Parents of Kindergarteners Should Know Class Placements Soon

School starts in just a few weeks but parents with 4-year-old kindergarteners entering the system this fall still don't know if their child will be in the morning or afternoon class.

According to a school official, that's not uncommon.

A Greenfield parent said on Greenfield Patch's Facebook page that she was unclear as to when she would find out if her child would be placed in the a.m. or p.m. class, and concerned that when she did she wouldn't have enough time to get ready. The a.m. and p.m. class school supply lists differ, so she is unable to go back-to-school shopping now.

Greenfield Superintendent Conrad Farner said this summer's notification procedures are no different than previous years' and that the district has to take a wait-and-see approach.

"Each year, there are some parents who complain about not finding out earlier if their K4 child is (in) a.m. or p.m., or who their child’s teacher is," Farner said. "We explain that we have no control over how many students enroll every year and we do not want to tell parents one thing in the middle of the summer only to have to change the answer as the school year gets closer."

Farner said by the time principals and secretaries go through new summer registrations and do class placements, information is usually mailed sometime during the week of Aug. 22.

The superintendent said as enrollment numbers swell during the summer months, the district creates class assignments that make the most sense in terms of proximity to school and locations of bus routes and stops.

He said some parents decide whether or not to enroll based on class placement, which in turn alters the district's plans.

"If they do not get what they want, they don’t enroll and that changes our numbers so we have to keep adjusting," he said. "And then students show up on the first day and register so we have to keep adjusting."

Greenfield's elementary schools are closed during the summer and don’t reopen until mid-August. Parents can come to the Administration Center over the summer to collect school supply lists and calendars. Both can also be found on the district website

Parents can also find out about the district's daycare arrangement with by calling the administrative offices.