The Saskatchewan Rivers School Division has made some changes to the administrative policy governing when children can enter school.
As part of the board’s Administrative Procedure (AP) changes were made to the Admission of Resident Students policy during the board’s meeting on Monday.
Director of education Neil Finch said they wanted to make the policy clearer.
“It really was just making sure we clarify age appropriate for each grade,” Finch said. “We had clarification in there before it was a little bit vague, so now there’s more detail into what grade placement students would go to when they join us at different age.”
In the case of Pre-K, the revision states that it is for students who are three or four and will not be five before Dec. 31. For Kindergarten, it states that if a child will be six-years-old on or before Dec. 31 a child will be placed in Grade 1. However, if parents choose to put a pause on having their child start school and that child has never been in Kindergarten, conversations with the school administrator (Principal) will take place to determine placement. Finch said that dates of birth can create challenges for placing students in the correct grade.
“At kindergarten entrance, parents have some choice on delayed start or not,” he said. “(That) was a big part of our conversation.”
Finch explained that people born in late August can create an interesting case. The question revolved around someone who was born on Aug. 27.
“If you were four (on) Aug. 28, for example, but turned five on Aug. 29, then we would expect you to enter kindergarten if you’re going to start school, because Sept. 1 is the cutoff,” he explained.
For students in Grade 1 to Grade 12 will be placed in the appropriate grade based on certain considerations. One of these considerations is that it is age appropriate for that specific child based on the age of that child by Dec. 31 in the school year of enrollment. The second is the previous grade level registered in, if registered in that school year. The third is credits achieved and graduation plan for Grade 10 to Grade 12.
For all Pre-K grade placements that need further discussion the principal will bring all information to the Superintendent in charge of the school for a decision based on the Administrative Procedure. For unique circumstances and situations that fall outside of the clarity of the AP, the Superintendent will bring that information to the Administrative Council (director and superintendents) to determine appropriate grade placement.
AP is dealt with as a consent item and passed by the board as administrative changes are necessary.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
