By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post

The official deadline to round-up new USD 489 kindergarteners is Friday.

Post-deadline, Katt said staff will begin contacting registered parents in Ellis County to see if their kindergarten-aged children will be attending kindergarten in Hays USD 489 schools.

“At that point, we will see where we are at and whether we need to add an extra session,” Katt said earlier this week at the USD 489 Board of Education meeting, noting the district estimated approxiamtely 250 new kindergarten students for the 2014-15 school year.

According to Katt, the district-wide, one-day Kindergarten Roundup event last week wrangled in 247 new kindergarten students into USD 489, but spaces are still available at a few schools for the 2015-16 school year.

The number is down from the current kindergarten class of 268.

Katt said the one-day roundup hosted at Hays High School will most likely continue next year.

“There are some things we will change. We gathered some good input from the parents,” Katt said.

Last summer, USD 489 enacted a permanent $150 enrollment fee for all-day kindergarten. Katt said he and other teachers and administrators noted they heard little to no complaints about the fee during the roundup.

Contact Rockwell Administration at (785) 625-2300 or visit the USD 489 website for enrollment information.