Registration Information

Per Massachusetts General Law, only students residing with a parent or legal guardian in the Town of Belmont are eligible to attend the Belmont Public Schools when they are age appropriate. Please note possessing guardianship in and of itself does not allow a child to enroll in Belmont Public Schools and requires review and Superintendent approval.

For students who are Homeless and may have challenges providing the required residency documentation, please contact the Superintendent’s office for further guidance and assistance.

Admission to the Belmont Public Schools

Students residing in the Town of Belmont are eligible to attend the Belmont Public Schools when they are age appropriate.  Parents/guardians register children in their neighborhood school via the on-line portal and by submitting documents at the school.  Placement at schools within the district is determined by the Superintendent after registration is complete. Once children are registered and assigned to a school, their placement at that school remains constant from year to year unless a family moves out of their district. Families do not need to re-register their child for each new school year.

While there is no guarantee that students entering K will be placed at the same school as their siblings, as long as registration is complete by the date set each year, prioritization of siblings is a strong consideration for placement. See kindergarten registration on this page.

For the most up-to-date information on registration and admission to Belmont schools, please visit BPS registration webpage.

Kindergarten Registration

Belmont offers a full-day, fee based Kindergarten program; parents may opt for a cost-free morning program of three hours and fifteen minutes.  A child who is five years old on or before September 1, is eligible for Kindergarten in September of that year. The Belmont Public Schools’ early childhood programs encompass a broad range of developmentally-appropriate learning activities.  Parents are encouraged to enroll their children in Kindergarten when they are age appropriate. In the spring, a packet of information is sent to all parents known to have eligible children. There is a district-wide incoming K Parent Information Night held annually typically in January.

Registration takes place beginning in early Spring when parents can begin to fill out on-line registration. They then submit the necessary supporting documents on specified appointment days. Once all information and required documents are submitted school assignment is determined by the Superintendent, after which parents can sign up for a slot to attend Kindergarten Intake Screening day at their assigned school, which is usually in May.  This includes a parent conference with the school counselor and school psychologist, and with our English Language Teachers if applicable, as well as student assessments, and a classroom visit.

Please see the Kindergarten Registration page for more information.

Kindergarten Screening

Kindergarten screening is a brief check of all kindergarten children in the areas of:

  • personal and social development

  • speech and language skills

  • eye/hand coordination

  • small and large muscle control

  • hearing and vision

Most children develop in these areas at a rate which is within the typical range for their age.

Public Schools are required by Chapter 766 (Special Education Law) to conduct an annual screening of all Kindergarteners. The screening is free to all town residents. Screening helps identify young children who may require further evaluation to determine the need for specialized services. Children are screened during the fall of their Kindergarten year during the regular school day.

Kindergarten children are screened by certified school personnel who are trained in the screening process. The personnel include:

  • Kindergarten teachers

  • Resource teachers

  • Speech and language pathologists

  • School nurses

  • Guidance counselors

  • School psychologists

Parental understanding and awareness of their child is important. Parents will complete a questionnaire about their child’s developmental and medical history and review it with a Guidance Counselor or School Psychologist and a School Nurse. Any questions or concerns they may have about their child should be reviewed at the interviews.

Children are screened during the fall of their Kindergarten year during the regular school day. Parent interviews are conducted in the spring prior to their child’s Kindergarten entry. Interviews are by appointment at the same time as Kindergarten registration is conducted at the local elementary schools.

All parents are notified in writing of the results of the screening. In the vast majority of cases, they will receive the reassurance that their child is developing normally.

When the results indicate a reasonable likelihood that a child has a need for further evaluation, the school staff will contact the parents to discuss the results of the screening. Should the parents and school staff agree that more in-depth evaluation take place, then a referral for a special needs evaluation under Chapter 766 will be made. If a special need is determined by the evaluation, school staff will work with parents to develop an appropriate educational plan for the child.

Students' Classroom Assignments

For returning students in grades 1-4, notification of classroom assignment is mailed to parents in July/August. The process used to determine class assignments is a fairly complex and time-consuming one that usually begins among staff in early May.

The goal is to create heterogeneous class groupings that take into account class size, balance of girls/boys, individual students' needs, abilities, learning styles, and peer relationships. Teachers from the sending grade level meet amongst themselves as well as with principal. Specialists are consulted as the process evolves. Parents/guardians are given the opportunity to provide information regarding their child's placement. This must be done in writing and addressed to the building principal during a specified time period. This should not include requests for a specific teacher and the information provided will not necessarily determine class assignment. The principal, in collaboration with the teaching staff, makes final classroom assignment decisions.

Parents of kindergarteners and students new to the Winn Brook School receive their child's class assignment during the month of August.

For any additional questions concerning placement, please feel free to contact the principal.