Assistant principal Angie Bush, at right, escorts a four-year-old student to a teacher at the Madison Pre-Kindergarten Center. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Parents of four- and five-year-olds now can apply for their child to enter pre-kindergarten or kindergarten in the 2015-2016 school year.

A limited number of spaces is available in these programs. “We select students by a random drawing from all those who apply. Applications are being accepted through April 30,” district public relations manager John Peck said.

Madison City Schools First Class Pre-K Center’s address is 74 Nance Road. The center can accommodate nine classes with 162 children.

Enrollment at the pre-k center is open to children who are City of Madison residents and four years old on or before Sept. 1. Along with the application, parents must include proof of residency with a deed or rental contract, along with a copy of a utility bill.

Applications for pre-kindergarten are available at prek.madisoncity.k12.al.us or at the Central Office, 211 Celtic Drive.

Kindergarten registration will be held on weekdays from April 27 through May 8 at the Central Office. On Monday through Thursday, registration will be open from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. On Fridays, parents can register from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Children entering kindergarten must be five years of age on or before Sept. 1, 2015. Parents must present the Alabama Blue Immunization Form, Proof of Residency and parent or guardian picture identification.

The random drawing to select students for admittance will be held May 19 at the Central Office. “We have a system-wide distribution of recruitment notices in English and Spanish,” the district’s federal programs coordinator Sharon Willis said.

Madison has another pre-kindergarten program, Early Beginnings, housed at Mill Creek Elementary School. Parents also must apply for Early Beginnings, which includes “typical children and children with developmental delay,” Willis said.

For information about the Early Beginnings Preschool program, visit madisoncity.k12.al.us, click “Special Education” and then click “Preschool.”

The first day of classes for students in the 2015-2016 school year will be Aug. 5. For more information, call 256-464-8370.