As part of a strategy to make it easier for families to enroll their children in Rochester schools and work with the District, Superintendent Bolgen Vargas, Ed.D., announced today that Student Placement Services is now based at Central Office, 131 West Broad Street.

Parents who are enrolling their children in Pre-K or kindergarten, who want to choose a new school or are moving from another district, can visit the office between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays to meet with one of the District’s placement specialists:  Mr. Kittelberger at 262-8390 or Mr. Colon at 262-8225 and complete the process. Families can schedule an appointment by calling 262-8241, but walk-in registrations are also welcome.  Parents can park in the lot immediately adjacent to the building.

Dr. Vargas said he hopes parents will find the new downtown placement offices more accessible, convenient and comfortable than the previous location at 175 Martin St. The Office of Parent Engagement and most other departments that serve parents are in the same location, providing a “one-stop shop” for parents to access the services they need outside of their child’s school.

“We are working urgently to improve both the quality of our schools and the quality of customer service our families receive,” Dr. Vargas said. “Moving our placement office to a more convenient location is one of many steps we are taking to make it easier for parents to enroll their children in Rochester schools.”

Kindergarten Choices Due March 1

Parents enrolling a child in kindergarten this fall have until Friday to request a school other than their nearby neighborhood school by filing a School of Choice application.  Attendance in kindergarten is mandatory in the next school year for all city children who will be five years old by Dec. 1.

·         The child’s birth certificate

·         Current proof of address

·         Parent identification

Families enrolling in city schools from other districts need documentation from the past school.

The Student Placement Office helps families of more than 5,000 children newly enroll in District schools and pre-K programs each year. Enrollment catalogs for the 2013-2014 school year were mailed last fall to families of school-age children across the city. They remain available on the District’s website, www.rcsdk12.org, and at the placement office.

The office of 15 employees serves families with children who need special education services, or who speak languages other than English. To schedule a language assessment, parents can call 262-8241.

More Enrollment Locations

Starting the week of March 18^th, parents can meet with a placement specialist and enroll their children in school once a week at these satellite locations:

“We are working hard to make it as simple and convenient as possible for families to choose Rochester schools,” Ramos said. “We will be going ‘live’ the month of March.  Parents will be able to complete all registrations on line and will only have to visit Placement for document verification.” 

In January, Dr. Vargas announced the “RCSD Home School Guarantee,” which assures families that children who live within a half-mile of a neighborhood elementary school can attend that school if they choose. Students entering kindergarten from one of the District’s school-based pre-K programs will receive top priority for placement after families who live within one-half mile.

The guarantee reflects the District’s strategy to improve all schools by offering a rigorous core curriculum for every student; an extended day to increase instructional time and meet other student needs; art, music, physical education and extra-curricular activities in every school; sports for middle and high-school students ; and safe, comfortable and modern learning environments at every school through the Facilities Modernization Plan.

“Ultimately, we want to make the District’s nearest elementary or secondary school the most attractive choice for every City family,” Dr. Vargas said.