“Ready, Set, Register” campaign promotes countdown to kindergarten
For parents of children who will turn 5 by Sept. 30, the countdown to kindergarten is on.
EVMS Minus 9 to 5, a collective-impact initiative that supports South Hampton Roads families from conception to kindergarten, has launched a kindergarten registration campaign in conjunction with five school divisions in South Hampton Roads.
The campaign — which comprises billboards, posters, flyers, yard signs, social-media ads and 30-second TV PSAs — was created to educate parents in preparing children for kindergarten, as well as what’s required for registration, including:
- The original birth certificate for the child
- Recent physical-exam results (dated within one year of the first day of school)
- The child’s immunization record
- Proof of address (current utility bill, lease and/or home contract)
- Completed registration packet for the school division
“Children start learning as soon as they’re born,” says Jane Glasgow, PhD, Executive Director of Minus 9 to 5. “Parents are their child’s first and most important teachers — a role they will play all of their life. Teachable moments occur every day that parents can use to prepare their child for school.”
A list of suggested ways to help children become ready for kindergarten can be found at readysetregisterhr.org. The website also includes more information about the registration campaign, as well as specific registration needs for each school division. The school divisions of Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Virginia Beach are participating.