Families invited to visit Boston elementary schools in preparation for January registration

Mayor Thomas M. Menino today encouraged parents to take advantage of School Preview Time in the City of Boston, during which school-aged children and their parents and guardians are invited to visit Boston's public schools.

"The first month of School Preview Time in the Boston Public Schools is well under way," Mayor Menino said. "I want to remind parents that many of the city's largest employers give their workers time off during the school day to visit schools while they are in session, and all City of Boston employees are entitled to this time off as well. Visiting a school with your child can help you make important choices about your child's future."

Boston Public Schools Superintendent Thomas W. Payzant has directed all BPS elementary schools to set up at least four open sessions for parents to stop in and learn more about the school. The Superintendent has also suggested that schools schedule regular hours to meet with parents and host tours. Parents may also contact Boston schools to arrange individual meetings and tours.

"We are making a concerted effort to make the process easier for families to get into the Boston Public Schools," Superintendent Payzant said. "There has been a lot of hard work done in our schools and we are proud to open our doors to parents and students."

Among the businesses that allow their employees to make school visits during business hours are: FleetBoston Financial, University of Massachusetts - Boston, John Hancock, State Street Corporation and Asian American Bank.

School Preview Time is a part of Countdown to Kindergarten, a full-year effort by the Boston Public Schools to encourage parents of young children to become involved in education. Countdown to Kindergarten aims to provide parents with the best resources to help them make important decisions about their children's schooling.

Parents are encouraged to visit www.countdowntokindergarten.org or to call 617-63-LEARN to learn more about School Preview Time and the Countdown to Kindergarten program. School Preview Time schedules are also available Boston Public Schools Family Resource Centers, local libraries, community centers and through many childcare and service providers. To further spread the word about School Preview Time, posters are currently displayed on MBTA buses and subway cars in English and in Spanish.

School Preview Time runs through February 7, and the first round of school registration starts in January.