Chilly nights and crisp mornings mark the end of summer and the beginning of a new school year in Maine. Leaves crunch and rustle under children’s feet as students saunter along to school while sharing summer adventures with familiar friends.

For some children and their families, old friends have been left behind, and September marks the beginning of a new life in a new town. The uncertainty and apprehension associated with moving can lead to confusion and stress, especially for families who must enroll their kids in a new school.

One might expect the transfer process to be cumbersome. In the Brewer school system, however, the procedure is quite simple. According to Superintendent Perry Jordan, “Parents can be assured of cooperation from my office and school staff in Brewer. The same steps are required whether the child is transferring within the state or from out of state.”

Parents should contact the superintendent’s office to determine which school their children will be attending. The next step is to visit the office at the new school to fill out simple registration forms. The office will request the student’s records from the prior school; parents do not generally hand-carry records from one school to another.

If the child has never attended school and will be attending kindergarten in Brewer, parents must present the child’s immunization records and a certified copy of the child’s birth certificate.

Parents of children with special needs can also be assured of a smooth transition. Jordan said, “Arrangement for special services can be accomplished with little or no difficulty. All plans for special services are made on the local level.”

Once notified about the impending transfer, a pupil-evaluation team (PET) meeting will be scheduled to assess the student’s needs. The student’s parents, classroom teacher, special-education teacher, and a school administrator like a school principal attend the PET meeting to determine the most appropriate services for the student.

The PET meeting can be scheduled during the summer; if there is not enough time to schedule the meeting before the first day of school, however, Brewer schools try to maintain the same services that the child received in the previously attended school. The PET meeting will be scheduled as soon as possible after the beginning of school.

This year, Brewer schools are in session beginning Aug. 31. Students must be at least 5 years old on or before October 15 in order to start school. School offices are open most of the summer, and parents can register their children at any time through the first day of school.

Melissa Finnegan is a free-lance writer who lives in Brewer.