The first 12 or so years of academic preparation are perhaps the most important developmental years of every child’s life. Consequently, picking the right school for your child is of utmost importance. Follow these valuable tips for students enrolling in kindergarten through college to make the transition smooth and simple.

ENROLLMENT
Children must be five years old on or before September 30 to enroll in kindergarten in the Clark County School District. Parents in Clark County need to have the following information in order to enroll their child in school: two forms of proof of residence (utility bill, lease or rent receipt, sales contract), child’s identification (original certified birth certificate, passport or certified birth card) and immunization records.

The following records also expedite the enrollment process and ensure proper placement if your child is transferring from another school or district: previous school records showing placement in any special classes or programs, a recent report card showing the name and address of the former school, the most recent achievement test scores and any information about special health conditions.
Under state law, to enter first grade, a child must either attend a state-approved kindergarten program or pass a development test.

After assembling the required information, parents can access zoning information at www.zoning.ccsd.net or call 702/799-6430 to locate their assigned school. They should then call their school to find out when registration will be held.

IMMUNIZATIONS
All school-age children must be up to date on all of their immunizations in order to enroll in Las Vegas area schools. According to Alice Costello of the Clark County Health Department, kindergartners need: five DPT (Diphtheria, Pertussis and Tetanus) vaccinations, four Polio vaccinations and two MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) vaccinations.

For people moving to the area from out of state, it’s usually the last one that gets them. Most states only require one MMR.

Although they are not required, the Health Department also offers Hepatitis A and Chicken Pox vaccinations free of charge as well. Parents of all school-age children can take advantage of these two opportunities anytime, not just during the back-to-school rush. Matriculating college freshmen also need to make sure to get Tetanus and MMR boosters.

There are several health centers throughout the Las Vegas area and all offer free immunizations. Call 702/383-1351 to find a location nearest you. The Shadow Lane facility is the busiest by far, serving 500 children a day during the back-to-school rush. For added convenience, the Health Department also will be sponsoring mobile immunization clinics at area malls beginning in early August. Parents need to be sure to bring children’s current immunization records to any location they choose to visit.

SPECIAL PROGRAMS
The Clark County School District offers a wide range of specialized programs to meet the diverse needs of its student body.

The district offers a variety of magnet schools and programs at all grade levels to which students may apply based on their interests and abilities. There are three elementary magnet schools, two middle school magnet programs and seven high school magnet programs. Areas of emphasis include science and mathematics, teacher preparation, fine and performing arts, technology, tourism, aerospace and aviation.

Direct and support services are provided for students with disabilities ages 3 to 21. School teams collaborate with families and the community to offer quality learning experiences for students with disabilities to prepare them for life after school. Student success is the focus as trained teaching staff, supported by social workers, mentor teachers and vocational counselors, challenge students to meet the district’s educational speech therapists, psychologists, occupational and physical therapists, nurses, adaptive physical education and assistive technology.

Additional programs offered by the district include Gifted and Talented Education, transitional bilingual and English as a Second Language programs, specialized reading programs, Credit by Exam, distance learning, independent study, Community College High Schools in which students are able to earn college credit for elective courses, alternative-setting high schools to help reduce dropout rate, and two vocational schools.

The district also uses outside resources to meet students’ needs. With the help of federal grants, for example, the district provides supplemental programs such as Safe and Drug-Free Schools, Indian Education, School-to-Careers and Math and Science Enhancement.

STATEWIDE TESTING
All Nevada students in the fourth, eighth and 10th grades take the TerraNova test in October. The TerraNova is a norm referenced test taken by children in many states to assess student achievement in reading, language, math and science. In addition, during the 11th or 12th grade, all Nevada high school students are expected to pass the Nevada High School Proficiency Exam in reading, writing and math.

Students in the Clark County School District typically perform near the national average on these standardized tests, with math scores usually higher than reading or language scores. College-bound students generally perform at or above the national averages on the SAT or ACT.

HIGHER EDUCATION
UNLV is the major public university and CSN is the major public two-year college, but there are numerous private colleges and universities that offer a wide variety of degrees and degree programs from traditional liberal arts to creative education and beyond.

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas is now a 337-acre campus in the heart of Las Vegas. Nearly 27,000 students are enrolled at the university, which offers more than 180 undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degree programs. Priority dates for admission to UNLV are November 1 for the spring semester and May 1 for the fall semester. Incoming freshmen are required to have an unweighed, cumulative GPA of 2.5 and four units of English, three units of math at the algebra I level or higher and three units of natural science.

The multi-campus College of Southern Nevada is an open-entry institution admitting qualified high-school students for college credits and all high school graduates or GED recipients. Students who attend CSN are eligible to apply for a wide variety of financial aid, grants and scholarships, including Nevada’s Millennium Scholarship and CSN’s unique “First Class Free” program.

FINANCIAL EDUCATION
Silver State Schools Credit Union (SSSCU) is a financial cooperative owned by its
members, primarily Nevada educators — faculty and staff either currently working or retired — students, school volunteers (PTO/PTA), KLVX members, and their families. An important part of its cultural philosophy is a commitment to eliminating financial illiteracy. The credit union understands that knowledge is power, but only if it is shared. A critical part of its commitment to the community is empowering young people with knowledge and financial solutions through financial education and scholarships.

SSSCU seeks partnerships with schools, teachers or special education programs throughout the state of Nevada, and particularly among Clark County public and private schools. Professionals at SSSCU can customize materials to suit age-specific needs or provide free National Endowment for Financial Education materials and classroom support. The no-cost presentations cover creating a savings plan, budgeting, credit basics and checking account management.

Allow Card is a convenient prepaid MasterCard created to teach students how to manage their money wisely. Just to reiterate: it’s not a credit card.

“We are trying to fight financial illiteracy in our youth and college students today,” says Jennifer Nicholson, area director for Allow Card of America, state of Nevada. To provide peace of mind for themselves, parents are able to set the spending limits for Allow Card. It’s a one-way load transfer, so if your high school or college student gets in a bind, you can transfer money, available immediately. Parents can also track when and where their money is spent through e-mail and text notifications. As a bonus, there isn’t any over-draft or late penalties, and once the card is depleted, it can’t be accessed. Allow Card can be used anywhere MasterCard Debit is accepted and it is FDIC-insured.

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