In New York City, the Department of Education mandates that children enter kindergarten the year they turn 5. At Skyer Law, we call this arbitrary cutoff the “calendar year rule,” and it has recently come under some well-deserved scrutiny.
If your child is receiving CPSE services and was born in 2015, you are already engaged in the so-called “turning-five process.” If your child was born in 2016, you are no doubt scrambling to find the time to learn more in preparation for next year—and that’s a good idea. Kindergarten transition is particularly stressful for parents of children with special needs, and it is best navigated by a cool head armed with good information.
In March, there are two informational events of particular interest to parents of preschoolers that we want to highlight:
Turning 5: Understanding the Special Education Kindergarten Transition Process
Wednesday, March 11 • 6:30 PM - 7:45PM
Parents League Office, 115 East 82nd Street, first floor
Registration required.
This workshop provides an overview of the Turning 5 process and is co-facilitated by Skyer Law partners Greg Cangiano and Diana Gersten. Description from the Parents League website:
For NYC parents of preschool-aged children who have special education needs, transitioning to kindergarten can be overwhelming. The experienced team of attorneys at Skyer Law have guided thousands of clients through this stressful “turning 5” process. Founding partner, Regina Skyer, literally wrote the book on How to Survive Turning 5. This workshop will explain your legal rights, placement options, and share strategies on how to successfully position yourselves for an appropriate kindergarten placement.
The workshop is sponsored and hosted by The Parents League. It is open to the public for registration (free for Parents League members and $35 for non-members).
Special Needs School Fair at the JCC Manhattan
Monday, March 23 • 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
JCC Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Ave at 76th Street
Registration required.
This is the second year that the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan’s famous Special Needs School Fair is being held in the spring and not the fall. That means that if you are a parent of a child who was born in 2016, this is your opportunity to attend.
From the JCC website:
Representatives from preschools through high schools serving the New York City special needs community come together on-site at the JCC to provide information and answers to your questions about the application process, class profiles, tuition costs, and more. School materials are available.
