OPS kindergarten roundup set

Kindergarten roundup in the Omaha Public Schools will arrive much sooner than usual.

The spring tradition has moved to January because of the Douglas-Sarpy County learning community law.

The change will help the district ensure that OPS resident children have first chance to request a school, before placement of students from the other 10 learning community districts.

“We want our kindergartners to have their first-choice seats,” said Cindy Beglin, an OPS school placement official.

Next year, all OPS students may pick from any of the district's schools, if there's room. Students will receive priority admission based on where their siblings go and whether they would make the school more socioeconomically diverse.

The districtwide roundup schedule will be completed in December. In the coming weeks, families should get word from their neighborhood schools about dates and times.

Roundup is a chance to tour a school and meet other families. Information about immunization requirements, enrollment forms and the like is shared with families.

OPS families have until Feb. 15 to complete the forms. They should be notified by March 1 where the child will attend.

Families in another learning community district who wish for a child to start kindergarten in an OPS school will have until March 15 to submit the enrollment form.

Other districts, including Bennington, Elkhorn, Gretna, Millard, Ralston and South Sarpy, plan to keep roundup in the spring.

The Omaha district is hosting forums to explain school options, both to OPS families and those residing outside the district. The forums start at 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, , Omaha South High Magnet School, 4519 S. 24 St.

Thursday, Omaha Northwest High School, 8204 Crown Point Ave.

Dec. 8, Omaha North High Magnet School, 4410 N. 36th St.

Dec. 10, Omaha Burke High School, 12200 Burke Blvd.

Contact the writer:

444-1037, michaela.saunders@owh.com