour of the school, see a kindergarten classroom and meet our kindergarten teachers. This is also a good time to drop off any required documents to the office to complete your child’s registration. We are excited for your child to be joining the Storm family and starting their learning journey with us!

Kindergarten Open House February 27, 2023, 5:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m. at each Elementary Building

5:30 p.m.–5:45 p.m.: Student last name beginning with A–D
5:45 p.m.–6:00 p.m.: Student last name beginning with E–J
6:00 p.m.–6:15 p.m.: Student last name beginning with K–Md
6:15 p.m.–6:30 p.m.: Student last name beginning with Me–P
6:30 p.m.–6:45 p.m.: Student last name beginning with Q–S
6:45 p.m.–7:00 p.m.: Student last name beginning with T–Z

A Day in Kindergarten

Our Schools

We have three elementary schools that serve students in grades K-5:

Kindergarten students attend all-day, every-day kindergarten as an essential part of accomplishing our district goals.

Mississippi Heights Elementary

320-252-0122

1033 4th Street South

Sauk Rapids, MN 56379

Pleasantview Elementary

320-253-0506

1099 6th Avenue North

Sauk Rapids, MN 56379

Rice Elementary School

320-393-2177

200 NE Third Avenue

Rice, MN 56367

Kindergarten Registration Resources

Step 1: Getting Started

How to Register

All families are encouraged to register through Skyward Family Access, our online enrollment system. When using the online enrollment system, you will have the opportunity to upload all documents needed for registration as well.

If you need assistance with completing online enrollment or uploading documents you can contact the elementary school in the attendance area where you live, and they will assist you.

If you need a translator, please contact Jenny Bushman at jenny.bushman@isd47.org or call 320-258-1822 to assist you with registration.

Step 2: Materials to Collect

We know your child is eager to begin learning, and we can't wait to see them flourish. Before we can welcome them to the classroom, the following materials are needed to process their registration. Any documents that are missing may delay enrollment.

• Proof of Residency: examples include a recent utility bill (gas, water, electric, phone) or mortgage or rental agreement
• Immunization Record
• Birth Certificate
• Health Information Form: To be completed and signed by a physician. This form or a printout from your physician's office are acceptable.

The following forms are needed ONLY if they apply to your student(s).

• Early Childhood Screening: If this did not take place in Sauk Rapids-Rice provide the screening summery or where it was completed to Alison Ward. alison.ward@osd47.org
Incoming kindergartener screenings can be scheduled by calling Alison Ward at 320-258-1186 or view the current screening schedule here.
• IEP/Special Education (SPED) Records: if applicable
• Early Childhood Special Education Enrollment Option for Nonresidents Form
• Open Enrollment Form
• Free and Reduced Meal Application
• Families in Transition Form: if applicable

Step 3: Register

It may be hard to believe, but your little one is ready to start Kindergarten. We are so excited to begin this journey with them!

Age and Screening Requirements

In Minnesota, children are usually required to be five years old on or before September 1 to enter kindergarten. However, there are some situations where a child's social, emotional, and academic skills make early entrance to Kindergarten a possibility. The "Early Entrance to Kindergarten" section below explains how your child may be ready to start kindergarten early.

State law requires completion of a developmental screening (i.e. Early Childhood Screening) prior to entrance into kindergarten. Screening dates and information is available here. We encourage you to begin the registration process even if a screening has not yet been completed. If your child has been screened in another school district, please indicate that on the Kindergarten Registration Form, and identify the name of the District. The Sauk Rapids-Rice School District will then request the documentation directly from that District. If a child was screened through the Sauk Rapids-Rice School District, no further action is required.

Immunization Requirements

To go to school in Minnesota, students must prove that they are up-to-date with their immunizations or that they are exempt from the requirements for medical reasons or the beliefs of the parent/guardian. Minnesota Statute 121.15 requires that all children must be immunized against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B series and varicella (or a record of chicken pox).

Kindergarten Registration - Mark your calendars!

Please note: If your student is currently enrolled in early childhood classes, a new student registration needs to be completed to enroll in kindergarten

Contact your school to set up a visit, you will be able to take a brief tour of the school, see a kindergarten classroom and meet our kindergarten teachers. We also have a Storm Kinder Kit waiting for your child to pick up! This is also a good time to drop off any required documents to the office to complete your child’s registration.

We are excited for your child to be joining the Storm family and starting their learning journey with us! Starting kindergarten is an important time in your child(ren)’s life and we want that experience to be positive and fun. We can’t wait to meet you!

How to Register

If you need assistance with completing online enrollment or uploading documents you can contact the elementary school in the attendance area where you live, and they will assist you.

If you need a translator, please contact Jenny Bushman at jenny.bushman@isd47.org or call 320-258-1822 to assist you with registration.

New Student/Family Enrollment

For parents who do NOT have a Skyward Family Access account.

Use this option when your family is new to the District and does have a Family Access login.

The first step is to request a login account using a valid email address or phone number.
If you provide an email address, your login and password will be sent to this email address.
If you provide only a phone number, you will setup your login information.
Use the link in the email (or the login information you setup associated with your phone number) to log in and begin the process. The email will be sent from do.not.reply@isd47.org, be sure to add this email address to your valid email recipients to avoid it being affected by your spam filter.

