ShawneeDispatch.com

Kindergarten round-ups are more than just a formality, said Laura Burch, Maranatha Academy elementary principal.

"It's important for parents to go because it's really their first introduction to school as being different from preschool," she said. "They can find out a lot about the values of the school, what's important to the school and the types of things the student is going to be doing in kindergarten."

At Maranatha, students take a kindergarten readiness test to identify what skills a child needs to develop before heading to kindergarten in the fall.

Burch said children should know their letters, numbers and colors. They also should know their phone number and address.

The following are kindergarten round-ups at schools serving Shawnee students:

De Soto USD 232

Clear Creek Elementary School, 6 p.m. April 15, 5815 Monticello Road. (913) 422-8700.

Horizon Elementary School, 6 p.m. April 15, 7210 Chouteau St. (913) 667-3535.

Mize Elementary School, 6:30 p.m. April 15, 7301 Mize Road. (913) 441-0880.

Prairie Ridge Elementary School, 6 p.m. April 2, 22405 Clear Creek Parkway. (913) 667-1800.

Riverview Elementary School, 6 p.m. April 17, 21550 W. 47th St. (913) 441-0808.

For attendance area maps, visit the district's Web site, www.usd232.org, or call (913) 583-8300.

Shawnee Mission USD 512

Bluejacket-Flint Elementary School, 9 a.m. April 4, 11615 W. 49th Terrace. (913) 993-2000.

Broken Arrow Elementary School, parents only meeting from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. or from 4 to 6 p.m. April 3. Parents and kindergarteners meeting at 10 a.m. April 4. 5901 Alden St. (913) 993-2300.

Nieman Elementary School, 9 a.m. or 1 p.m. April 4, 10917 W. 67th St. (913) 993-4000.

*Ray Marsh Elementary School, 5642 Rosehill Road, had its kindergarten round-up Feb. 26. For more information on kindergarten at Ray Marsh, call 993-3400.

Rhein Benninghoven Elementary School, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. March 11, 6720 Caenen St. (913) 993-1900.

Shawanoe Elementary School, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. April 3, 11230 W. 75th St. (913) 993-5100.

For attendance area maps, visit the district's Web site, www.smsd.org, or call (913) 993-6200.

Private schools

Maranatha Academy, 7 p.m. Tuesday, North Campus gym, 15000 W. 63rd St. (913) 631-9286.

Not all private schools have provided information about kindergarten round-ups, so information for all private schools serving kindergarten student is listed below.

Good Shepherd Catholic School, 12800 W. 75th St., (913) 631-0400.

Grace Christian Academy, 7230 Quivira Road. (913) 268-6363.

*Hope Lutheran School, 6308 Quivira Road, had its kindergarten round-up Jan. 28. For more information on kindergarten at Hope Lutheran, visit www.hopelutheran.org or call (913) 631-6940.

Midland Adventist Academy, 6915 Maurer Road. (913) 268-4968.

*Padre Pio Academy, 5901 Flint St., had its kindergarten round-up Feb. 25. For more information on kindergarten at Padre Pio, call (913) 268-3155.

Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic School, 21801 Johnson Drive. (913) 422-5520.

St. Joseph Catholic School, 11505 Johnson Drive, (913) 631-7730.