School begins Aug. 16: Are your children enrolled?

Jul. 26—The Bakersfield City School District and other districts across metro Bakersfield encourage local families to begin planning early for the upcoming school year, which begins on Aug. 16.

In case you're wondering, that's only three weeks away.

Of course, many districts offer early enrollment in the spring, so lots of children are already prepared to hit the ground running on the first day.

"It's always a good idea to have kids start on the first day of instruction," said Tim Fulenwider, BCSD's executive director of instructional support services.

"Every day outside the classroom, every day missed, is another day of learning lost."

Children as young as 4 can enroll in a BCSD school, the district said this month in a news release.

The majority of students going through the enrollment process are likely age 4 and 5, youngsters who are just starting at an elementary school, Fulenwider said. But students whose families have moved from another district or another city come in various ages.

The parent or guardian of new students will have to provide proof of residency showing that students reside in the district, said Tabatha Mills, BCSD's chief of communications.

There are also immunization requirements and current physicals are required.

BCSD's school site offices are not yet open to answer questions and provide support. They will open on Aug. 4, BCSD said in the news release.

But parents and guardians can begin the enrollment process at enroll.bcsd.com. Additionally, all BCSD state-preschools are currently accepting applications.

Families in BCSD should call the district's preschool office at 631-4936 to pick up a registration packet and learn more about free resources for young learners.

Students at all districts must get required school vaccinations, such as Tdap, MMR or the chickenpox vaccine, before the start of school and parents are encouraged to do so as soon as possible.

It wasn't so long ago that parents were on their own in making such arrangements, but BCSD now has its own wellness centers, which are open and accepting appointments to provide students with those vaccinations.

"We are a Vaccines For Children provider," Fulenwider said. "It's really a great service."

The Vaccines For Children program is a federally funded program that provides vaccines at no cost to children who might not otherwise be vaccinated because of an inability to pay, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

But whether students get vaccinated through a VFC program or via their primary-care provider, there's a list of vaccines on the required list, Fulenwider said.

Student physicals are also due before students begin school, and BCSD's wellness centers can also help in that regard, the district said. For more information for families in BCSD, call 661-631-4600 and ask to make an appointment at one of the district's wellness centers.

The state of California now requires that districts implement transitional kindergarten programs at all elementary school sites to allow all 4-year-olds to attend TK by the 2025-2026 school year.

The Panama-Buena Vista Union School District, the second largest primary school district in Bakersfield, offers TK and kindergarten at all district elementary schools.

If your child turns 5 between Sept. 2, 2023 and April 2, 2024, they are eligible for TK only.

Children who turn 5 on or before Sept. 1, 2023 are eligible for kindergarten only.

Registration for school year 2023-24 began last spring, but parents who need to register soon should register their children at the school in their attendance area, Panama-Buena Vista says on its website.

Registration is not available online, however, several forms are available to download on the website, and parents can also determine their attendance area by accessing the site's school/site locator.

Districts require lots of information, including:

—Proof of residency, such as property tax payment receipts, rental property contracts, lease or payment receipts, utility service contracts, statements, or payment receipts, pay stubs, voter registration, correspondence from a government agency, or address verification affidavits.

—Proof of age, such as a certified copy of a birth record, a statement by the local registrar or county recorder certifying the date of birth, baptism certificate, passport, or an affidavit of birth.

—Immunizations. California schools are required to check immunization records for all new student admissions at TK and kindergarten through 12th grade and all students advancing to seventh grade before entry. Parents must show their child's immunization record as proof of immunization.

Reporter Steven Mayer can be reached at 661-395-7353. Follow him on Facebook and on Twitter: @semayerTBC.