Current Student Enrollment

For parents with an existing Skyward Family Access account.

Use this option if you already have students in the District and are enrolling a new/younger student into school

After logging into Skyward Family Access, choose "New Student Online Enrollment" in the left hand column

NOTE: If you are returning to ISD#47, after attending school in another District, your previous Skyward Family Access account may still be available. Please contact the school your child would attend for login information.

Step 4: Open Enrollment

Open Enrollment

For incoming kindergarten students not living within school district boundaries, an open enrollment application will be required for them to attend school in the Sauk Rapids-Rice School District. Open enrollment status provides continued enrollment through graduation within the Sauk Rapids-Rice School District without having to provide additional non-resident paperwork.

If you are interested in open enrolling into Sauk Rapids-Rice Public Schools, please complete the Open Enrollment Form and return it to the District Office at 1833 Osauka Road NE, Sauk Rapids, MN 56379. You can also fax it to 320-255-1914 or scan and email it to Amy Dierkes.

Open enrollment paperwork may be submitted between October 1 and January 15 each year for the following year. Families will be notified by mail after this date.

Step 5: Preparing for School

Once you have registered online and submitted all of the necessary documents, preparing for school is the next step! We will contact you if any further information is needed for your child to begin.

Parents/guardians and their child should plan to attend Kindergarten Open House to kick-off this exciting adventure. These will be help at each individual building. In the case of open enrollment, please attend the session at the building you would like to have your child attend. Kindergarten Open House allows both you and your child to see where they will start their education journey.

Because of staffing and enrollment changes made throughout the summer, class lists are not finalized until early to mid-August. You will receive a letter in late August with a specific teacher assignment.

Our Transportation page has information for you regarding route assignments, pick-up/drop-off times, bus orientation, and any other transportation questions.

To learn about the food service program, how to add money to your account, how to apply for free or reduced meals, and any other food service questions, visit our Food Service page.

Do you need before and/or after school care? Visit our School Age Care page to learn about the options we offer.

Early Enrollment to Kindergarten

These services are for those whose academic needs are significantly different from their peers and need individualized instruction through things like: early entrance to kindergarten, single subject acceleration, grade level acceleration and individualized learning plans.

Early Entrance to Kindergarten

In Minnesota, children are required to be five years old on or before September 1 in order to enter kindergarten. However, there are some situations where a child’s advanced social, emotional, and academic skills make early entrance to kindergarten a possibility. Putting your child into kindergarten early is a very important decision that can have impacts on the rest of his/her school career. In order to make an informed decision on whether entering kindergarten early is the right choice for your child, please read the Frequently Asked Questions provided below.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is my child eligible for early entrance? In the Sauk Rapids-Rice School District, early entrance to kindergarten can be considered if a child will be five-years-old on or before October 31 of their entry year. Students who have birthdays after October 31 are not eligible.

What skills should my child have in order to be considered for early entrance? Early entrance is considered the earliest form of acceleration and students will need to be able to handle the increased academic and social emotional demands put on them in Kindergarten. The expectations for early entrance are set high to ensure that students are able to be successful. Please read through the characteristics below in order to decide if your child is ready for early entrance to kindergarten.

My child:

Regulates emotions and behavior
Works cooperatively with other students
Shows motivation to learn and go to school
Can maintain focus when completing a task
Likes books and being read to
Asks and answers questions in order to seek help, get information or clarify information
Recognizes upper and lower case letters and sounds
Holds scissors correctly
Cuts straight and curved lines with some skill
Holds pencil, crayon and markers correctly
Knows numbers 0–10 in any order
Counts to 20 or higher
Adds and subtracts with manipulatives
Knows basic shapes (circle, square, triangle, etc.)
Names colors

How do I apply for early entrance? To apply for early entrance, please download the SRR Early Entrance to Kindergarten Application and complete as directed. Application materials are due by March 15.

The application includes questions for the parent/guardian to complete and a questionnaire for the child’s preschool teacher to complete.

What process does the district use to determine early entrance? After receiving your application, the early entrance coordinator will call to schedule the early entrance screening. This will be a 20–30 minute appointment in which the early entrance coordinator and a kindergarten teacher interact with the student in a school setting and administer an assessment of his/her academic and social emotional skills.

A team consisting of the early entrance coordinator, kindergarten teacher, school principal and the director of teaching and learning will analyze and discuss the information gathered from the application and the screening and determine if early entrance would be beneficial for the student.

Parents will be contacted by the early entrance coordinator to discuss the decisions of the team and if necessary, give information on enrollment. Parents have the right to appeal any decision made by the team by submitting a written request to the director of teaching and learning.

If my child is identified for early entrance to kindergarten, is the decision final? No. As with all types of acceleration, there will be a trial period in order to monitor how the student is doing academically, socially and emotionally. At the end of the first six weeks of school, the early entrance coordinator will meet with the kindergarten teacher and determine if early entrance will become permanent. Parents/guardians will be contacted regarding this final decision.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Jenny Bushman at 320-258-1261.