Licking Heights Local School District Philip H. Wagner, Ph.D., Superintendent David Varda, Treasurer 6539 Summit Road S.W. Pataskala, OH 43062 BOARD OFFICERS Richard Wand, President Tracy Russ, Vice President
Administrative Office Office # (740) 927-6926 Fax # (740) 927-9043
BOARD MEMBERS Brian Bagley Paul Johnson Nicole Roth
Licking Heights Local School District Press Release
Contact: Dr. Philip Wagner
[email protected] (740) 927-6926
For Immediate Release: February 7, 2017 LICKING HEIGHTS BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVES NEW ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR STUDENTS STARTING KINDERGARTEN PATASKALA – The Licking Heights Local School District Board of Education unanimously approved a revision to school policy regarding the entrance requirements for a child entering Kindergarten for the 2017-2018 school year, at the January 17th board meeting. Outlined in the revised policy, a child must turn five years old before September 30th of the year in which s/he applies for entrance. Previously, the required cutoff date for turning five was August 1st for entering Kindergarten. Read the entire revised policy here. District representatives supported this change because it allows for more accurate planning in regards to student enrollment numbers as well as having the advantage of getting those young 5-year-olds into the school system a year earlier. “We as a district are happy to be able to meet the needs of our students with the change in entrance date and also be able to serve those in our community as they exit preschool rather than requiring additional time in preschool or childcare facilities due to a birthday that falls after August 1st,” Mrs. Angel King, Director of Curriculum and Instruction said. "The goal of a kindergarten cut-off date is to impose a degree of uniformity on the age ranges of kindergarten classes, Mrs. Lisa Kraemer, Director of Pupil Services said. “However, kids mature at different rates and age is not always the pending factor. With the new cut-off date of September 30th, we will be able to meet the needs of our students who are ready for the academics and the structure Kindergarten brings, but would not have been able to start school under the previous cut-off date." Administration across the district are supportive of this change to policy as well. South Elementary Principal, Mr. Kurt Scheiderer stated, “This change will allow us to keep hold of several students who
leave the district each year for other schools that accept the August and September birthdays. Typically we see those students return to our District as 1st graders.” “We believe our schools are prepared to teach each child based on their own unique set of needs,” West Elementary Principal, Mrs. Brandi Wade said. She continued “We want to reach as many of our Kindergarten-age children as possible and while some state legislations are encouraging parents to delay starting their young kindergarten-age children in school, our district takes an individual approach to determining school readiness.” For more information regarding the district the community is encouraged to attend the next Board of Education meeting scheduled for Tuesday, February 21st in the Licking Heights High School Auditorium at 7:00 p.m.
