Registration for 2015-2016 Kindergarten begins in February
Parents are encouraged to register their children for kindergarten for the 2015-2016 school year.
- Effective as of July 1, 2014: Beginning with the 2014-15 school year, a child who will be at least five years old on July 31 of the school year may attend a public school kindergarten.
To prepare for this important change, the Executive Office on Early Learning will be providing a series of resources for families, preschool providers, and Hawaii Department of Education staff.
Kindergarten is not mandatory in Hawaii.
Maui District, 808-984-8000, Various dates in February and March. Call schools or district.
To enroll a child for the first time in Hawai’i’s public schools, parents need to present proof of their residential address, the child’s birth certificate, release records from the last school attended (not applicable for kindergarten), and required health and immunization records. For more information on school health requirements, registration, and junior kindergarten, go to http://doe.k12.hi.us/parents
The National Parent Teacher Association has prepared the following questions to help parents predict whether their children will be successful in kindergarten:
Does your child demonstrate a certain amount of independence by taking responsibility for personal tasks such as putting on and taking off his or her coat, and putting things away after using them?
Is your child able to exercise some control over his or her behavior?
Is your child comfortable being away from you for a good portion of the day?
Is your child generally cooperative and able to interact positively in a group, which includes sharing, taking turns and following directions?
Does your child demonstrate curiosity about his or her world and how things work?
Is your child eager to exhibit his or her word and number knowledge, as well as eager to learn new things?
Does he or she like to play with blocks and paints, work puzzles, play make-believe, and generally manipulate his or her play world?