The Alachua County School District is urging parents to register their children now rather than just before or after school starts on Aug. 12.
The request is geared towards families of students entering an Alachua County public school for the first time, those who have moved, or those who will be moving to a new school zone within the district.
“Summer is the best time for families to register students for school,” said Alachua County Public Schools (ACPS) spokesperson Jackie Johnson in a press release. “School staff have more time to help families who need assistance, and the wait time is much shorter than it will be as we get closer to the start of school.”
Last-minute registrations make scheduling and hiring for the upcoming school year challenging without an accurate number of students who will be attending a school, what grades they’re in and what courses and services they’ll need, according to ACPS.
Other disadvantages of late registration include delays in starting classes and fewer course options, particularly in middle and high schools.
Students can be registered at local schools during the summer Mondays through Thursdays. Parents of children entering an ACPS school for the first time should go to their zoned school with documents including the child’s birth certificate, proof of a recent physical, proof of immunizations and two proofs of primary residence.
Schools must also ask for a child’s Social Security card per state law, but a card is not required for registration. Records from previous schools are helpful but not required.
Those who have moved to a different school zone within the county will only need to bring two proofs of residence to the new school.
More information about enrolling in school, including the online registration form, can be found at www.sbac.edu/enrollment.
Parents who are unsure which school their child is zoned for or who need more information can visit the district’s website at www.sbac.edu, contact the district’s zoning office at (352) 955-7700 or email zoning@gm.sbac.edu.