McDowell Mountain Elementary School has announced that it is now time for kindergarten and preschool registration for the 2015-2016 school year.

Registration and open house are this Thursday and Friday, Feb. 26-27, on the school campus. On Thursday, Feb. 26, registration will be held in the evening from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Then on Friday, Feb. 27, it will be held during the day from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and then from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Bring your child along to the registration to meet some of the kindergarten teachers and take part in activities. Tours will also be available.

McDowell Mountain offers free, full-day kindergarten. Half-day kindergarten is also available for morning instruction. A child needs to be five before Sept. 1, 2015 to enroll.

The school’s academic program includes 350 daily minutes of instructional curriculum. Language and literacy, math, social studies, and science are all taught along with related arts classes in music, art, PE and technology.

A birth certificate, immunization records and proof of residency will be needed upon registration for all children enrolling.

Developmental and community preschools are both offered for three and four year olds and for children who turn five after Aug. 31, 2015.

Developmental preschool is a four-day program either in the morning or in the afternoon for children who are delayed in areas of development (such as speech/language, motor skills, social-emotional, cognitive, or adaptive skills).

There is free tuition available for children selected as peer models. Peer model students provide positive peer interactions, demonstrate play skills and model appropriate language and behavior for children with special needs while in the classroom setting.

Community preschool is a tuition-based program and First Things First scholarships are available for families who financially qualify. You may sign up for five half days of preschool in the mornings or five full days of preschool. The children also attend two related arts classes per semester.

For more information on any of the available programs, contact the McDowell Mountain office at 664-5212 or 664-5211.