SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – Students in the Sioux Falls School District will be starting school in just over a week. For those with kindergarten-aged children, it’s time to get them registered.

This will be Kim Miller’s second year teaching kindergarten. Tuesday she’s spending time making sure her classroom at Anne Sullivan Elementary is ready for students next week.

“I think every teacher can agree that they have spent countless hours trying to get classrooms prepared, just to make sure everything is safe when kids come to school, making sure that every student has individual materials, making sure that sanitation stations are set up, making sure our dividers are placed,” kindergarten teacher, Kim Miller said.

Principal Nikkie Duin says typically families come in for an open house in March to get familiar with the school. But due to the pandemic, they had to make some adjustments.

“We sent a text to all of our families asking if they knew anyone that had a 5-year-old that registration still needs to happen for kindergarteners, we also put something on our Facebook page about kindergarten registration,” principal Nikkie Duin said.

“We all have been meeting with families and kindergarteners individually so they have come to the school and we have shown them their classroom, what the school year will look like,” kindergarten teacher, Allison Nevins said.

Duin says enrollment for kindergarten is down this year compared to previous years.

“We want to make sure that we are trying to reach our students and so if you have a kindergartener, come to the school that is closest to you have have them register, if they are five years old they can be in kindergarten, we just want to make sure parents are aware of that,” Duin said.

While final touches are being added to classrooms to provide a safe and healthy learning environment, teachers are looking forward to welcoming students back to school.

“There is just something so magical about teaching kindergarten, the kids are so excited to start school, the teachers are excited to start school and really in the classroom is where we need them,” Miller said.

You can find out how to register for kindergarten here.