The Chinese philosopher Laozi said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

In Northampton Area School District, kindergarten students beginning their public school education journey are being helped with their first step.

Incoming kindergarten students can attend an enrichment program this summer to help get them ready for classes this fall.

School officials hope parents take advantage of it.

To do so, parents are being encouraged to register their children for kindergarten sooner rather than later.

Last-minute registration of kindergarten students provides challenges for the district on several fronts, officials say.

The NASD Board of Education March 25 unanimously voted 9-0 to approve 2019 Title I Summer Camp: Passport to Kindergarten!

The eight-day program is 9 a.m.-1 p.m. July 22-25 and July 29-Aug. 1 at George Wolf Elementary School, 300 Allen St., Bath, for George Wolf and Moore elementary schools’ prospective kindergarten students and at the Siegfried building, 1677 Lincoln Ave., Northampton, for Borough and Lehigh elementary schools’ incoming kindergarten students.

The program will explore motor skills, developmental reading, school routines, useful learning strategies and parental interaction.

“You can work with the child to get them ready for school,” NASD Superintendent of Schools Joseph S. Kovalchik said in describing the program after the March 25 school board meeting.

The school board vote included approval of district personnel Melinda Jacobson, Dana Werkheiser, Ashley Gulla, Jessica Quinones, Stephanie Chlebove and Alissa Bastian to teach the program.

The program is funded through Title I grants. The camp costs $20 per student. Parents are reimbursed that amount when the kindergarten student successfully completes the program. Lunch is provided. Transportation is not provided.

The program was not offered in the 2017-18 school year but was offered in the 2016-17 year, according to George Wolf Elementary School Principal Stephen Serensits.

“It gives [kindergarten students] a jump-start,” Serensits said.

There is an average of 420 kindergarten students at the four NASD elementary schools. There are 18 to 20 students per kindergarten class.

Uncertainty about the number of kindergarten students each fall in NASD affects class size, the possible last-minute hiring of an additional teacher and the district budget contingency fund to provide salary and benefits for a new teacher.

Fall kindergarten registration for the 2019-20 school year began in January. NASD has listed the registration on the district website, nasdschools.org, sent emails and advertised it.

The administration often doesn’t have a final number of kindergarten students until mid to late August. The first day of classes for the 2019-20 school year is Aug. 26.

School board President David Gogel asked Kovalchik what the number of kindergarten students is for this fall.

“We’re way below our numbers right now,” Kovalchik said. “That’s why we can’t give you an answer. We really won’t know until some time in August.

“It has been a wild card in the district,” Kovalchik said of kindergarten registration.

“Traditionally, we have late registration,” school Director Chuck Longacre said. “The parents miss out. We have a tea - and now Passport.

“It puts an additional burden on the school district,” Longacre said.

Parents may register a child for kindergarten at an elementary school in the area in which they live in the district. They may also register a child for kindergarten on the NASD website.

Parents who wait until the last minute to register a kindergarten student may miss out on the Passport summer enrichment program.

In addition, the district will hold “Calling All Superheroes!,” a Title I pre-kindergarten family night, 6-7:30 p.m. April 11 at George Wolf Elementary School. The event is billed as an opportunity to “explore the wonders of math, literacy and science with your pre-kindergarten child and enjoy an evening of hands-on learning activities.”

It includes free food, prizes, library card sign-up and a visit with a therapy dog.

Those attending the pre-kindergarten family night must register before April 8. Email dauschec@nasdschools.org or call 610-262-7811, ext. 20409. The link to the registration form on the NASD website is https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EeBhKNwccRAkYvYQa3DjDHY7WYPcjz6K/view.

The NASD Board of Education next meets 7 p.m. April 8 in the meeting room of the administration building, 2014 Laubach Ave., Northampton.