Please note that the Family Resource Center is now located at

15 Upton Street
Cambridge, MA 02139

Kindergarten Registration Information for 2010-11

Children in Cambridge who will be 4 by March 31, 2010 are eligible for Kindergarten in the fall of 2010.

Registration begins in January for the following school year. This year, the First Cycle of registration is January 4-30, 2010. Parents are strongly encouraged to register in the First Cycle to increase their chances of receiving one of their school choices.

For more information and a schedule for First Cycle registration, please refer to the Kindergarten Registration booklet or contact the Family Resource Center at 617-349-6551.

Age Requirements

Children spend two years in kindergarten if they have not turned 5 on or before August 31, prior to entering kindergarten.

Kindergarten:
Entry September '10: Must be 4 by 3/31/10

1st grade:
Entry September '10: must be 6 by 8/31/10

Tobin Montessori School Age Requirements

Any child that will be 3-years old on or before Sept. 1, 2010 is eligible to enter the Tobin Montessori Program.  Children spend up to 3 years (depending on the child's age when entering) in the Montessori Children's House program, which serves preschool through Kindergarten aged children, before moving onto the Tobin Montessori Elementary program.

New to Cambridge Public Schools?

Families moving to Cambridge or transferring from a charter or private school need to complete a full application package, including a language assessment, if necessary.

Registration Cycles

Registration cycles are held on a monthly basis. First Cycle occurs in January.

In August, Kindergarten registration and assignments are done almost daily. The Cambridge Public School District encourages families to visit schools, take tours and attend school informational fairs in October and November.

Required for Registration

• CPS Registration form
• Language Survey form
• CPS Meals Application
• Student's birth certificate or passport
• Student's immunization record, showing dates of vaccinations
• Notarized Certificate of Address form (available at schools, libraries and the FRC)
• Proof of residency (See Kindergarten Registration booklet -- linked at right -- for specific information.)

Health Requirements

KINDERGARTEN AND GRADES 1 - 8

• Hepatitis B - 3 doses
• DTaP/DT/Td - 5 doses
• Polio - 4 doses
• MMR - 2 doses
• Varicella - 1 dose or physician documented history of Chicken Pox
• Lead Screening - lead test results or physician documentation that child is at low risk – must be within 1 year of start date of school

GRADE 7 AND 8

• Hepatitis B - 3 doses
• Td Booster - 1 dose (if haven't had one within 5yrs)
• Polio - 3 doses
• MMR - 2 doses
• Varicella - 1 dose or physician documented history of chicken pox

The immunizations listed above represent the minimum requirements set by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (105 CMR 220) before admission to school. Please note that children will not be admitted to school without documentation that these immunizations have been given.

Physical Examination and TB Risk Assessment or PPD is recommended to be done within 1 year of start date of school.

International and Second Language Families

If a language other than English is spoken at home, the student is referred to the Language Assessment Coordinator who administers the Step-by-Step Assessment to Language Dominance to determine the kind of program or English as a Second Language support that would provide the most accomodating educational setting for the student.

For students who are limited English proficient, Cambridge offered Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) instruction in classrooms at the Tobin, Graham & Parks and the King Schools. Students are instructed to speak, read and write fluently in English as a preparation for entering grade level mainstream classrooms, two-way language classrooms or modified bilingual programs.

Students whose parents choose two-way language immersion (such as the Amigos School's Spanish/English Program and the King Open School's Olá Portuguese/English Program) receive English and native language assessments to determine the student's language levels in both languages. Student assignment is based on Cambridge Public Schools Policy for placement in two-way language immersion education.

Transferring From One Cambridge Public School to Another

Visit the Family Resource Center for a transfer form and to learn about any special conditions that may apply. Please discuss with a staff member of the FRC.

Cambridge Rindge & Latin School Learning Community Assignments

Cambridge has one high school divided into four Learning Communities. Assignments to the LC's are mandatory and there is no hardship appeal process. Factors used to make assignments are: 8th grade test scores, special education status, gender, neighborhoods of residence as expressed by zip code, bilingual status and socio-ecomomic status. The registrar for CRLS is at the Family Resource Center.