Enrollment

2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR
Next school year, beginning in September 2023

Beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, Benchmark Family Services will be offering Pre-K programs only in the Watertown City School District. Carthage Pre-K programs will be run through the Carthage Central School District. Therefore, if you fall into the footprint of the Carthage Central School District, which includes Black River, Carthage, and West Carthage Elementary Schools, please direct all Pre-K questions to the District registration office at 315-493-5064.

Enrollment information for Watertown will be available from the District website on 31 March 2023.

2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR
Current school year, September 2022 through June 2023

IMPORTANT

  • Benchmark’s main office on Ohio Street is not open to the public, including to parents or guardians. If you are dropping off paperwork instead of mailing it, please leave it in an envelope or folder in the bottom part of the mailbox at the front of our building. We will bring it in as soon as possible.
  • Paperwork must be mailed or dropped off. We do not accept enrollments by fax or email with the exception of supporting documentation and medical records sent to us by your doctor’s office.
  • You are responsible for making all required copies of any original documents, including birth certificates and physical exams. We do not offer photocopying services. If you submit original documents, these will become part of your child’s file and will not be returned to you.
  • Please ensure that your paperwork is complete and contains all required supporting documentation. Incomplete packets will be held back until they are complete – this will prevent your student from being added in the lottery or placed into a classroom.

CARTHAGE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

Benchmark offers Pre-K classrooms for 4-year-old students in the Carthage Central School District. Our classrooms are located at Black River, Carthage, and West Carthage Elementary Schools and follow the Carthage Central School District calendar for attendance.

The hours are 8:30AM to 1:30PM, Monday through Friday.

To qualify for the program:

  • You must live in the Carthage Central School District.
    Please note: Although the Carthage Central School District includes most of Fort Drum’s housing areas, there are some portions that are part of the Indian River School District. If you are unsure whether your address is part of Carthage, please call us – we can look it up by your street address.
  • For the 2022-2023 School Year,
    Your child must be 4 years old by 1 December 2022.
    If your child is still 3 years old by 1 December 2022, they are too young for Pre-K.
    If your child has turned 5 by 1 December 2022, they are Kindergarten age.

To enroll, download and complete the enrollment packet from the School District website, then return the completed packet to Benchmark’s business office along with all required documentation.

WATERTOWN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Benchmark offers Pre-K classrooms for 3-year-old and 4-year-old students in the Watertown City School District. Our classrooms are located at Ohio Street Elementary School and follow the Watertown City School District calendar for attendance.

The hours are 8AM to 1PM, Monday through Friday.

To qualify:

  • You must live in the Watertown City School District.
  • For the 2022-2023 School Year,
    For the 3YO program, your child must be 3 years old by 1 December 2022.
    If your child is still 2 years old by 1 December 2022, they do not qualify.
    If your child has turned 4 by 1 December 2022, they qualify for the 4YO program.

    For the 4YO program, your child must be 4 years old by 1 December 2022.
    If your child is still 3 years old by 1 December 2022 they qualify for the 3YO program.
    If your child has turned 5 by 1 December 2022, they are Kindergarten age.

Enrollment in this program is a two-step process:

  1. Enroll with the Watertown City School District.
  2. Once the district has accepted your child into the program, we will email you the Benchmark enrollment packet. If you are unable to print the paperwork, you may come to our business office at 1635 Ohio Street to pick up a printed packet. (We do not mail packets.) Please complete the packet and return it along with all required documentation to our business office.