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Board Places Cap on 2020 Kindergarten Enrollment
Borg Report December 12, 2019
On Monday night, Dec. 9, the Westonka School Board voted to institute a kindergarten enrollment cap for the 2020-2021 school year. By board action, once kindergarten enrollment reaches 180 students, the district will stop offering placement to non-resident kindergarten students with the goal of keeping total kindergarten enrollment at or below 200. This year's total kindergarten enrollment is 191 students.
The reason for the new enrollment cap is to preserve space at our primary schools. The board also believes that it is important that district residents are able to attend the primary school in their neighborhood. Due to lack of classroom space and an abnormal spike in enrollment from Hilltop Primary School’s attendance area, the board was forced in April to close kindergarten enrollment (both resident and non-resident) to Hilltop for 2019. The new cap and lottery process is estimated to leave room for resident kindergarteners moving into the district after Feb. 1, 2020 to attend their neighborhood school next fall.
Open Enrollment - Kindergarten open enrollment applications for the 2020-2021 school year must be submitted by Feb. 1, 2020 to be entered into the initial lottery. Priority placement (by order of MN Statutes 124D.03 Subd.5a) will be given to:
- siblings of current open enrolled students, and
- children of current/active employees of Westonka Public Schools.
Applicants will be contacted by Feb. 15 with an offer for placement. Students not placed will be put on a waiting list.
All open enrollment applications received after Feb. 1 will be placed on the waiting list based on date received. The waiting list will be reviewed throughout the school year. You are able to join the waiting list at any time and will be contacted if a space opens.
In-District Transfer Requests - Another change for next year is the process for resident kindergarteners wishing to transfer schools within the district. If you live in the Westonka School District but want your child to attend the primary school outside of your assigned attendance area, you must complete an In-District Transfer Request form, which is found on the district website. Applications will be reviewed by building principals. Among their considerations are current class sizes at the requested school, sibling preference, and availability of services.
The deadline for the initial placement process for in-district transfer students is Feb. 1. If there are more applicants than there are spaces available, a lottery will be held. Applicants will be contacted with placement information by Feb. 15. Applications received after the Feb. 1 deadline will be handled on a space available, date received basis.
If you have questions about these new processes, please contact me or either of the primary school principals. Visit the kindergarten page on the district website to learn more about enrolling in kindergarten: https://www.westonka.k12.mn.us/kindergarten
Sincerely,